The latest editions to the Merlewood family are our five alpacas. They were all born locally in Cockerham and are called Merlin, Woody, Snowy, Dusty and Bluey.

CCTV cameras are to be positioned both inside and outside of their shed so that their movements can be monitored from a screen back in the Park Office.
These are truly amazing animals and we are planning to hold special weekends dedicated to alpaca walking and to providing general information on alpacas and how to look after these amazing animals. Owners and their families will be more than welcome to take part.
You are all welcome to walk down to the field to see them at any time but please do not feed them. Being such adorable creatures people naturally love taking photos of them. We would be delighted to receive any digital photos which may be taken and we will publish the best on our website. Also, we would encourage our guests both “young and old” to draw them and a selection of these pictures will be put on display in the Park Office. It would be excellent to have as wide an age group being involved as possible.

Over the winter of 2024/25 we carried out extensive drainage work to the large field which adjoins Merlewood and which borders the River Wyre. Despite the fact that the field is mainly sloping it has always been extremely wet.

The dog walk is accessed, as it always has been, along the pathway between nos. 6 and 7 Polar Grove. The main difference you will find is that we have installed an access gate to the public footpath at the bottom. For security reasons this is operated using a coded lock.

Please register with Malcolm, our Park Manager, and he will provide you with the code and will up-date you as and when any change is made to that the code. Security is one of our top priorities and we would ask that owners who have this code not to pass it on to others. This now opens up extensive walks either alongside the river or through the fields and avoids our owners having to walk down Cartford Lane which is always busy with traffic.

NEW WASTE MANAGEMENT RULES

New regulations for waste disposal and recycling come into force on 1st April 2025. As a result we have to alter the way waste is collected.

There is now one main collection point which will be close to the car park at the entrance of the park and a secondary smaller collection point is located next to the small building at the top of “Poplar Grove”.

There will be various containers which will be for the following items:

Mixed Recycling: Plastic Bottles, Plastic Pots, Tubs ad Trays, Food and Drink Cans, Cartons, Glass Bottles and Jars.

Food Waste : Tea Bags, Coffee Grounds, Fruit and Vegetable Peelings, Leftovers and Inedible Food.

These items must be placed in a clear plastic bag before placing in the correct bin. From early April clear plastic bags will be available to purchase from our online store and can be collected from the Park Office.

General Waste : Coffee Cups, Polystyrene Containers and Packaging, Crisp Packets, Paper Towels and Tissues, Sweet Wrappers, Single Use Cutlery and Plates.

There is clear signage to remind everyone what goes in which bin similar to the signs below.

THE CENTRAL POINT AT THE TOP OF “POPLAR GROVE”

There will be 4 bins here – one is an old “Eurobin” re-designated for Cardboard ONLY. The other three are individual bins for Food Waste, General Waste and Mixed Recycling .

THE MAIN COLLECTION POINT

This area has been altered to make the depositing of waste easier. There are 4 bins here plus backups.

Mixed Recycling
Food Waste
General Waste
Cardboard

Just as a reminder, there clear signage to remind everyone what goes in which bin similar to the signs below.

Online Shop

On our website there is a tab for our on line shop. From here you can purchase gas bottles, tokens for the washing machines and driers and plastic bins and compostable plastic bags for food waste disposal. Upon placing an order the homeowner will receive confirmation of purchase and we will also receive a copy of your order.

Over time we will endeavour to expend on the items available to purchase through this on line facility.

This QR code is on display at various points around the Park and if it is scanned it will take you straight to the shop.

Verandas and Steps

We have recently had to amend our Park Rules to state that we can no longer allow new PVC deckings to be built on the Park. The issue is the disposal of such deckings when the caravan is ultimately de-sited from the Park.

PVC cannot be recycled and the cost of disposal of non-recyclable materials is going through the roof. For existing verandas/steps we would have to provide a precise costing at the time. Currently the dismantling and disposal of an a medium sized PVC decking would be in the region of £650 + VAT.

Some have also asked us about composite decking and whether this can be recycled. Composite decking is made from a combination of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and organic fibres, like wood or bamboo bonded together with chemical bonding agents and so has limited recycling potential. The supplier may be able to advise on this.

Gas Bottle Deliveries

In order to improve efficiency and to help manage our team’s time better we have introduced a new gas bottle delivery service.

Bottles will delivered on Mondays and Thursdays from 3pm to 5pm and also on Saturday mornings until 12 noon. All gas bottles must be paid for before delivery.

Should an owner run out of gas and requires an out of hours delivery then two gas bottles must be purchased and there will be an out of hours charge of £25 including VAT to cover staff overtime.

Please note that deliveries cannot be made during the hours of darkness for health and safety reasons.

Before you visit your caravan if you are at all concerned as to whether or not you may have enough gas to supply you during your visit please contact us and one of our team will be happy to check and report back to you.

It is always important to ensure that you have a full spare gas bottle available to avoid the possibility of running out.

Caravan Exterior Cleaning Service

We know you all take great pride in your caravans and want them to look clean and tidy at all times. We can assist in this respect.

Should you require the exterior of your caravan cleaning this can be arranged at a charge of £60 including VAT or £120 if you wish to include your decking and patio area as well.

Drain Downs

Our new drain down and drain up service will be available form 25th October 2025. This service is very competitively price at £60 including VAT and includes anti freeze to all toilets and sinks.

This service can be ordered on line from our shop. Once ordered please simply contact the park office to agree the approximate dates on which you would like the work to be carried out.

Caravan Insurance

It is a requirement under the Licence Agreement to ensure that your caravan is adequately insured and we have a duty of care to all of our owners to ensure that this is adhered to.

Please could you therefore provide proof of insurance. This can be either emailed to us at office@merlewoodcountrypark.co.uk or if you can bring the policy into the office and Malcolm will happily photocopy the relevant section for you.

If you insure through Gallaghers please ignore this as we receive the details automatically. The two companies below are holiday caravan insurance specialists and they can provide you with a no obligation quotation over the telephone.

Caravan Dealerships

We are very fortunate to have two local dealerships both of whom have showgrounds upon which have a wide selection of the latest holiday home models on display. Our licence agreements are set for 15 years.

We would always recommend to our owners to consider up-grading once a holiday home reaches 10 to 12 years old as the caravan will still have good value left in it and the part exchange deals which we would be able to offer would be at their best. Should you consider up-grading please speak with our Park Manager.

He will be more than happy to discuss the option with you and also what finance options are available should this be required.

60 Chorley Road, Blackpool FY3 7XQ
Tel : 01253 301505
and
Old Jungle Café, Shap Road, Selside, Kendal LA8 9LF
Tel : 01539 823659
sales@kendalcaravans.co.uk www.kendalcaravans.co.uk

Scotland Road, Carnforth LA5 9RF
Tel : 01524 727950 sales@lakecoastanddate.co.uk
www.lakecoastanddale.co.uk

Solar Farm

Over the past few years we have all be affected by the increase in energy costs and by the volatility in the market. We decided to try to become more sustainable and to protect ourselves from market fluctuations as best we can.

The result is that we have applied for planning consent for a solar farm which would supply much of the Park’s needs particularly during the summer months. We would anticipate a decision hopefully by early July. We have already received approval from the National Grid for this.

If our application proves successful the solar farm along with its panels will be located at the bottom of the field which adjoins us on the disused parcel of land on the other side of the public footpath. We would anticipate a decision hopefully in the Autumn of 2025.

Sustainability

In addition to our exciting solar farm project, in the Spring of 2025 we upgraded most of the manual equipment on the Park.

Hedge trimmers, chain saws, hand mowers etc are now all electric. As our owners are aware we also use electric vehicles where possible.

Renovated storage and composting area

We are constantly looking at ways to improve the Park and its amenities for the benefit of all. We first established our composting and storage area back in 2001 and have since then really not kept up with its maintenance.

During the winter of 2024/2025 we completely restored this area back to how it looked all those years ago and this included replacing the old timber security fencing and gates and rebuilding the screening mounds which had badly weathered. On certain of these bankings new hedges were planted on top to strengthen them.

The compost which is created continues to be used on the flowerbeds on the Park and will also to used to fertilise the new wild flower areas which we have created.

Do you own a Willerby Holiday Home?  If you do, don’t miss out.  Why not join the Owners Club?  It’s FREE and it doesn’t matter if your holiday home is brand new or if you’ve treasured it for decades – you are welcome to join.

Exclusive member benefits:

• FREE Welcome Pack packed full of Willerby goodies
• Exclusive model previews. Sneak previews of brand new models – see them before anyone else!
• Your chance to win fabulous prizes – from furniture sets to family holidays!
• Free Show tickets
• Special offers and discounts from selected partner companies
• Regular newsletters. Keep up to date with all of the latest news, views and innovations from Willerby!

Join today.  Visit www.willerby.com/user/register

We allocate two FREE adult weekend memberships to Acresfield Health Club & Spa to each of our Holiday Homes. To enrol please visit the Club and take a copy of your Licence Agreement with you as proof of ownership.  The cost for an access wrist bands is £10 each.

Guest and children’s tickets can be purchased directly at the Club.

Morco are specialist suppliers of their own branded LPG heating and hot water equipment to the caravan industry.

Do you have a Morco boiler in your holiday home?  If so, the link to their website is really useful www.morcoproducts.co.uk

• If you have any issues there is an excellent Troubleshooting Section with useful tips
• If you require an engineer they can help.
• If you or your engineer require any data the technical manuals can be downloaded.
• Parts can be ordered directly or through ourselves.

How Will The Current Energy Crisis hit Holiday Home Owners?

We are all going to be feeling the pinch when it comes to paying for our gas and electricity bills due to escalating costs.

Parks like Merlewood are open most of the year.  The winter months are traditionally the coldest yet we must not forget that even in the summer the weather can be unpredictable and inclement which means that you may need some form of heating to take the chill off. Ensuring that your caravan is warm and inviting without burning through huge budgets is important.

Here we  highlight ways you can make a real difference to the temperature and energy efficiency of your holiday home.  Fortunately, compared with traditional brick-and-mortar homes, it doesn’t take long for static holiday homes to warm up and become cosy, no matter how cold it is outside.

Caravans manufactured to BS3632 include as standard:

• Central heating
• Double glazing
• Walls, roof, and floor cavity insulation

These homes are deemed suitable for cold weather habitation and in the normal course of events keeping them warm during the winter months is relatively cost-efficient. However, there are additional measures which we would recommend:

Check the windows and doors

If your holiday home is relatively new, it will be fitted with thermally efficient UPVC windows, which are designed to be energy efficient. However, if you have had your caravan for a number of years, it might be worth investigating the cost involved in replacing the older windows with more advanced alternatives. The latest double or triple-glazed windows will not only keep in the warmth but they will also keep it cooler in the heat of the summer.

Should I switch off the central heating in my caravan?

To save money, you might want to consider switching off your caravan central heating system, but this might actually be a false economy in terms of keeping it warm. Leaving the heating on in a static caravan but at a much lower temperature will help to maintain a more consistent temperature in a more economical way and ensure that any damp or condensation issues are eliminated.

Have you checked your energy appliances?

It may be worth checking the energy rating of the kitchen appliances in older holiday homes.  If those caravans are over 10 years old, it may be worth budgeting to replace them with something which is more energy efficient. The most efficient are rated A+++.  For example, If you have a C-rated fridge changing it to an A+++ rated fridge freezer could save you over £100 a year on your electricity bill.

Other ways to preserve the warmth during the colder months which are cost effective include:

• Carpets and Rugs: thick carpets and rugs that are cosy on the feet are an excellent low-cost way of keeping in the warmth and adding a cosy element to your caravan.  In many hot countries, rugs are taken up during the summer, then re-laid during the winter to help stave off the chillier temperatures. Following their lead will give you a great cheap way of introducing an extra layer of warmth and insulation to your holiday home.
• Blankets: there’s nothing like snuggling under a soft, fleecy blanket to keep you warm and cosy whilst watching the seasons change outside.   Pile your sitting room high with bright, colourful blankets, which also add warmth and texture to your interior décor.  Blankets are also ideal during the cooler summer months when you want to enjoy those summer evenings when there is a chill in the air but you are not yet ready to go inside.
• Thermal curtains: we forget that window dressings not only add to the look of your static caravan’s interior but they can also help reduce heat loss by up to 25 per cent and keep the room cool during the warmer summer months.  They don’t have to cost the earth either with a wide variety of attractive modern designs available off the shelf in many home decoration stores throughout the UK.

If you would like any advice please speak with Malcolm or Alex and they will be happy be discuss the various options.

FORTHCOMING SOCIAL EVENTS

Every year during the Summer months we hold our popular BBQ.  This is a FREE event and both holiday home owners and family members are all invited to join in the fun.  This year’s will hopefully take in August 21st from 1pm at the Children’s Play Area.  Please let Malcolm know in the Park Office if you are able to join us.

Other events organised previous include:

• The Vampires Ball held over Halloween
• Coffee Mornings
• Afternoon Teas at local hotels
• Christmas meals

If you have any suggestions for future events please let us know.

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY

Merlewood attracts an abundance of wildlife and we are keen to capture these visits on camera.

Please email your photos to us and we will post the best here – office@merlewoodcountrypark.co.uk.

Also,  if any of our younger guests draw or paint any animals or birds that they see again we would love to display them in the Park Office and to post them here on our website as well.

Here are just an example of a photograph kindly sent to us by one of our owners…

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HOLIDAY PARK – RULES AND REGULATIONS

The local Council issues a Site Licence which allows a holiday park similar to Merlewood to operate.  Park owners are legally obliged to fulfil their contractual obligations and so too are caravan owners.

The Park Rules have been drawn up to ensure that all owners can enjoy their holiday homes in peace and that the park itself can be well maintained protecting the rights and investments of all.

Holiday Home owners receive their own individual written agreement – the Licence Agreement – which outlines all the issues in more details and which you must agree to and sign to confirm that agreement.

We felt that it is important to summarise the most important rules here to reassure you that the key objective is to keep the park as beautiful and as restful as possible for the benefit of all.

Having invested in your holiday home you will want to keep it maintained and create that dream space in which to while away your leisure time.  As well as keeping your caravan in a good state of repair there are certain restrictions relating to alterations and/or additions to your holiday home.  Such work needs to be in keeping with the overall aesthetics of the park and not encroach on other people’s enjoyment. The Park Management should approve any alterations or external additions proposed before work commences.

The area surrounding your holiday caravan should be kept neat and tidy.  It is the park’s responsibility to maintain the trees, shrubs and grassed areas.  You are encouraged to decorate your static caravan with potted plants, shrubs and flowers.

The park rules also state that no fences can be erected around your pitch and only approved external storage can be erected with management approval.

It is important to ensure that the overall look of the holiday homes and the area which surround them are maintained to a high standard for the benefit of all.

NOISE

When visiting Merlewood our owners are looking for a peaceful stress free holiday.  There can be nothing worse than having to face the noise created by parties, loud music, revving cars and other anti social behaviour.

The conduct of our holiday home owners is of great importance to us here at Merlewood and we want to ensure that peaceful enjoyment is the right of everyone who spends time on our park.  We strictly enforce the parks rules relating to noise disturbance and general anti social behaviour.

As an owner you are responsible for the behaviour of both your family and any of your guests and visitors.

If you have young children they must be supervised at all times.

Older children must not play loud music excessively and disturb other owners on the park. 

Music must be kept low or switched off after 11pm. 

Anti social, rude and/or aggressive behaviour towards park management, their team and towards other owners on the park and visitors will not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Although we encourage owners to bring their pets with them the behaviour of those animals is their responsibility.   Should any animal cause a disturbance through excessive noise or aggressive behaviour then the park management will be left with no option but to ask that the pet in question be removed from the park.

OUR OBLIGATIONS TO YOU

The Park Rules and regulations work both ways.  As well as ensuring that you have a peaceful enjoyment of the park we are contractually obliged to:

• Maintain all communal areas
• Repair, if required, the base upon which you holiday home sits
• Maintain any services that are connected to and supply your holiday home such as electricity, water and sewer.

We encourage owners to use their holiday homes as much as possible.  Our goal is to ensure that you can enjoy your valuable leisure time with us here at Merlewood.