Travel & Tourism Awards 2020

Page 78 www.lux-review.com LUX Travel and Tourism Awards 2020 Local culture is the lifeblood of the United Kingdom, welcoming people into charming villages and characterful towns all over the country. On the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, just a mere mile away from the historic market town of Kirkby Stephen, lies Pennine View Park. An unspoiled sanctuary in the beating heart of England’s countryside, this family-run caravan and camp site is the perfect gateway to both the Lake District and the North Pennines. LUXlife had the good fortune of chatting to co-owner Rachael Gowing recently, to learn more about the beauty of what Pennine View Park has to offer its wide-ranging clientele. Speaking with us, Rachael expanded upon exactly who comes to the park, and what makes it unique to other caravan parks. “Our wide ranging customers include backpackers, touring caravaners, motorhome owners, the campervan crowd, traditional campers and glampers, and the odd RV. We attract families with young children, walkers, retired couples and friend groups, and we are uniquely placed on the edge of town. Restaurants, pubs, and shops are all easily accessible, but also nestled in miles and miles of beautiful countryside with adventures aplenty. We have good quality, clean facilities, a playground, free Wi-Fi, laundry, campers kitchen, small shop and are about to open a gentle family bar on site.” Escaping to the countryside and immersing yourself amongst the marvel and wonder of Mother Nature can be one of the most luxurious things that you can do. Yet, many of us feel as though we have to travel abroad for such luxuries. Pennine View Park is seeking to change that opinion, offering those in need of relaxation and rejuvenation exactly that, in one of the England’s most idyllic locations. To discover more about this haven of tranquillity after its award-winning success, we spoke with co-owner Rachael Gowing. Pennine View Park Best Family-Run Caravan & Camp Site - Yorkshire Dales Home-based “staycations” have continued to rise across the United Kingdom, with more and more people realising the true beauty and luxury of being immersed in the lush green of Yorkshire’s rolling hills, to name just one area. This also highlights the charm of local life. The nearby village of Kirkby Stephen, where Ian and Rachael are from, is famed for its church, affectionately nicknamed the ‘Cathedral of the Dales’ for its size and elegance. Pennine View Park does wonders to open the eyes of domestic and international travellers alike to the luxury of local gems such as these. Regardless of where travellers come from, Rachael tells us how the team strive to make everyone feel welcome. “We treat our customers as friends, and we try to make every guests stay as easy and enjoyable as possible. We are always happy to help, answer questions, lend out (often forgotten) equipment, offer directions and recommendations, and fix problems which inevitably occur. From the first point of contact to when our guests are on site, we look after them like you would a guest in your house.” However, running a caravan camp in Britain does not come without its challenges. Following the recent developments with regards to Brexit and environmental protection, Rachael closes out our time together by opened up about how Pennine View Park can bridge gaps and innovate in spite of national challenges. “We hate to say it, but we have already seen a decrease in international travellers due to ‘Brexit’ and we imagine this trend will continue for a few more years until we have all realigned. We have so much beauty to offer as a country, I think we will have to work hard as an industry to regain our reputation internationally. I also think we need to be aware of technological advances, we see more and more demand on our Wi-Fi, I can only see this growing, we have to be able to provide what our customers need. Most importantly though, I think we all need to be more ecologically aware and we all need to do more to become sustainable and work with environment we value so highly. We do what we can currently but we have to find ways to improve and adapt, it can’t just be about financial cost, we have to learn to think about environmental cost too.” Surrounded by lush countryside and beautiful, rolling hills, Pennine View Park offers a wealth of opportunity to totally switch off from the outside world and simply unwind in the restful embrace of Mother Nature. Luxury can take many forms, but Pennine Park View is luxury at its most raw and authentic. Company: Pennine View Park Contact: Rachael Gowing Website: www.pennineviewpark.co.uk