Windermere holiday park takes Cumbria into tourism Oscars

A family-owned holiday park in Windermere will be carrying the flag for Cumbria in this year’s VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, it has just been announced.

Park Cliffe based on the shores of Windermere, will be the only park in Cumbria taking part in the national tourist board’s finals of the competition on 24 April.

The glittering awards ceremony will take place this year at the Hilton Waldorf hotel in London, and Park Cliffe will be one of just three UK parks competing in the holiday park category.

Last year, the park was in the spotlight when it was named as the Lake District’s top holiday park in the annual Cumbria Tourism Awards.

Now Park Cliffe’s owners, Susan and Derek Dickson, hope they will be able to repeat their performance on a national stage, and bring the overall title home to Cumbria.

Susan and Derek took on the park ten years ago, and it has since benefitted from many new features introduced by the couple over the last decade.

Their success was acknowledged by Cumbria Tourism Award judges who noted that “Park Cliffe offers superb service and is both friendly and welcoming from the moment visitors arrive”.

They added “The park offers something for everyone from holiday home owners to families camping, caravanning, using motorhomes or staying in a glamping pod.

“Great facilities offer every comfort, and a well laid out, attractive park ensures that the most is made of its beautiful setting and exceptional views,” the judges concluded.

Susan Dickson said they were extremely proud to be representing Cumbria in what is regarded as the Oscars of the tourism industry.

But regardless of the outcome, Susan says she hopes the finals will benefit the county as a whole by throwing the spotlight on Cumbria as a wonderful place to take a holiday.

Other honours received by the park include a five-star quality award from VisitEngland, a five-pennant AA Gold Park Award, and the title of top regional park from Practical Caravan and Motorhome Magazines.

There is more information about the park at www.parkcliffe.co.uk