UK Caravan parks are preparing themselves for what they hope will be a sizzling summer as holiday makers favour holidays at home instead of going abroad Caravan Park owners are experiencing higher than average bookings for their summer season and many attribute this to the credit crunch. It appears the cost of foreign travel has now made the british holidaymaker opt to remain in the UK to save their money. Sales of caravans had also increased. Dennis Smith, who owns Hillhead Caravan Park at Kintore, Aberdeenshire with 120 vehicle storage area said an increasing number of families were buying caravans and storing them on his site which has now a waiting list of up to a month which is a 30% rise in figures from last year. He said "I would say people have decided hat caravan holidays are cheaper and less stressful than going abroad, many of them want to try the freedom of caravaning"

He added that the credit crunch however has not prevented people from buying the largest caravans available rather than buy a cheaper second hand one and regularly upgrade. Aboyne Loch Caravan Park on Deeside said that young couples and groups of young people were choosing to camp and the warden reported that more people were choosing to book their caravans in for the whole season. In Burnside Caravan Park at Fochabers, the season has already started as high numbers of visitors look for somewhere to park their touring caravans. A spokesman said "It is just the cost of going abroad, people are getting fed up and are preparing to stay at home". He predicted that the number of foreign visitors would also rise.

"It is more favourable to them now with their exchange rate, for the last couple of years it was not cost effective for them but now it's equalised "This positive effect however is not being felt elsewhere in the industry; John Campbell who sells static caravans at Thurso said that sales had dropped dramatically since the start of the recession. "We don't have lots of sites up here for static caravans" he said, "We sell to people building houses who put the caravans on the site but we have hardly sold anything since December".

By Chris Needham

Caravan Insurance
Income Protection Insurance

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Places to Stay in Winchester

The cathedral city of Winchester offers all sorts of accommodation, whether you're staying for just one night or more, with accommodation for all budgets. Here are a few options available.

Winchester is a beautiful cathedral city in the heart of southern England. Each year many tourists come to the city. Most just come for the day, but if you're planning on staying longer then you'll want to know about the various places to stay in Winchester.

Despite being a very genteel place, with many carefully tended parks, ancient buildings and pubs and restaurants, Winchester possesses many attractions that are of interest for all, be they young, old, single or families. Likewise, Winchester offers a broad range of accommodation that caters for all budgets and tastes.

Many young people and backpackers come each year to Winchester and some stay for more than a day or two. Cost is usually a factor for such tourists and despite appearances, accommodation can be found in or near Winchester itself. There used to be a hostel in Winchester, run by the YHA. It was housed in a restored and working watermill in the city centre. Sadly, the hostel part of the mill is now closed. The nearest YHA can now be found at Burley 23 miles, Salisbury 24 miles and Portsmouth 25 miles away. There is an excellent bus network connecting Winchester to all these towns - all of which are within one hour's travel by bus.

Another good cheap option is camping. Morn Hill Caravan Club Site can be found on the outskirts of the town, so you can walk to the city centre from the site, or take a short bus journey. If you have your own transport, then you might consider one of the many campsites around Hampshire. There are many campsites in the New Forest. The Forest is one of England's last remaining ancient woodlands and makes a great base to explore Winchester and the county.

On a slightly higher budget you could stay in one of Winchester's bed and breakfasts or guest houses. They are numerous and can be found in the city centre, suburbs or just out of town at a price to suit everyone.

As might be expected, Winchester offers excellent hotel accommodation. In the centre of Winchester you can stay at The Winchester Royal hotel. It is a 75 bedroom establishment, oozing old-world charm and dates back to 1530. Also, in the centre of town you can lodge at The Winchester Hotel. This is a modern establishment that is very popular with the Business and Leisure traveller. The Macdonald Wessex Hotel was built in 1964, and is situated in the heart of Winchester City Centre. The hotel runs alongside the famous Winchester Cathedral and is within easy walking distance of the city centre shops. For those who can afford it, Lainston House Hotel is a lovely place to stay whilst visiting Winchester. The hotel is an elegant William and Mary house built in the seventeenth century. It is situated in Sparsholt on the outskirts of Winchester and is set in 63 acres of downland park. The Marwell Hotel is opposite Marwell Zoological Park and is styled as a colonial safari lodge. It has 68 rooms. The hotel is just 6 kms from Winchester.

For those who plan on staying longer than a few days in Winchester, a self-catering holiday staying in a country cottage might be the ideal choice. Hampshire is a quintessential English county and its cottages reflect this, with their thatched roofs, mellow brick walls, and rose adorned windows.

There are many places to stay in Winchester, offering accommodation to suit all travelers. During summer and other busy times of the year it is best to book ahead as Winchester can be very busy. Wherever you decide to stay in Winchester you're sure to be enthralled by the beauty of the city.

Robin O'Brien lives and works in Winchester and is founder of Winchester Tourist Information. You can find out more on places to stay in Winchester and book online and learn about places to visit in Winchester.

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