The Scottish caravan park 'just a short walk' from one of country's best beaches
As we enter the middle of July, the summer season is officially halfway over. That means time is running out to book a family holiday before autumn rolls around.
When it comes to staycations in Scotland, the only limit is your imagination. Whether you are looking for a quiet woodlands retreat or a fun coastal getaway, you have plenty of options.
However, sometimes nothing beats a good old-fashioned caravan park. One new park that has already earned positive reviews from visitors is Melvich Bay Caravan Park.
The 25-acre caravan and campervan park is located along the north coast of Sutherland, on the popular North Coast 500 scenic driving route. According to staff, the site is approaching 70 per cent occupancy.
Director and local farmer Angus Forbes, who launched the business in March with two co-directors, commented: "Demand from visitors has been exceptional. Customer satisfaction has been overwhelming and we're heading towards 66 per cent occupancy on the site.
"We were only expecting 25 per cent occupancy in the first three months. We've even had an enquiry from a couple interested in coming up from the central belt to get married on our park—which is unexpected—but flattering!"
Melvich Bay Caravan Park benefits from panoramic views of Orkney and the North Atlantic Ocean. It lies on the outskirts of the village of Melvich, "a short walk away" from the sandy Melvich Beach.
As reported by the Daily Record, Melvich Beach was recently named among the best beaches in Scotland by The Times. The newspaper praised the bay for being well-suited to campervans and described it as a "wide curve of ochre sand".
Melvich Bay Caravan Park owners launched the business to address a shortage of facilities for travellers on the increasingly popular North Coast 500 route. They hope to grow bookings month by month on reputation, recommendations, and the appeal of its pitches.
The park features 30 pitches of 12 square metres for camper vans, motorhomes, and other visitors. It charges £35 for an overnight stay, with amenities including modern toilet and shower facilities and chemical waste disposal.
Among the happy visitors to Melvich Bay Caravan Park are Kelvin Pitt, whose Google review describes the outlook of the beach as "second to none". The holidaymaker adds that he would "recommend this site all day long".
With demand well ahead of expectations, the directors are increasing their focus on sustainable tourism. In a letter sent to local stakeholders, including Highland and Islands Enterprise and Highland Council, Melvich Bay Caravan Park director Malcolm Morrison calls for the Leave No Trace campaign—which urges North Coast 500 holidaymakers to take their litter home—to be "beefed-up".
Morrison wrote: "The North Coast 500's Leave No Trace policy already makes it clear on its website that illegal disposal of waste is unacceptable, but it is the belief of my co-directors and I that a substantially beefed-up campaigning should be developed and broadcast widely throughout the region ahead of this year's busy tourist season."
He added: "While thousands of annual visitors to our Highland communities have been an economic boon, the environmental disruption of litter and, worse, recklessly discarded biological waste, has been a rightful source of local complaint."
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