Our family-run holiday park near Lancaster was recently named one of Lancashire’s top five family-owned tourism businesses after reaching the finals of the prestigious Lancashire Tourism Awards.

We were also the only holiday park in Lancashire shortlisted in the highly competitive Family-Owned Business category. The recognition has helped highlight Lancashire as a peaceful alternative to busier UK tourist hotspots such as the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales.

Why we believe Lancashire is the perfect countryside escape

Many visitors overlook rural Lancashire when planning UK breaks, despite the county offering beautiful scenery, peaceful surroundings and easy access to nature.

For couples and families looking to switch off, slow down and escape the pressures of everyday life, Lancashire provides the ideal setting for a more relaxed countryside holiday. With rolling countryside, quiet coastal areas and charming rural villages, Lancashire offers a calmer experience compared to many busier holiday destinations across the UK.

Recognition for community values and sustainability

The Lancashire Tourism Awards celebrate tourism businesses making a positive contribution to their local communities and the visitor economy. We were shortlisted thanks to our family’s long-standing commitment to sustainability, wildlife conservation and supporting local Lancashire businesses.

Moss Wood Caravan Park was founded more than 50 years ago by Lancashire surveyor Syd Wild and is now run by Henry and Hannah Wild. To reach the awards finals, we progressed through several judging stages including mystery shopping visits, inspections and interviews with independent tourism judges.

The awards ceremony took place at Blackpool Winter Gardens and was attended by tourism leaders and businesses from across Lancashire.

Helping guests reconnect with nature

Nature and environmental sustainability remain at the heart of everything we do at Moss Wood Caravan Park. Guests staying with us can explore our 1.5km nature discovery trail, designed to encourage children and adults to engage with wildlife and the outdoors.

We are also home to two spring-fed lakes which attract birdlife, dragonflies, butterflies, waterfowl and a variety of aquatic species throughout the year.

One of our most distinctive environmental projects is our colony of approximately 80,000 honey bees, housed in timber hives within the park grounds. The bees are supported by a 3,000 square-foot wildflower area planted specifically to encourage pollinators and biodiversity across the park.

We also plan to harvest and sell our own Moss Wood honey within the park shop in the future.

Supporting local Lancashire businesses

At Moss Wood Caravan Park, we operate a strong “buy local” approach, supporting businesses and suppliers from northern Lancashire wherever possible. Our park shop features a range of locally produced food, drink and crafts which have become popular with both holiday guests and returning visitors.

As an active member of the Holiday and Residential Parks Association (HARPA), we continue to champion sustainable tourism and responsible business practices across the region.

Henry Wild said the awards recognition has created a valuable opportunity to showcase Lancashire to a wider audience:

“This competition has given us a fantastic chance to highlight not just our park, but Lancashire as a whole.

“There are so many opportunities here for people to slow down, reconnect with nature and enjoy a more peaceful pace of life.

“We believe Lancashire is one of the UK’s most underrated holiday destinations, and we’re excited to help more people discover everything the county has to offer.”

Discover relaxing countryside holidays near Lancaster

At Moss Wood Caravan Park, we offer touring caravan pitches, motorhome stays and holiday homes for sale in the peaceful Lancashire countryside near Lancaster.

By combining tranquil rural surroundings with a strong commitment to sustainability, wildlife conservation and supporting local communities, we aim to create a holiday experience where guests can truly relax and reconnect with nature.

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Located in the countryside village of Cockerham near Lancaster, our family-run holiday park was shortlisted for our long-standing commitment to sustainability, community engagement and supporting local businesses.

The Lancashire Tourism Awards celebrate the very best tourism businesses across the county, with the Family-Owned Business award recognising companies whose family values positively impact both visitors and the wider community.

A family business with over 50 years of history

Moss Wood Caravan Park was founded more than 50 years ago by Lancashire surveyor Syd Wild and remains proudly family owned today.

Over the decades, Moss Wood has built a reputation as one of the region’s most welcoming countryside holiday parks, offering holiday homes, touring caravan pitches and motorhome stays in a peaceful rural setting near Lancaster.

Commitment to nature, sustainability and the local community

Sustainability and environmental conservation have long been central to the philosophy at Moss Wood Caravan Park.

We encourage guests and local families to connect with nature through a variety of wildlife-friendly initiatives and outdoor experiences.

Visitors can explore a 1.5km nature discovery trail, designed to help children and adults learn more about the surrounding countryside and wildlife habitats. The park is also home to two spring-fed lakes which attract a wide range of birdlife, dragonflies, butterflies, waterfowl and aquatic species throughout the year.

One of the park’s most unique features is its colony of approximately 80,000 honey bees, housed in timber hives within the grounds. The bees are supported by a 3,000 square-foot wildflower area planted specifically to encourage pollinators and biodiversity.

We also plan to harvest and sell our own honey in the on-site shop in the future.

Supporting local Lancashire businesses

We have also developed a strong reputation for supporting independent Lancashire businesses. The park shop stocks a range of locally produced food, drink and crafts which have become popular with visitors staying at the park throughout the year.

In addition, we operate a “buy local” approach wherever possible, prioritising contractors and suppliers from northern Lancashire and the surrounding area.

Lancashire Tourism Awards judging process

As part of the Lancashire Tourism Awards judging process, finalists will now progress through several stages including mystery shopping visits, inspections and interviews with independent judges. The winners will be announced at the official Lancashire Tourism Awards ceremony next February.

Henry Wild said the entire team at Moss Wood Caravan Park was delighted to be recognised:

“Everyone at Moss Wood shares our enthusiasm for supporting the local community, protecting the environment and helping guests enjoy the outdoors.

“Our team is always full of fresh ideas for encouraging children and families to discover nature and appreciate the beautiful countryside around us.

“We feel incredibly privileged to live and work in this part of rural Lancashire, and we hope this nomination helps raise awareness of everything the area has to offer.”

About Moss Wood Caravan Park

Moss Wood Caravan Park is a family-run holiday park near Lancaster offering touring caravan pitches, motorhome stays and holiday homes for sale in the Lancashire countryside.

The park combines peaceful rural surroundings with a strong focus on sustainability, wildlife conservation and supporting local businesses.

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From the Lancaster Guardian

Marketing Lancashire hosted almost 400 tourism and hospitality partners and colleagues at the new orangery at Stanley House Hotel & Spa, where guest presenter Tez Ilyas, headline sponsor UCLan and destination sponsor Blackburn with Darwen Council celebrated the winners of the 2021 awards.

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Moss Wood caravan park in Cockerham was unable to stage its usual Easter celebrations this year as, like all parks, it had been closed by the pandemic.

But now its annual event, which would have taken place over the 11/12 April weekend, is being time-shifted into next month, October.

And the highlight will be a treasure hunt designed to get holiday guests out-and-about in the local region, visiting shops, attractions, and other enterprises.

Flashback to last April’s Easter event at Moss Wood which drew many visitors

The family-run park’s Henry Wild said the lighthearted challenge is designed to benefit other businesses hard-hit by a loss of income from visitors this spring:

“Moss Wood’s revenues fell substantially from late March until holiday parks were allowed to re-open again in July,” he said.

“The impact of this was also felt by many other traders in the region who have come to rely on custom from people enjoying a holiday in rural Lancashire.

“That’s why we are using the treasure hunt to encourage holiday guests, on bike or by car, to discover some of the fantastic enterprises on our doorstep.

“We hope it will also promote the idea of keeping tourism local, rather than travelling to more distant destinations such as the Lake District or Yorkshire Dales.

“Shorter journeys benefit the environment, and help keep communities safe,” added Henry.

Moss Wood – which Henry’s family has owned for over 40 years – last year took first place in the “responsible and sustainable” category of the Lancashire Tourism Awards.

This month it was also announced that the park had once again been named as a winner of the David Bellamy Conservation Award it its top gold level.

Features include a 1.5km nature discovery trail, a 3000 square-foot wild flower wilderness providing foraging for honey bees and butterflies, and a spring-fed lake hosting many aquatic species.

“We realise that we’re a little late with this year’s Easter event, but it’s still going to be a great day – and the only thing missing will be the daffodils!” said Henry.

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Henry Wild appears on BBC North West Tonight to discuss how and when holiday parks such Moss Wood Caravan Park may be able to reopen following the coronavirus lockdown.

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Moss Wood Caravan Park near Lancaster is featured by Marketing Lancashire in its “See You Soon, Safely” initiative aimed at visitors across the UK.

The campaign launch is accompanied by a photograph of Moss Wood’s warden Virginia Walker holding a poster which looks forward to when the park will re-open.

Henry Wild, a member of the 40-year-old family-run Cockerham business, says that he is keen to deliver two key messages in association with Marketing Lancashire:

Parks provide safe distancing in fresh air surroundings says Henry Wild

“Firstly, we are signalling our hope that Moss Wood will soon be allowed to re-open soon, even if this is in a phased way with holiday caravan owners being the first back.

“Parks such as ours are ideal for social distancing as pitches are five or six metres apart, and holiday caravans are entirely self-contained with their own bathrooms and kitchens.

“Hazards such as air conditioning aren’t present – but what you do have is bountiful supplies of clean country air and space in which to exercise and relax in safety.

“Obviously we can only re-open when the government considers it safe to do so, but our other message is that there is a lot riding on that decision being taken soon.

“We are having to dig deep into our pockets to maintain the park whilst our income has plummeted, and clearly this is not a sustainable situation.

“But there is also a serious spin-off for many other businesses in the area around here, many of them smaller family-owned enterprises like ours.

“Shops, pubs, cafes and attractions have all been cut off from the lifeline of tourism spending on which they depend, threatening both their survival and the jobs they sustain,” added Henry.

In Lancashire, he points out, more than 61,000 people are employed in tourism-related sectors, and the county’s 69 million annual visitors boosts the region’s economy by £4.4 billion.

“After the lockdown is over, people will be craving the chance of a holiday – especially in the open countryside where they can re-connect with nature in beautiful surroundings.

“That’s precisely what rural Lancashire can provide in abundance, so we are saying: come back when it’s safe, and get life back on an even keel in the best way possible!” said Henry.

A regular winner of nature and conservation awards for its many wildlife projects, there is more information about Moss Wood at www.mosswood.co.uk

See the original article at Stay UK News here.

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