Sun, Sea and a sloath

After a slight blip in the weather last week things have changed for the better, it has been glorious and we have been making the most of it.  My twin brother and his wife came to stay for the weekend so we have had an action packed weekend whilst poor Richard worked.  Saturday we started with a trip to Eden Reclamation Yard for a bit of a poke around.  If you are looking for random and beautiful pieces for your house then we recommend a visit.  Kirstie Allsop would love it!

We then walked/biked down to Pentewan.  Jess was on her balance bike.  She tested my nerves to the limit when she came within a foot of skidding off the edge into the river.  For once I think she might have been as scared as I was!  My brother pulled Bethany in the bike trailer.  He is a bit of a serious biker so this was not the pace or the type of bike he is used to but the trail is idea for a steady, easy ride along to the beach.  We had lunch at The Hubbox on the beach.  We can highly recommend it - the burgers and milkshakes were delicious, although part of Pentewan Sands Holiday Park it is open to non residents.  We then chilled on the beach, enjoying a little paddle and Jess dug a boat for her and Uncle Daniel to sit in. Uncle Daniel does not like sand!

Sunday we headed to Newquay Zoo as Alex, my sister in law, adopted a Sloath for Christmas so we had to meet him/her.  Funny little creatures, they just seem to sleep a lot!  If I am to be reincarnated as an animal I would not mind being a Sloath. The zoo was busy, but as per our last visit it was a very enjoyable day with a little bit of face painting and animal petting to top it off.

This week sees Fowey Regatta taking place and on Thursday one of my favourites - the Red Arrows put on a stunning flypast  through the estuary.  I am going to be brave and take the girls to see it - I am hoping they will like it!  If you are intending on going just remember it gets very busy and it is best to park in one of the field car parks.

Following on from last weeks blog about what it is like running a holiday park I thought I would share my day with you.  Today it is glorious hot, baking in fact.  I started the day working down here whilst Richard spent some time the the girls as he has not had a day off since last week.  He came down at 11 then the girls and I headed to The Lost Gardens of Heligan.  We took our picnic and did the Lost Summer Trail which was lovely and, although busy around the entrance it didn't feel too bad once in the grounds.  Bethany, 'Miss Independent', choose to walk about half the way round, which given she is only 16 months is a long way so it was a slow but very enjoyable walk.  I can highly recommend it for guests whether you have children or not and now it is dog friendly the whole family can enjoy it.

We didn't even get out of the car park before Bethany was fast asleep so I turned left out of the car park and headed towards Gorran.  Just at the village sign for Gorran Highlanes there is a turning to Caerhays on the right.   After a 2 mile drive you stumble across the stunning Caerhays Castle which over looks the small but perfectly formed cove. Another one of my favourite haunts and by this stage of the journey Jessica was asleep too so the nursery rhymes were able to be turned on and Steve Wright back on!  Caerhays looked stunning with tide on it's way out and a busy cafe serving delicious food.  This dog friendly beach is one you can go to for the whole day and everyone will enjoy.

So whilst our days and weeks may be long at the moment, it is pretty cool that we can just pop to amazing gardens and then go for a drive to the sea, sometimes you need a hit of the sea just to feel good about the world.  We are so lucky it is on our doorstep and part of our daily routine.

Whilst we are basking in sunshine it is hard to imagine Autumn is around the corner.  Autumn to Cornwall normally means it gets even hotter.  Last September and October were glorious, in fact it was hotter than August.  Throughout September we are offering our great seven nights for the price of 5 which means you can stay for as little as £40 for seven nights.  Give us a call for more details.

If you fancy a little more luxury we are offering all Little Winnick guests 10% off Richard's Mum and Dad's holiday cottages, just up from the villahe of Polgooth, St Austell.  Tregongeeves Farm  Cottages are seven luxury cottages open throughout the year and boast a heated in door pool, games rooms, animals to feed, tennis court and much more.  All you need to do is use this special code at the checkout when you make a booking online or mention you would like the discount by calling and speaking to Judith. (Richard's Mum).

10% off code:  BDVFP

Little Winnick Virgins

Until last night we were in fact Little Winnick virgins!  We had never stayed on the park, as we have a house near by and wardens who live on the park all the time.  However I undertook a 'Mum & Daughter' adventure and Jess and I pitched our tent and barbecued our sausages for her very first camping adventure at 2 1/2!  It was brilliant.  Richard stayed at home with our youngest as she is not very well and it turned out I got more sleep than him!  I was slightly nervous about being the 'noisy person on the pitch next door' as Jess is yet to master the art of volume control, however we managed to tired them out.  We had friends staying too and by 8.30pm the children had run off just about all their steam, from looking for treasure in the wild flower meadow, feeding Lady and Bird (the chickens) left over tea, playing on the play area and having the excitement of using 'toilets with sinks in' - only a 5 year old can get excited about a toilet and sink next to each other in our vanity cubicles! So my review of the park would be:

"Lovely family park, ideal for families to relax and rewind.  We were one mile from home but felt like we were miles away.  The clear blue skies and barmy warm evening meant we could make the most of the great outdoors.  The 5mph speed limit and park layout made me feel the children could have the freedom to be children but were safe in doing so.  We even had a visit from a little snuffling friend - one of the many hedgehogs who are living on park!"

With families in mind, we know that holidays can be expensive times and sometimes the cheaper days are the best days.  And paying lots to get in somewhere then buying lunch and everything else that you just 'must have' can really add up so with than in mind we have been thinking about how you can holidays for less.

First of all - equipment.  Please do ask if you need something or have forgotten something.  We have quite a collection of camping chairs, wind breaks, camping tables, BBQ's and much more that people have discarded whilst staying with us.  I will start posting what we have on Facebook.  We have decided to help our charity of the year - Parkinson's UK - by asking people to make a very small donation for preloved camping equipment so keep an eye on what we have, and feel free to donate.  My camping trip last night made use of a preloved BBQ, table, 3 chairs, wine glasses and children's glasses.

This week we had a brilliant cheap day out  with a trip to the beach.  We packed the camping stove, some burgers, the most amazing potatoes with butter and bacon from Lidl for 89p (a camping must as they are delicious and there is no mess or fuss with them -  just fry them up!), and the flask of tea.  We headed over to Caerhays.  Now considering we are full tonight we were surprised with how quiet it was.  At most there were 6 other groups on the beach.

We had a lovely beach picnic and an explore of the beach including the 'dinosaur cave' (just a cave but to Jess everything is a dinosaur cave) and then we walked right out across the beach as the tide was the furthest out we have ever seen.  All was going brilliantly until Bethany decided it was far too hot to not have a little dip in a rock pool.  It was the funniest thing we have seen in ages, it was like we had provided the best toy ever.  So not to be left out Jess joined in too.  We were all soaked with no change of clothes but some brilliant memories were made.

From the park why not explore the King Wood.  The beautiful wood has many path to explore, benches to rest your legs and a good selection of trees to admire.

If a more landscaped garden is more your cup of tea then pop over to Lanhydrock House.  Whilst it is National Trust property, and in out opinion one of the best examples of upstairs downstairs living, you can explore the informal grounds for free and make most of their brilliant play area, great for all ages.  There are also free bike trails, including a balance bike track.

Bank Holiday Fun in the Sun

Well, despite it being a bank holiday it looks like the weather is not going to rain on our parade.  After a mixed day yesterday today it is bright with a slight breeze and tomorrow is set to get even better; which is fantastic news for our full camping field - and for our guests in the Rally Field.  On site we have the normal touring field but we are also very lucky to boast a Rally Field too.  The large field is a fantastic space for people to gather for celebrations, club events, reunions or just for a weekend away.  We already have a number of caravan and motor club rallies booked in for 2014, friends coming for a long weekend in the field, a possible football tournament and even interest in a wedding being held there.  If you would like to use the Rally Field please do get in contact with either Heidi or Richard who can discuss options with you.

As the bank holiday comes and goes we say goodbye to the summer season which has been just fantastic and welcome in our seven nights for the price of five which begins from Sunday 1st September.  That means over the coming weeks you could stay seven nights for as little as £40.  Please do give us a call or email us if you would like to make a booking with us.

September is a wonderful time to visit Cornwall, not only is it quieter but it is also often very warm too.  Dates to put in your diary include:

• 8th September - World Bellyboard Championships at St Agness
• 12th - 15th September - Heritage Open Days with free entry to
• Lanhydroch
• Gribbin Daymark
• Glendurgan
• Godolphin Garden
• Porthcurno Telegraph Museum
• East Pool Mine, to name but a few
• 14th September - St Ives September Fest, with exhibitions, poetry, walks and festivals
• 21st September - Roseland Fesitval - a community festival celebrating all local things.

Wonderful walks on your door step

Goodness me, we have had a wet 24 hrs, however I am very pleased to report the sun is out and it is looking bright and feeling warm.  Luckily the rain has drained away very quickly and left everything looking nice and refreshed now.  The outlook for the week is good too, so we are looking forward to a bit of a bright week now (fingers crossed!).  Which is brilliant news for the Charlestown Regatta and the Fowey Regatta.

I always think after a good dumping of rain is a good time to get put and go for a walk as everything is lovely and refreshed and looking at it's best.  There are so many brilliant walks in Cornwall it is hard to know where to begin but we we stumbled across one that strokes the edge of the site.  Why not start it from Little Winnick and enjoy a beautiful circular walk?  If you would like to explore a little more how about the Hall Walk - my all time favourite walk I have to confess; taking in a magical cove and the village of Polruan, with a river taxi back to Fowey at the end -  it is real adventure walk.  Or why not venture onto the North Coast with a circular walk from Rock.  The tiny village has become 'the' place to be seen in Cornwall with exceptionally high house prices.  The circular walk will let you enjoy some stunning houses.

As for our day off on Sunday; the rain stopped play so we didn't make our day out.  Instead we had our friends round for a big hearty breakfast and let Jessica play with her friends.  In doing so we got to eat whole heap of the Kittows Bacon I keep raving about that we sell in reception and eggs from the chickens we have outside reception.

Talking of chickens we have some news.  We recently acquired Joan to keep the others company, sadly both Joan and Doreen decided to sit on eggs and refused to eat, which is very common in bantams, so sadly they passed away.  However the very, very exciting news is that Shelia is proud Mum to 7 chicks.  We are keeping an eye to see how many are girls and how many are boys but so far mother and chicks are doing fine.  They are in a small run until they are big enough to walk the ladder up in the big pen.

Summer season begins

The summer season well and truly starts this weekend with the children breaking up and what stunning weather to welcome you with.  Having run River Valley Holiday Park for almost 20 years as a family we have a wealth of experience and love the summer season - even if is a little busy.  So you can be reassured that when booking with us we can offer you all sorts of nuggets of information gathered throughout our lives here and from visitors; including interesting places to visit, places off the beaten track, secluded beaches, how to get cheap entrance tickets to attractions, local garages should you need one (hopefully you won't), camping advice and numerous local walks.

With so many of you arriving in the coming weeks I guess now is a good time to introduce the team we have.  So, the Clemo family own the site, made up of John & Judith and their grown up children Alison (who looks after River Valley) and Richard.   You will see John and Judith around the site. I am Heidi and I am married to Richard, and along with our daughter Jessica who will be one in a few weeks, we are at Little Winnick most of the time. Steve & Jude are our on site wardens who live in the park home with their dog Tia and are always very happy to help.  We really look forward to welcoming you to the site.

So how can you get the most out of Cornwall?  Firstly, we are always here to help, with reception open 8.30am - 8.30pm we can point in the direction that you are thinking of heading - even look up things such as whether the Mevagissey to Fowey Ferry is running or as proper locals, give you directions which your Sat Nav might miss!

You might like to consider planning you stay a little and booking things in advance to save some pennies. For example you can book Eden Project tickets here and save nearly £10 per ticket.  Or if you are thinking about visiting some of Cornwall's stunning gardens pick up a Great Gardens of Cornwall leaflet in reception. You pay full price with the leaflet at your first visit then after that you get discounted rates at all other featured gardens.  As Eden is the most expensive visit one of the other gardens then head there to enjoy a discounted rate! To see the featured gardens click here.

A number of places offer a 7 day ticket once you have visited one, such at Newquay Zoo, Kidworld, Springfield Fun Park and Pony Centre or an annual past if you Gift Aid at The Maratime Museum in Falmouth or The Eden Project.

Don't forget if need supplies for your days out we have freshly prepared sandwiches, fresh bread, rolls, cakes, drinks, cheese, tuna, crisps and much more do keep you going on day.  Perhaps most importantly in this weather we have a very well stocked ice fridge.

Not a good place for the diet

So I have concluded the Little Winnick reception/shop is the worse place to be when on a diet.  I made a Victoria Sponge that has a layer of some of the local black current jam in it and scones using Trewithen Dairy yoghurt.  I have never made scones with yoghurt before but my mother in law (who some of you may have met at the site) assured me it was how she did it each week for the cottages - she was right it is amazing  - this is the recipe in case you want to make some.  Anyway, it means I had to have a slice a cake this morning (quality control) and it is only 11am.

As I was uploading things for the website and blog I was amazed by the super fast broadband, it still amazes me how quick it is.  This is true across the whole park which is covered by 5 points to ensure you can access the WiFI wherever you are.  If you would like to connect up just pop into reception to purchase log in codes.

My first guest in reception this morning made an interesting comment as I was rushing around unloading the papers, bringing in the fresh milk and sorting out the bread.  He said 'I bet you can't wait until this place closes and we (the guests) all go home'.  My answer was NO!'.  We love our lives, it is a lifestyle that is our families way of life.  We fail to get through a meal without debating things or making plans.  We thrive off seeing guests enjoying the park and everything that is near by - the park feels like it has lost it's soul a little in the winter when it is empty.  On rare summer days out we are busy snapping pictures for the blogs and bursting with enthusiasm to share with people.  Next week we are going out for Richard's birthday to Bedruthan Steps for lunch- a very child friendly local hotel that does yummy lunches...I will update you what it is like in due course.

Talking of the winter and the rest of the season (obvioulsy not meaning the two are the same!) we have had interest recently in seasonal pitches for the rest of the season and storage over the winter.  Currently we are offering seasonal pitches 1st July -1st November with winter storage for £1400 on a hard standing pitch - this includes your electric and use of the facilities.  Please give Heidi or Richard a call if you are interested.                                                                          

Cornwall - the new Hollywood

Cornwall is set to star in not one, but two feature films this summer.  Out now is 'Summer in February' featuring Dan Stevens who starred in Downton Abbey.  The film is based on a true story about a colony of artists in Cornwall before the First World War.   We are seeing the film tomorrow so will keep you posted as to what we think of it - we have heard only good reviews so far!

Then in August Richard Curtis's new film About Time, which was filmed around St Austell last summer will be released.  About Time is the latest in Richard Curtis's long line of rom-coms; based around a time travelling lover the film features local beaches such as Port Holland and Porthpean House.  I am a bit of a Richard Curtis fan so I can't wait.

I sometimes think we could make a film out of running a campsite - no two days are the same and no two guests are the same.  So what is it like for us on a day to day basis?  We begin by collecting the papers that guests have ordered, then we bring in the mornings bread and milk delivery.  We stock fresh bread from a local bakery in Mevagissey - it is so yummy, even if I do say so.  We then turn our attentions to bookings - usually we have had some enquiry's over night so we crack on with allocating them pitches and confirming what they would like. Then throughout the morning their is a steady stream of people visiting the shop - both from on site and people popping in from near by sites and off the trail.

A quick check of the toilet block usually results in us returning very hungry as the smell of bacon waffs across the site.  As of this week we will be stocking Kittows bacon - if you are a bacon fan you have to try it - it is the best bacon I have ever had.  Around 10.30ish is our coffee time, and time to take stock of the morning thus far and plan the rest of the day. The rest of the morning can be one of many jobs; cutting the grass, strimming, meanding bits and bobs, stocking the shop, paying wages and bills, meeting and greeting guests.  After lunch we begin the big job of cleaning 24 toilets, 32 hand basins, 12 showers, 6 sinks, and 5 floors.  I have just about perfected the art of getting a streak free shower cubicle...after lots of practise!  This usually takes around 2-3 hours depending on the guests.  Then we head back to recpetion to check in people who usually turn up off the road or tend to those in the shop. Then we need a rest!

Dog friendly all season

Having watched our dog being born (he was a puppy from my Nan's dog - our Dad said we could have a dog if there was a black and white one - Henry was the runt of the litter and had a black white tail!) he became embedded into our family life.  We had 18 wonderful years with him and he really became part of our family.  Currently our family here in Cornwall have Ginnie who is a scatty black Labrador - abused as a pup we rescued her, but she is still very scared and frightened of things however she loves running around on glorious walks.

Basically we love dogs and welcome them with open arms here at Little Winnick.  With direct access from the site to miles of walks whether through the Kingswood, on the Pentewan Cycle Trail, or National Cycle Way or onto the Coastal Path your four legged friend(s) will be spoilt for choice.

We even have a dog walking field, where you can let your dog have a good old run around and explore.  Within walking distance you can enjoy a meal at The Ship Inn which welcomes dogs, or slightly further away is the Polgooth Inn - both serve fantastic food.

We hope to welcome you and your four legged family members soon!

Egg-static

Doreen or Shelia laid an egg!!  This is such exciting news, I am certain this is the start of lots of eggs (hopefully!).

So weeks like this is while we live in Cornwall.  Summer has most certainly arrived here.  The days are warm with a gentle cooling breeze and the evenings are glorious.  I am working this week, but tomorrow day I shall mostly be having a picnic on the beach - perhaps punctuated with a little paddle just to cool off.  We are either going to Pentewan beach which you can walk to from the site or we might head for Porthpean.  Both are pretty quiet and ideal for children.  The more adventurous of you can bike to Porthpean from the site - ask us for directions if you would like to pop there.  Then Wednesday we are having a BBQ.  In the day I shall walk up from Little Winnick to Lobbs Farm Shop.  It is one of my favourite farm shops and does brilliant meat.  Their meat balls are amazing - and easy to cook on a camping stove it you are staying :-).

This week also sees the Royal Cornwall Show - a must for the locals to meet each other and a fantastic insite in the Cornwall way of life.  At present I am not going but someone from the Clemo clan will be going so hopefully pictures will follow next week.

Snap shot of bank holiday weekend

As promised here are some of the pictures from the bank holiday.  We had a brilliant weekend, it was lovely to meet lots of you and see all your lovely tents, vans, motor homes, pets and children.  My favouirte was the VW camper van with matching trailer!

This weekend is a lot quieter as half term comes to an end and the children return to school.  As I mentioned in the last blog though we are now offering 7 nights for the price of 5, meaning you could have a weeks stay with us from £55.  

After a mixed week of weather, I can confirm as I sit here in the office typing it is glorious - blue skies with a slight breeze.  Fingers crossed it stays that way as my brother gets married this weekend (we are very excited!).

Bonkers bank holiday

Wow, what a bank holiday weekend!  With well over fifty pitches booked out the park really came to life (and brought a little proud tear to our eyes in doing so).  I have left my camera at home, but I promise some pictures soon.  With a VW party in, which was connected to the Cornwall Camper Company, a local group and many people making the most of the fab weather the site felt like it had found it's old mojo.  Bread, milk, papers, homemade cakes, retro sweets and ice creams were flying off the shelves faster than we could restock them - we hope to see many of you who celebrated the bank holiday back again soon.  Don't forget if you did stay you can leave a review for fellow campers at UK Campsites or Pitchup.com.

With the busy bank holiday out of the way our attentions turn back to the 'to do' list which we do seem to be making some head way on.  Last week we drained the swimming pool...we didn't find anything exciting at the bottom of the murky water.  There is some debate around the family dinner table as to the plans for it - we will keep you posted when we know.  We hope to have the new toilet block painted in the next few weeks having painted the old toilet block prior to opening.  The laundry was officially opened on Friday (we forgot the ribbon to cut!) we have washers that cost £3 a go and dryers that are 50p a dry.  Or you could make the most of the washing lines and the glorious Cornish sunshine. Other than that it is just small jobs left on the list - for now!

Does anyone know how to encourage chickens to lay?  Bernard, Shelia and Dorren have been on strike recently.  They are malting so we think they might be a little stressed and will hopefully start laying again soon.  Any suggestions welcome though on a back of a post card - or email them to us!

Don't forget we have our seven nights for the price of five offer running from 1st June - 12th July - why not make the most of it and come and have a weeks stay with us?

Too many ice creams to choose from!

Hello!

Things are going well here - we have had a steady flow of guests; both those who have booked in advance and people off the road.  It is so lovely to finally be sharing all our hard work with people!  Still, no rest for the wicked, we have had the tree surgeons back on site today pruning more trees and are already turning our thoughts to future improvements in the close season.

We have also had a lot of interest from rallies.  We are very fortunate to have a large rally field which is separate from the rest of the site.  Accommodating up to 40 pitches we have already booked in people for this season and there us lots of interest for 2014.

Perhaps the most exciting news I have to share with you is opposite...the ice cream freezer has finally arrived.  The many problem we now have is I feel the need to have an ice cream each afternoon...

This week also saw some much needed days out for us as we had friends visiting and what an education in Cornish weather it was.  We headed to St Ives and on route the weather did not look in our favour - heavy rain and wind.  In fact we came close to turning round as we had a pregnant friend with us.  However as we turned the corner into St Ives we saw a glimmer of blue.  We headed straight to Porthminster Beach Cafe for lunch which I can sum up in one word - WOW!  The food was amazing.  We had Jessica who is 9 months old with us and the service couldn't have been better - she was looked after better than us in fact!  After an utterly delicious meal we headed onto a deserted Porthminster Beach - it was stunning; blue skies, clean sands and clear sea.  We explored the back streets of St Ives and admired much of the local art work whilst basking in the sun.

Our second outing saw us go to Fowey.  Although it is their festival week it was very quiet.  Yet more wandering around the streets, down the Espanage to Ready Money Cove, which again was deserted, it was so peaceful and relaxing. By the time we made it to the cove a grey, overcast day had turned into a scorcher and I was regretting not bringing a hat for Jessica.  Luckily I have a baby carrier for Jess as the tiny streets of Fowey are not great for pushchairs.  We made our way to The Galleon for lunch - another very accommodating baby friendly place to grab lunch.

Then one evening we were treated to a meal out at Sam's on the Beach.  What a location and what delicious food.  One of our favourite haunts did not fail to impress with a yummy crab and scallops pizza on the special accompanied by a scrummy local wine.  Well worth a visit - but book to avoid disappointment.

Our final outing of the week was Padstow via Griggs.  Griggs is a agriculture shop selling a great selection of clothes including Joules, Merrell, Frugi and Barbour to name but a few.  My friends got Hunter Wellies for half the price they had seen in John Lewis!  Padstow was busy but lovely - there is nothing better than exploring the fishing harbour, eyeing up the cakes & pasties in Chough Bakery or smelling the fish and chips from Rick's.

Now back to work...and the diet!

the dreaded sea mist

Now I am not going to lie to you.  Despite our sun burn from yesterday contradicting me, the sun does not always shine in Cornwall.  Today we have had the dreaded sea mist in for the best part of the day.  It started glorious, in fact I shocked the world with my lily white legs and put poor Jessica in a summer dress.  By the time we had done our four mile stroll down to Little Winnick the sea mist had come in from the coast and it is now flipping freezing.  The strange thing about sea mist is you can be in one place and it is dull and horrid, yet a mile away it is glorious and bright.  Luckily the week ahead looks much more promising.

My walk got me thinking about the glorious walks around here, we really are so lucky.

From the park you can walk into St Austell. It is about four miles but it is all on cycle trails through the valley so it is very enjoyable.  Then you could get the bus back as the bus stops right outside the site. We can recommend doing the St Austell Treasure Trail  (or any of the Treasure Trails - they are brilliant fun).  You get to learn so much about the place.  It is a great family activity that does not cost very much but gets you exploring a new location.  We have Treasure Trails for sale at Little Winnick  for £4.50.