Memories of the British Tradition of Caravan Holidays | The British ...

The Langley Family - Bracklesham Bay 1963

The very British seaside holiday is a longstanding tradition in the UK, and it goes hand in hand with the caravan holiday too. Family-friendly, affordable ways to see the countryside, and the coast, Britons have been mad about caravanning for decades.

I have fond memories of our family caravan holidays in the 1960?s, this was us at Bracklesham Bay in Sussex, where my Dad taught me to fly a kite, things have come a long way since then.

Playing second fiddle to the cheap and cheerful package holiday since the 70s, it seems that the British caravan holiday is very much back in style, as magazines and newspaper supplements offer up inspirational ?glamping? destinations and families look for more traditional and affordable holiday options closer to home.
Proof of caravanning?s resurgence comes as one of Britain?s leading caravan park chains, Park Resorts, announced a 21% increase in new caravan sales in 2011. Park Resorts currently offer caravans for sale UK wide at 39 coastal holiday parks from just ?8,995, making them an increasingly popular holiday home option for families.

British Caravan Holiday History
Before the national railway system opened up travel to ordinary folks across the UK, holidaying was a pastime enjoyed solely by the upper classes. But following the introduction of the railways, from the 1840s onwards day trips to the seaside and rural towns became increasingly popular. Caravanning and camping soon rivalled the seaside boarding houses, offering up an even more affordable way to holiday, as well as more freedom to explore.

Holiday camps began springing up during the late 19th century, and by the early 1900s, camping and caravanning had developed into a popular weekend activity for working and middle class families. Seen as a healthy activity, it offered an affordable getaway for families looking to escape the smog-filled cities.

In its infancy, the caravan holiday was split into two distinct types: touring holidays, with caravans towed by a car, and caravan park holidays, where holidaymakers could rent larger, static caravans.

The Boom Years
Caravan holiday popularity rose to hit its peak in the 1960s. With an increasing number of caravans for sale UK wide, improved motorway infrastructure opening up the roads to more touring caravans, more families buying their own cars, and the introduction of the hugely popular and affordable Sprite caravan range, the sixties was truly the decade of the British caravan holiday.

However, the introduction of cheap package holidays in the 1970s meant that ordinary British families could now afford to travel abroad for the first time. As more families were lured by the warmer climes of Spain and Greece, caravan, camping and British seaside holidays began to decline.

A Welcome Return
Nowadays, caravanning is going through something of a renaissance. State of the art modern caravans are more spacious, and come with all the mod-cons of a holiday apartment. Caravan parks now rival holiday resorts in terms of facilities for families, including watersports, workshops, and childcare. Modern British holidaymakers also feel a great deal of nostalgia towards caravanning holidays; remembering the fun they had at caravan parks as children, they now want to create these kinds of warm, family memories for their own children. And the economic recession has also forced many families to tighten their purse strings, boosting the number of caravans sales and convincing more families to ?staycation? and explore the fantastic British Isles instead of holidaying abroad.

If you have any memories of caravan holidays growing up I would love to hear them.

Cheers,

Steve Langley

Source: http://blog.thebritishtraveler.com/2012/03/memories-of-the-british-tradition-of-caravan-holidays/

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