Park Resorts on IOW - Part Three: Thorness Bay

This is the jewel in the Park Resorts crown, the king of holiday parks where the Isle of Wight is concerned. As the largest of the four sites in the company's Isle of Wight portfolio, Thorness Bay Holiday Park is the place to be for holidaymakers who like to get involved in what is happening around the site.

Thorness Bay has all the touring, camping and holiday home ownership opportunities (caravans start at £14,495 and the site is now open all the year round), plus an extensive range of chalets and caravans of all grades, from the pleasant and comfortable to the luxury with every mod con.

The entertainment is out on its own. Like other Park Resorts venues the Sparky's Krew Club are always around to entertain the children, with a host of daytime and early evening activities. Later in the evening there is music, comedy, in-house cabaret and party dances - something for everybody as you enjoy excellent service from the spacious and well-stocked bar.

MULTI-PURPOSE SPORTS AREA

An adventure playground, archery, horse riding, an indoor pool with an imaginative themed water chute and a large multi-purpose sports area mean there is no shortage of things to do for the young and the not so young.

The on-site restaurant (with another bar!) provides breakfast in the morning and a varied menu throughout
the day. From the spacious balcony outside one can observe all the activity on the busy Solent and across the water around Southampton, or one can take a short walk down to and along the beach to see it all from closer still.

Throughout your stay it is possible to keep stocked up with supplies from the busy camp shop.

Thorness Bay is located near to Cowes, so it can be accessed with the minimum of inconvenience from the Red Funnel after arrival at East Cowes.

On selected dates a free ferry is available as part of an inclusive holiday deal.  Take advantage of the Early Booking Offer by organising your 2015 holiday before the 31st January, and get up to 30% off the published price. Click on the links here for further details.

Reproduced with acknowledgements to The Holiday Zone.

Park Resorts on IOW - Part Two: Lower Hyde

The second location in our Park Resorts series is Lower Hyde, one of two parks situated in the popular seaside town of Shanklin.

Lower Hyde Holiday Park is of a similar size to Nodes Park, but is situated close to a major Island town - an easy walk both to the shops and down to the beach. As such it is an ideal retreat for families and seaside dwellers.

The star attraction is maybe the popular heated outdoor pool, open between May and September. As well as the pool itself an attractive patio area is provided for lounging. For those who prefer the warm ambience of an indoor swimming pool this is shared with neighbouring Landguard Park, with modern facilities and overlooking bar and food area.

As with all Park Resorts venues Lower Hyde boasts some great evening entertainment at the Squires Showbar. There is also an amusement arcade which has been recently refurbished.

Great news is that the park is now open all the year round, albeit with some curtailment of facilities during the short former closed season in winter. Holiday home ownership is available as on all sites and caravans can be purchased from just £16,995.

Remember the Early Holiday Booking Offer in which you can save up to 30% on all 2015 Holidays when you book before the 31st January.

Reproduced with acknowledgements to The Holiday Zone.

Park Resorts on IOW - Part One: Nodes Point

Much though we like travelling around, the one place we can always be guaranteed to return to each year is Park Resorts on the wonderful Isle of Wight. As holiday parks go these are the ones which in our view provide the best balance between peaceful enjoyment and entertainment, with high standards retained in every aspect of the holiday experience.

Park Resorts has four parks on the Island. One of them is Nodes Point, situated at St. Helens, near Bembridge. Just a short walk down to the beach (owned by the National Trust) at the beautiful Priory Bay, Nodes Point boasts an adventure playground, indoor fun pool with water slide, all-weather sports court, horse riding and evening family entertainment in a newly refurbished complex.

More good news is that Nodes Point is now open all the year round. As well as static caravans touring and camping is also provided for on site. A good selection of food is available from the Harbour View Terrace, and there is a well-stocked shop on site too which will provide for most of one's needs throughout one's stay.

One comment frequently heard about Nodes Point Holiday Park is that it has a strong community feel, not least because of the many caravan owners who return sometimes several times a year. Holiday homes can be purchased from as little as £16,995 and it is always discussing what may be available in terms of finance and offers.

Until 31st January Park Resorts is running an unmissable Early Booking Holiday Offer, with up to 30% off all holidays booked for 2015. Click on the links for more details, but don't miss out - this offer expires at the end of the month.

Reproduced with acknowledgements to The Holiday Zone.

Buying your own Caravan - Park Resorts offering up to 30% off all stock!

Holiday park leader Park Resorts has announced its "Blue X Sale", with up to 30% off all its holiday homes.

New caravans are available from £12,995 with pre-owned stock going for as little as £7,995 and deposits starting from a mere £750. Guaranteed finance is also on offer.

The Isle of Wight plays host to four Park Resorts parks - Thorness Bay (near Cowes), Nodes Point (near Ryde), and Lower Hyde and Landguard (both in Shanklin).

Click here to see what is on offer, to view the terms and conditions and to arrange a visit online.

Park Resorts late offers from £111 for four nights

Park Resorts have a number of late caravan holiday offers available at their four parks on the Island - Languard, Thorness Bay, Nodes Point and Lower Hyde - starting from £111 for four nights (Monday to Friday).

Click here for more information or to make an instant booking online.

Park Resorts New ABI Summer Supreme

This year Park Resorts has put its years of experience to good use by teaming up with one of the UK's leading caravan manufacturers and producing a model which is stylish, modern and thoroughly appealing - the ABI Summer Supreme.

Comfortable, spacious and built to last, the ABI is available for between £40,000 to £45,000, depending on location.

For more information, simply click here to visit the Park Resorts website and arrange a no obligation VIP tour.

S-K-C - Sparky's Krew Club!

Sparky, for those who don't him, is a six-footish rabbit who, along with his Krew, entertains 5-11 year-old children at Park Resort venues around the Island and indeed throughout throughout the country. In fact the under-fives can get involved in some of the activities as well!

Sparky's Krew - Sparkle, Pipsqueak and Naarky - invite children to join them for a full programme of games and entertainment. The day begins with the Sparky Krew Club Breakfast, and then it can on the Magic Masterclass or the Spy School, listening to Sparky's Tales, the Mini Beast Safari, Sparky's Mysterious Puzzles, Sensory Trail, Treasure Hunt, Beach Walk, Family Orienteering, Space Resorts, Parachute Adventure, Sports Day or a whole lot more.

In the evening there is the Dr Krew Show, Krew TV and Who Framed Sparky Rabbit? In fact there is something on for your children for the entire week.

Staff are keen to stress that whilst Sparky and his Krew are there for your kids to enjoy, they are not a child minding service and parents remain responsible for their children throughout.

More information can be found here.

Where We've Stayed (Part Seven) - Whitecliff Bay, Bembridge

The seventh and final (so far) holiday park that we've been consigned to on the Isle of Wight was Whitecliff Bay which, as the name suggests, is on the coast at Bembridge.

We arrived late in the evening as we'd had to collect our kids from school before setting off. However I'd done a recce on the site a week before whilst staying at Rookley and so I'd familiarised myself with the site. But in the dark it was different, poorly-lit around the chalets where we were staying and overrun by rabbits (very cute, if you like rabbits).

The site has a bit of a Park Resorts feel to it, but is actually independent. It has a wide range of facilities including a large shop, swimming pool, pub/restaurant (very relaxing in the evening if you prefer peace and quiet), games room, play areas, snack bar, hairdresser, laundrette and a lively entertainment bar. Unusually for such a place, one can enjoy a pint of real ale whilst listening to the cabaret. On our third night we were lucky enough to watch a comedy act which was one of the best we'd seen on the Island, a West Country man whose name sadly escapes me. Apparently the park hosts a number of theme weekends throughout the year, although unfortunately ours wasn't one of them.

By day those of an energetic bent can walk down onto the beach which, with the cliffs to the rear, forms one of the Island's most beautiful seafronts. Here one can collect many of the different coloured sands for which the Island is famous. There are two beach cafés where a surprising variety of food is on offer, as well as most of the conventional beach merchandise for swimming, paddling, sandcastling and planting silly flags.

Due to the proximity of Bembridge Airport planes frequently fly low overhead, but with them being mostly single props it hardly compares with life under the Heathrow flightpath.

I'd definitely go back to Whitecliff. The chalet was compact but adequate, the staff are polite and the whole operation really makes the effort. Yet another Isle of Wight holiday park to add to our approved list.

Late offers from Park Resorts

Even during the peak season, it's usually possible to find offers at Park Resorts. Just a quick search today told me they were offering £40 off selected chalets and caravans at Thorness Bay and £50 off a chalet at Lower Hyde, for a three night weekend stay starting on August 21st.

Visit the site and follow the instructions to the special offers. Even at this time of year, they are more affordable than you might think.

Where We've Stayed (Part Six) - Landguard, Shanklin

When we learned we were going to Landguard, we were curious as to what this little site just along the road from Lower Hyde had to offer. We were on the Island anyway enjoying a break that we'd booked earlier, so we decided to pop along and take a look.

The first surprise, of course, was the abundance of Park Resorts flags flying in the wind at the entrance to the park. We had been told it was independent. We were informed at Reception, however, that Park Resorts had taken them over only two weeks previously!

This knowledge came in handy when we strolled into the coffee shop by the pool and were asked to produce our pass cards. Quick as a flash (if I say so myself) I produced the Park Resorts passes which we had been issued at Thorness Bay, where we were staying. That should do nicely...

Landguard is the smallest of Park Resorts' four parks on the Island. Neat rows of caravans in such locations as "F4" and "G3" (as opposed to the "Bluebell" and "Oaklands" clusters at Thorness Bay) overlook, from left to right, the Reception, shop, café, main bar and swimming pool/bar. It is a very clean and peaceful site, and the caravans are impressive.

Even more impressive are the wooden cabins at the rear of the site, if you are lucky enough to book one. These are luxury to the point that I could happy live in one. Really superb.

On a fleeting visit this year I noticed that club passes could also be used at Lower Hyde, about half a mile along the road, and vice versa. I'm not sure whether this means some "sharing" of entertainment.

When the offers arrive and we come to deliberate which park we wish to list as our first choice both our kids now invariably say Landguard. Serene, tidy and with good facilities and easy access to the old town of Shanklin, one could do much worse.

Where We've Stayed (Part Five) - The Orchards, Yarmouth

On one occasion the guys at The Sun decided to send us to The Orchards Holiday Park, which is a short drive from Yarmouth.

The Orchards is a small, independent caravan site towards the west of the Island which opens between March and October. What struck us when we arrived was how ordered it was. Campers in adjacent fields flew flags, the caravans were neatly aligned and we were advised by friendly staff that the site was pedestrain only, except for when luggage was being loaded and unloaded on departure and arrival.

The site has the usual range of facilities, which impress in every department. It has a large, well-stocked camp shop, take-away food, pleasant indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a coffee shop, a recreation area, pool and table tennis, children's play equipment and a dog walking area. One can also play Pétanque, a game related to boulles that I confess I'd never heard of, but do click the link for details if it appeals.

The only thing that was missing - and it's a big only for some - was social activity in the evenings. There is a small club run by volunteers (mostly prison officers) about five minutes' walk from the site and visitors to the site are offered special temporary membership at a few quid for the week, but it is basically a place where they sell beer rather than an entertainment venue.

I'd recommend The Orchards for a quiet weekend, but only if Park Resorts or the other larger sites aren't your thing.

Touring and camping holidays on the Isle of Wight

I've stayed in caravans, chalets, holiday cottages and hotels on the Isle of Wight. I've even on occasions spent cold, chilly and uncomfortable nights on friends' settees. But one thing I haven't done - yet - is take a tent and spend a cheap but fulfilling weekend or few days under the stars amongst the elements.

To be honest it's a very long time since I've pitched a tent anywhere. But if camping is your thing, the Isle of Wight offers many options to enable you to get away from the noise and the pollution of the city and spend some time breathing clear air in the unspoiled countryside of this wonderful little island.

The most obvious of these options is probably Park Resorts. They have 22 coastal parks around the country, including on the Island, and prices start at just £24 per night.

What is really attractive about this is that campers have the same use of the site facilities as those staying in the caravans or the holiday homes. At Thorness Bay, where we usually stay at least once a year, we see the tent dwellers at the Regatta Bar enjoying the singing, dancing and entertainment and then during the day time one meets them at the swimming pool, or eating and drinking at the plush new restaurant/bar. The large and expanding camping pitch on the site has all the usual facilities, and I've witnessed a real community spirit developing amongst the growing number of "regulars" who return each year.

If you don't have a tent of your own it's no problem. Park Resorts hire out their own three-bedroom, ready-to-use tents at Nodes Point, nr. Ryde, from just £59 per break.

For more information about camping at Park Resorts, please just click here and see for yourself what is available for you.

Buying your own Holiday Home on the Isle of Wight

Owning your own holiday home gives you the freedom of being able to jump into your car and drive off to your holiday destination at a whim, at almost any time of the year including the summer season. You don't need to book, you can hire it out to friends, and you have the familiarity of knowing that you'll be staying at your own caravan in the same location.

Additionally, you could choose to let your holiday home out at those times when you know you'll not be using it. In this way you can generate a valuable income and let others pay for your own well-deserved holiday.

Probably the best option for holiday home ownership is Park Resorts. As well as managing 37 award-winning parks, including four on the Isle of Wight, the company has a wealth of experience through its Owners Elite Teams who will speak to you about your needs and requirements and consider the best option to suit your individual circumstances. Park Resorts hosts exclusive events and parties for owners, providing a great environment in which to meet new friends and socialise, as well as providing free ownership to all the facilities available at the parks.

Owners benefit from an extended season, allowing them to use the parks exclusively before the holidaymaker season begins and also for some time after it has finished.

Another way in which owners can make money is through the Owners Referral Programme. Refer a friend into holiday home ownership and you will receive a credit worth £500. Refer three and you will receive £2250 - and there's no upper limit!

Needless ot say there are costs involved. As well as the initial purchase of the holiday home, owners are required to pay Pitch Fees, insurance, rates, electricity and gas. Park Resorts frequently offer a discount on Pitch Fees as an incentive, at least over the first year - ask them before you make your decision to buy.

They have also been known to offer a free night's stay if you visit a park with a view to discuss buying, or to refund the cost of your holiday if you purchase a holiday home during your stay. Again, ask them what's on offer.

The last thing that needs to be stressed is that owning a holiday home can be surprisingly affordable. While a new top model caravan might cost you in excess of £50,000, a used model can be bought for £7,000 - sometimes even less.

Whether you are ready to purchase your own holiday home or whether you remain undecided, Isle of Wight Review would urge you to contact Park Resorts and discuss your options with them. In our experience the Owners Elite teams are without exception professional, expert, open, honest and not in any pushy in that annoying way that most sales people tend to be these days.

For more information without any obligation, please click here and visit the section on Holiday Home Ownership.

Rookley again

Just received confirmation of our latest Sun holiday, and once again it's Rookley Country Park. Friday July 10th, for three nights, to be precise.

I'm not sure whether Park Resorts, which was our other preference (Thorness Bay and Landguard) is getting really quickly booked up these days or whether Rookley just offers The Sun more of its holiday allocation, but we seem to end up there every time these days.

Not that we're complaining. Rookley is an excellent venue and we're looking forward to it. July seems a long time to wait, but the fishing as well as the weather will be at its best then.

Where We've Stayed (Part Four) - Lower Hyde, Shanklin

The fourth park we were located to on the Isle of Wight was Lower Hyde, in Shanklin. Lower Hyde was at the time one of three (now four) holiday parks on the Island that was owned by Park Resorts.

Having only stayed the once at Lower Hyde, for three nights, my memory of the site does not afford great detail. I suppose the best way I could describe it would simply be to say that it is in many respects a smaller version of Thorness Bay. The entertainment, as I recall, was particularly good, although as immediately after our stay we moved on to Thorness Bay for another four nights we saw much of it again, as when Park Resorts brings acts to the Island they often "tour".

One big plus point for some would be that Lower Hyde, unlike Thorness Bay, is not in the middle of nowhere. For those visitors who don’t have their own transport, at Lower Hyde one is not stranded on site for the duration. The park is just a short walk to the charming old town of Shanklin, with its quaint thatched cottages, and a slightly longer but very downhill walk to the equally charming seafront (of course, it’s uphill on the way back!).

For those who like Shanklin, or shopping (there is Lidl and a Somerfield within yards of the site), Lower Hyde is well worth considering.

Where We've Stayed (Part Two) - Thorness Bay, nr. Cowes

After a few years at Fairway The Sun decided in its infinite wisdom to consign us to a different holiday park.

We were so displeased that we booked up a few days at Fairway independently, to run concurrent with our Sun holiday, but when we arrived at Park Resorts' Thorness Bay site we were pleasantly surprised. Although a larger site, it seemed well organised and there were plenty of activities on offer, even if our children were not by nature inclined to join Sparky the rabbit and his Krew Club on his morning adventures. The caravan was smart, even though it was Bronze Standard, although we discovered after several subsequent visits that the difference in quality between the various classifications does on occasions become blurred - we have had some excellent Bronze caravans and some unspectacular (but never bad) Gold ones.

The site has a shop, which is well-stocked unless your holiday happens to occur at the very tail end of the season, a decent swimming pool, a play area for toddlers, and a small basketball-type court. For socialising it had a pub (now gone) attached to the Reception area as well as the Regatta Bar, where both house and visiting entertainment is offered until late in the evening. Over the years in which we returned the Regatta Bar became a bit tatty, but last year Park Resorts spent a considerable amount refurbishing and redesigning it, and it has now been enhanced with a pleasant lounge and eating area as well as making for a more salubrious atmosphere in the main bar itself.

On our first visit there was a house band called Exodus who were truly excellent, playing a frighteningly diverse range of material which seemed to drift seamlessly from Abba to Black Sabbath to the Spice Girls. The lead vocalist was a guy of about my own age called John who came to our table for a drink during the interval and we enjoyed quite an interesting chat about music, Margate (whence he originated) and lots besides. John was concerned that the owners of the site wanted a female vocalist and indeed on our next visit he had been replaced. Although the young lady who stepped into his shoes put on a good show it wasn't quite the same. I was pleased to discover when googling recently that John still seems to be playing with Exodus, and I make no apology for giving his website a plug.

Anyway, back to Thorness Bay - anybody who is a beer-head like myself with a long-suffering family who occasionally opt to return to the caravan before the evening is properly finished will appreciate the value of having somebody to engage in admittedly laboured conversation whilst dispensing the drinks. The large majority of the staff that I've encountered at Thorness Bay and indeed at Park Resorts in general have been friendly, sociable and very professional (not to mention tolerant).

Thorness Bay became our next "base" on the Island from then onwards, which we would usually opt for when filling out our Sun coupons as well as on those occasions when we booked up separately such as during the peak season. I would recommend it to anyone.

A dedication to my Island bolthole

The Isle of Wight has long held a special appeal for me. Ever since the mid 1980s, when I helped a couple of friends move away from my home town in London to start a new life in Ryde, it has served as a kind of sanctuary for me whenever I want to escape for a few days from the pressures of work and everyday life. Maybe it is the psychological impact of crossing water that instills in one a sense of liberation, but being on the Island relaxes me in a way that I don't quite achieve whenever I stop at the South Coast.

Back in those days I would travel across on my own, or with my late friend and drinking partner. More recently I have married and become the father of two children, and thus most of my visitations now are family affairs.

As a family, the Isle of Wight became our regular holiday destination about ten years ago. We enjoy staying in holiday parks in a chalet or a caravan, often on a cheap Sun holiday but also at times on a private booking whenever we are given to venture across in peak time. Now that the kids are a bit older, I even manage to get across on my own once or twice a year for a spot of fishing.

The first park we encountered was Fairway in Sandown. A smallish but well-kept independent site, Fairway has for many years enjoyed the services of talented resident entertainer James Matthewman, who basically takes care of every aspect of the evening's programme, from singing and telling jokes to calling the bingo. The last time we visited the site he was performing an impromptu double act with Bruce Jones, better known to some as Les Battersby from Coronation Street, who himself holidays at the park.

After a couple of years at Fairway we were offered a Sun booking at Thorness Bay, a large Park Resorts site near Cowes. We found we liked Thorness, which boasts some splendid views over the sea and a pleasant coastal walk, and this became our "base" in the few years that followed.

Other parks we have stayed at have included Lower Hyde and Landguard in Shanklin, both Park Resorts although the latter only recently so, and Orchards in Newchurch. Lower Hyde is essentially a smaller version of Thorness. Landguard is smaller still, but classy and with a personal touch. Orchards, independently owned, is a nice, pleasant site but with little for socialites such as us to do in the evenings.

This year, for the first time, we founds ourselves at Whitecliff Bay in Bembridge. The chalet was modest but fit for purpose, and we found that we were very impressed with the site and its facilities, as well as its location at the top of a quite beautiful beach which boasted two lively cafés.

Although we found that we were sad to leave, we didn't as it happens have far to travel because I had booked us an extra four days at Rookley Country Park, which is really the jewel in the crown of Island View Holidays' portfolio of sites. This year I have had the pleasure of staying at Rookley no fewer than three times, and it seems to have edged its way to the top of our list of choices. It has been seriously upgraded and improved since we first visited it a few years back; the newly-built bungalows are actually superior to the much-heralded executive villas at Center Parcs, where we spent a few days back in March, and it boasts two superb fishing lakes. When a two-bit occasional angler such as myself can land a 20lb carp on what is essentially Woolworth's tackle, you know you are in a good place.

Some of my friends think we are unadventurous, even cheapskates, for spending most of our holidays in the modest environs of Vectis. We don't agree. We visit other places, we even have a timeshare on the Algarve, yet when I'm stressed and overworked it's always the Isle of Wight that is calling.

This blog is dedicated to my peaceful and unspoilt bolthole on the opposite side of the Solent. Long may it remain that way.