Cumbria Coastal Tour: Good News

[Grey Wanderer]

Good News: Cumbria Coastal Tour


Report of telephone conversation with Cumbria Tourism.

Cumbria Tourism are working with Lake District National Park, County Council, Carlisle City Council and the Coastal Boroughs of Barrow-in-Furness, Copeland and Allerdale on a joined up review of the approach to motor Caravan Tourism.

She made the following points:

They recognise motor caravan tourism has been an area that their Tourism Policies have been blind to.

Appropriate infrastructure is lacking.

The many comments in their visitor survey bear this out.

They want to divert motor caravans away from already congested narrow single track roads

They want to distribute motor caravans away from the Central Lakes

They have had a difficult summer

Residents have felt under siege.

They need a better approach.


They recognise that a Coastal Tour aligns with their policies and are working on setting one up. They intend to support this with publicity, itineraries, maps, website, etc. I suggested that motor caravan websites will very quickly disseminate details of Aires and services, and gave Seachforsites as an example. Also I recommended they look at how German and Norwegian websites promote their very successful scenic tours.

They want to have a basic network of overnight parking places (Aires) and service points in place for Easter 2021. I stressed that priority must be given to service points to avoid the experiences of North Coast 500.

They will prioritise the coast from Barrow-in-Furness up to the Solway and Carlisle. They have had difficulty getting South Lakeland District Council on board owing to the extent of difficulties they have had in summer 2020, and think this section of coast will have to follow as a second phase. (an area where perhaps CAMpRA may direct its promotion of Aires to pubs, clubs etc.).

Because of the short timescale they hope to persuade existing campsites to offer paid use of their service points to non-resident motor caravans. I reminded her that services need to be available all year round, and stressed the reasons why many motor caravanners will not generally use campsites. A possible quid pro quo is their offering to extend the season that campsites are allowed to stay open next year. They are a little wary of potential competition issues with campsites. I reminded them of Competition and Markets Authority Guidance regarding this. They are mindful of this but want to step gently as it is a local political issue.

They are identifying suitable public car-parks for designated overnight parking in locations where it does not disadvantage residents and businesses with late night or overnight parking needs, and are resolving issues with existing by-laws (such as at Walney Island) or other prohibitions, TROs etc.

I mentioned we had zero feedback from Carlisle. She said Carlisle City Council were involved as a Stakeholder. They do have existing motorhome parking but not overnight, but they are looking at providing overnight parking. I reminded her of the critical position of Carlisle for coastal and Northern Link Tours, and the great opportunity there was to attract visitors from the thousands of motor caravans that stream daily by on the M6, and compared Carlisle with its twin City of Flensburg with its three stallplatze and large University Baths permitted parking area. I think the point was well accepted.

I mentioned our document on Model Standards and that we were expecting to receive a Fire Report once final editing and proof reading is finished. I don’t think she was previously aware of the 1983 interpretation and guidance regarding the 1960 Act and Model Standards. I informally mentioned moves to have the Act amended for Motor Caravan Aires, which may help make small Aires more profitable. She invited me to follow up with any other material or suggestions that we feel may help them.

If anyone in our CAMpRA group in the Cumbria area with local knowledge and contacts wants to help a CAMpRA drive to promote setting up Aires in the car parks or grounds of local businesses, pubs, clubs, village halls, etc. along the route please reply here or contact me by PM on Messenger.

[dave_cumbria]

I have lived in Barrow for over 60 years, so do have local knowledge but I'm useless at campaigning (not my forte). If you need any local knowledge, please ask.
Dave

[Grey Wanderer]

Hi Dave. Thanks. Do you know any pubs, hotels etc in a reasonable location with a large car park on the Furness peninsula who may be worth trying to see if they will accommodate motorhomes overnight? For your info Barrow BC are looking to establish motorhome overnight parking on Walney with services. Also, is there any parking or space at Sandscale Haws where it may be worth trying to get NT to allow MH parking.

[Grey Wanderer]

List of businesses and campsites so far approached, any you can add all the better.

Cumbria pubs, clubs etc contacted

Levens Hall emailed with docs

South Lakeland nurseries Cant find email address

Holker Hall emailed with docs

Lower Holker Village Hall emailed with docs

Ellie’s Hill Foot Garden Centre, Ulverston emailed with docs

Ford Park Ulverston emailed with docs

Lakeland Leisure Caravans No space

Bardsea Alpacas emailed with docs

Fishermans Arms Baycliffe emailed with docs + SOTHO

Cumbria Zoo, Dalton in Furness emailed with docs

Askham Rugby Club emailed with docs

Duddon Sports and Social Club, Askham emailed with docs

Haverigg Cricket Club (car park space not clear. no email address

West Lakes Coach House, Gosforth emailed with docs

Kellbank Hotel, Gosforth Already a Britstop

Red Admiral Pub, Gosforth Already has a C&CC CS

Egremont Rugby Club emailed with docs

Egremont Cricket Club Requested email address

Whitehaven Rugby Club emailed with docs

Whitehaven Football Club emailed with docs

Wellington Inn Car park, Whitehaven Already permits paid overnight stay

Workington RLFC emailed with docs

Workington Cricket Club emailed with docs

Maryport Marina Adding 10 new motor caravan bays

Wheatsheaf Inn, Abbeytown emailed with docs + SOTHO



Cumbria Coastal Tour: Campsites

(OAY= Open all year, MH = Motor cavan spaces)

Meathop Hall (C&MC) OAY MH National campaign

Lakeland Leisure Park (Haven) (£77) Mar-Oct High value model, unlikely to cooperate

Bigland Hall, Cark / Cartmel, MH Mar-Nov info@biglandhallcaravanpark.co.uk Email sent

Bardsea Leisure Park, OAY, reception@bardsealeisure.co.uk Email Sent

South End Caravan Park, Walney, Barrow. OAY, £20-30. enquiries@secp.co.uk Email sent

Marsh Farm Caravan Site, Askham in Furness, no email address.

Braystone Bank Farm, Millom, grass only, not suitable.

Harbour Lights Campsite, Haverigg, £24-27, OAY. harbourlights120@yahoo.co.uk Email sent

Butterflowers Holiday Park, (Leisure Parks Ltd), info@leisureparksltd.co.uk Email sent

Silecroft Campsite, Silecroft, Jan-Nov, info@leisureparksltd.co.uk Email sent

Ravenglass C&CC site, National campaign

Cumblands Farm Caravan and Camping Site,
Carleton, OAY, grass, cumblandsfarm@outlook.com Email sent

Shepherds Views Holidays campsite,
Holbrook, £15-17+8, contact@shepherdsviews.co.uk Email sent

Tarnside Park, Seacote Park, .£18-21, no email address

Wyndham Hall Caravan Park, Cockermouth, No contact email

Harbourside Caravan Park, Maryport existing CL being expanded by 3 MH spaces

Spring Lea Holiday Centre, Allonby, grass, £15.50-19, Mar-Oct, no email address

Rowanbank Caravan Park, Silloth, no email address

Manor House Caravan Park (Lyons),
grass and h/s enquiries@lyonsholidayparks.co.uk (company based in Rhyl) Email sent

Stanwix Park Holiday Centre, Silloth, 2 sites, grass and h/s, OAY, enquiries@stanwix.com Email sent

Solway Holiday Village, Silloth, £15-26, solway@haganleisure.co.uk Email sent

Tanglewood Caravan Park, grass and h/s, OAY, tanglewoodcaravanpark@hotmail.com Email sent

[Markman]

Wow. Impressive. Thanks on behalf of me, and I'm sure many others.

[dave_cumbria]

Hi Grey Wanderer
Sandscale Haws (locally called Roanhead) is a very beautiful area. Unfortunately, the road leading to the parking area is single-track for about 1/2mile and is not suitable for motorhomes. Also, the car park is very small and usually full of dog walkers. Unless the NT are willing to expand the car park it is not suitable for our needs. There would then be conflict between locals parking and the area designated for motorhomes. Not suitable in my opinion.

Lowsy Point is a stunning area, not far along the coast towards Barrow, from Sandscale Haws. I haven't been there for some years, but look at it when leaving our house. There are "shacks" there and a rough road from the A590. Again NT land. From the NT website .... "If you like to get off the beaten track, head along the beach towards Sandscale’s lowest point – Lowsy Point and Scarth Bight Bay which look out onto Walney Island. Lowsy point is the lowest-lying part of Sandscale hence its name which means ‘low sea’. On this spit of lowland, you can see a scattering of about 19 privately-owned cabins some of which have been here since around 1900."

I cycle a lot in our area so will have a look at specific places which may be suitable. Barrow itself is a very rough, working-class town. I would not want to stay anywhere overnight within the town.

There is Barrow Golf Club which has stunning views across the Duddon Estuary. It boarders the town but as the local area is the best in the town, I would stay there overnight. We live a few hundred yards from the golf club so know the area very well. It has a car park which could accommodate a small number of vans. 01229 825444.

Walney Island is stunning away from the populated centre. Mulgrew's South End Caravan Park is in a perfect area for an aire. They may be willing to offer MH parking outside of their park. 01229 472823.

Do you know who in our Council is looking at an aire on Walney and where it might be located? I will contact them and ask to be updated on any proposed location. A non-motorhomer will have different views of a suitable site than we do. Our Council doesn't have a good record of making good planning decisions!

A location near to Ulverston would be fantastic. Again, like Barrow, Ulverston has its unsuitable areas. A new retail complex has recently opened which would be an ideal location as it is on the edge of the town but within easy walking distance of the town centre. The retail park includes ALDI and M&S Food.

Close to this location is a garden centre. This centre advertises MH's for hire, so may be worth contacting to see if they would allow an aire. "Ellies Hillfoot Garden Centre" 01229 587282 I see you have already emailed docs.
Also, the Fishermans Arms is an ideal location. It seems to have dificulties staying open and is frequently changing hands.

Along the coast between Bardsea Alpacas and Ulverston is the "Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre". Good location. 01229 584029

Bardsea Malt Kiln Village Hall would be a good location for a small number of vans. 01229 869187

There is also "Glaxo Sports and Social Club". Another reasonable location, but next to the Glaxo chemical plant.

So many of our pubs have closed and are being redeveloped but I'll keep my eyes open when out and about for any still open which could accommodate us.
Dave.

[Steve]

Great information thank you

[Grey Wanderer]

Lee Roberts, council leader is on side. He has Sandra Baines working on possible Aire locations.

[dave_cumbria]

Thanks for the information.
I have sent an email to Lee Roberts offering my services.
Whilst I am useless at campaigning, I am good at seeing issues which may make a proposed site good, or not so good, so hopefully they will take up my offer.
Regards, Dave

[Grey Wanderer]

Correction...deputy leader.