The Rise of the UK Holiday Village

£50m North West Holiday Village Development Plans To Rival The Traditional Model As It Supports New Business, Get Kids Back To Nature & Drives Biodiversity On The English Coastline.

As the country is set to embark on a summer of UK holidays, plans have been unveiled to create a brand-new eco-friendly holiday destination, Ellel Holiday Village in Lancaster, the historic North West city.

Set to be one of the most ecofriendly holiday parks ever built in the UK, the proposed £50m development, proposed to open in 2023 will include a 90-bedroom hotel designed to sit within the landscape, complete with a grass roof and 450 lodges set within both mature and new woodland, alongside canals and wetland walkways.

It also includes a combination of unique visitor attractions ranging from an Artisan Marketplace to an Immersive Wildlife Centre where woodland walks are combined with 21st Century technology to deliver a state-of-the-art visitor centre.

The Artisan Marketplace will see artisans encouraged to set up shop and trade their wares. The scheme will scrap traditional rents, and instead allow Artisans to pay a percentage of their turnover instead of rent, in an attempt to encourage entrepreneurship in this innovative project.

The bold new initiative is the brainchild of Lancaster based M Capital Properties Limited, and Susie Charles, a direct descendent of the Sandeman port dynasty. The land was once part of the famous Ellel Grange estate, the former home of the Sandeman family. A commitment to plant over 30,000 trees and the achievement of a 15% biodiversity net gain is a massive step forward in moving the area to a carbon neutral area, and potentially a national first, as to date this has never been achieved in a local planning application. Rather than destroying the landscape the local Company behind the project is committed to building new micro communities and forming new habitats in which wildlife can be encouraged to thrive.

It is a proven fact; land rich in biodiversity is not only a more pleasant environment for people but has positive effects on health and well-being. These habitats are resilient in the face of climate change as well as combating climate change by absorbing carbon from the atmosphere and locking it away in the soil.

Once complete, the Ellel Holiday Village, complete with both retained and restored woodland as well as wetlands and grasslands, has the potential to absorb and store a staggering amount of atmospheric carbon each year.

Visitors will move around the site on electric buggies and bikes, in a further aim to reduce carbon emissions.

According to experts ‘Hatch Regeneris’, the proposed site will generate approximately £28m of additional revenue for the local area and create 670 jobs making it one of the most important developments and job creation initiatives the area has seen in a long time.

Andrew Stanyon, Project Director said: “We have set about to fulfil a dream, a dream to build an ecofriendly legacy we can be proud of for generations to come.”

“Everyone is aware we are facing a climate emergency, and unless we take action now we will ultimately destroy our wonderful Planet. It’s no longer enough for new developments just to reduce carbon emissions, we also need to remove carbon from the atmosphere. Nature is our greatest ally in locking carbon away and protecting our climate. ‘Rewilding’, planting woodlands, wetlands and encouraging wildlife, can help nature recover on a massive scale. Done right it can help significantly reduce our carbon footprint, and help shape a better future for people.”

“The vision of Ellel Holiday Village has nature conservation at its heart. Guests will be guided through walkways, and wetlands, they will experience birds, mammals, butterflies , beetles, reptiles, plants and fungi in a setting that not only feels natural, but wild and dynamic.”

“Our team of experts have been working on this dream for the last five years. This development not only has the ability to create jobs, and prosperity for the area, it also the opportunity to become a game changer, in terms of biodiversification, and how we holiday. This is a chance for Lancaster to put itself on the global map, to become leaders in showing the World how working with nature we can deliver economic growth, and job creation, whilst enhancing the area, and the lives of the people who work and play within it.”

A decision on the planning permission is expected in August of this year.

Penrith

By Mark Bateman

It is believed that the old Cumbrian town of Penrith takes its name from an amalgamation of the old Cumbrian word ‘Pen’ meaning ‘head’ and the Welsh word ‘Rhudd’ meaning ‘Crimson’, to give ‘Red Hill’. This may refer to several areas in the vicinity of Penrith including Beacon Hills, Red Hills or Penruddock. The name also reflects the local geology of the area which is rich in red sandstone which has been traditionally used, in the area, for building, over the last few centuries. This has led to the town being given the affectionate nickname of, ‘old red town’.

These days Penrith is a bustling and busy market town. But it is built on a rich and varied history which goes back to Roman times when it was a vital gateway linking the North to the South and great importance was placed on its security.

Penrith lies at an important Roman crossroad. From Penrith roads lead north to Carlisle (Luguvalium) and South through the Lune gorge. The A66 partly follows the route of the old Roman road from Scotch Corner to Penrith. It runs from east of Middlesbrough in North Yorkshire to Workington in Cumbria.

When excavations were made to extend Penrith cemetery evidence of the construction of this road was uncovered. The road appears to have been constructed by excavating a shallow trench that was then re-filled with a mixture of the excavated soil and large cobbles to create a stable base.

Located along this road, the Roman fort of Voreda was built approximately five miles out of Penrith at Plumpton in the area now known as ‘Old Penrith’. It was occupied from the time of Hadrian’s wall until the 4th Century. The fort was built by a Roman legion, based in Britain, and formed as a temporary task force. In this case it was the 2nd cohort of Gauls. Inscriptions found on the site show that a garrison was settle here which included both Cavalry and foot soldiers.

Remains can still be seen at the site, and excavations have unearthed a Vicus (a civil settlement) and coins dated from the reign of Hadrian to Tetricus. Archaeologists have also discovered pottery fragments of a type known as Samian Ware (reddish brown and made by Gauls) and evidence of a well and a steel yard.

After the departure of the Romans it looks likely Penrith remained as a largely agrarian community growing crops and raising sheep. Most industry such as weaving, and knitting would be what is known as cottage industry meaning it was small- scale and carried out by individuals in their homes.

Like many towns in the area the true growth of Penrith began with the granting of a market charter. In Penrith’s case this was granted by Henry III in 1223. Farmers would bring their produce into the town on house and cart, and this explains why the buildings in the area feature a lot of alley ways between them, now filled with restaurants and unique shops, which allowed tradesmen to stable their animals and then retire to an attached inn for a well-earned pint.

At one time Penrith had over fifty pubs serving a population of under ten thousand, no doubt making for an impressive pub crawl! But as mentioned, these inns were vitally important for trade which often took place right outside them. Grain sales were held in the Corn Market (hence the name) area of the town; at the Black Bull it was Rye, the Black Lion was Wheat, The Fish Inn and White Hart were Oats, and the Griffin was Barley.

Penrith became so important it was once the capital of Cumbria. Trade and commerce flourished in the area, and, as well as the thriving grain markets, by the 18th Century it was an important Cattle market. In fact, many areas of the town still preserve this heritage in their names. These are: Castle Mart, Dockray, Corn Market, Market Place, Sandgate, and Market Hall. Two of the oldest streets Burrowgate and Sandgate were named in the 13th Century. Markets are still held in these areas with Tuesday and Saturday being the main ones. Penrith had always been an important military stronghold and the development of the important market economy meant new defences were needed to protect it. Standing just outside the town the ruins of Penrith Castle bear testament to this. It is likely it was built on the site of an old Roman Fort as its ditches and grass banks could have been re-used in the castle’s design.

The castle was built at the end of the 4th Century by the powerful Ralph Neville (1364- 1425) warden of the West March. It was his responsibility to maintain defences against attacks from the Scots. It was made from a distinctive reddish- brown sandstone which was also used on many of the buildings in the town centre.

Neville’s Son Richard, the 5th Earl of Salisbury (1400 -1460) based himself at the Castle and added the Red Tower. Following his death in battle (and without an heir) the Castle was granted to Richard, Duke of Gloucester (1452- 1485) who later became King Richard III. Richard altered the castle adding large windows to make it more of a modern residence than a castle. He also added a new Gatehouse and Tower.

When Richard became King, the castle remained property of the Crown but was no longer used as a permanent residence. As early as the 16th Century it had fallen into decay, and from this time on many pieces of the red sandstone were stolen to make houses in the town.

The castle changed ownership many times over the years until in the 1920s it came into the hands of the Penrith Urban District council who converted the grounds into a public park. The Castle is now maintained by English Heritage and is a Grade 1 listed building.

If you are a fan of historical towns then Penrith will not disappoint.

Venturing further into the town Penrith contains over 150 listed buildings. These include churches, bridges, public houses, and hotels amongst many others. Standing in the centre of Penrith town it is easy to spot how many of the shops are contained in buildings with a great sense of history.

But the town has also had its share of tragedy. In 1598 the plague killed 2000 people, and the old plague stone can still be seen on Bridge Lane, this was a hollowed-out stone used to disinfect money during this time.

One of the most impressive buildings in the centre of Penrith is St Andrew’s Church. Its tower was built in the 13th- 14th Century possibly by the Earl of Warwick. In the 1720s, during the Georgian period, the church was rebuilt, and the threesided galley was added. The church itself contains a wealth of historical artefacts including paintings by Penrith born Jacob Thompson, stone figures, and memorials.

In the churchyard there are two giant wheel crosses that contain Christian and Viking carvings. In between these are four 10th Century hogsback tombstones marking the rumoured burial spot of Owen Caesarius the Celtic King of Cumbria. The stones are said to represent wild boar he killed in nearby Inglewood forest.

Overlooking the church is another building of great historical importance which is the Dame School run by Anne Birkett and attended by the famous Lakeland poet William Wordsworth who is believed to have spent much of his childhood in Penrith. In fact, the town is so full of history that even the Tourist Information Centre and museum is housed in an old School. Robinson’s School was originally founded, in 1670, as a charitable institute for poor girls of the Parish. It was named after William Robinson a wealthy London merchant originally from Penrith.

One of the best ways to immerse yourself in the history of the town is to begin at the Museum. There is also a new series of downloadable town walks called ‘Town trails’ and a series of New information signs highlighting sights of historical interest around the town.

These days Penrith is reliant on the tourist trade for most of its income, and there is plenty to see and do in Penrith. There is everything from theatres and cinemas to arts and crafts, museum, and sports on offer. Penrith tourist information centre is a great place to begin planning your visit (or stay) in the town.

The town is located on the C2C (Coast to Coast Cycle) route and has been designated Cumbria’s first ‘cycling hub’. This means cyclists are ‘extra – welcome’ here and will find great facilities including, cycle hire, cycle – friendly accommodation and many routes starting from Penrith.

Visit Eden have produced five circular Ordinance Survey ‘do in a day’ cycle routes with rides from 1530 miles. These take riders out to the Eden, Lowther and Lyvennet Valleys all starting out from Penrith.

If all that exercise works up an appetite, then there are plenty of places to eat and drink in Penrith. The town itself has a strong food heritage and this is celebrated every year (usually July) in the Eden Food Festival (Penrith on a plate)

This festival show cases the best of Eden valley local produce. There are cookery demonstrations for those looking to expand their skills. There is also a farmers and artisan market featuring award- winning meats, cheeses, chutneys, and cakes.

If you’ve got kids with you there’s plenty to keep them entertained including meeting farmers and their animals, ‘roving’ street entertainers and music from local Cumbrian acts.

On the theme of food festivals historic Lowther Castle also hosts a show in August. Lowther show features events and activities which offer something for everything. There are dog trials, chef demos, motorcycle displays and Country crafts.

Lowther deer park also plays host to the annual, and ever- expanding ‘Kendal Calling’ festival held in late July. This has grown from a two -day event with nine hundred festival goers in 2006 to a four -day music festival with over 25,000 people enjoying acts from bands including The Stereophonics, Tinie Tempah and The Manic Street Preachers. Tickets sell out within hours of being released so you’ll need to be quick to get hold of one. Last year’s event was cancelled but 2021 looks to be one of the biggest years events yet.

Another very popular event is the Winter Droving Held in late October to early November ‘The Winter Droving Festival’ is a celebration all things rural, traditional, and fun. The highlight is a torch-lit procession through the town, featuring fire, lanterns, masquerades, music, and mayhem. With so much to see and do in Penrith you’ll always find plenty to keep yourself entertained regardless of whether there’s rain or shine.