Caravan holidays are growing in popularity as the UK’s staycation craze continues – and so is the rising trend in holiday ownership, where people buy a lodge or caravan in a beautiful setting so they can return time and again.
We were fortunate to recently visit a Scottish holiday park which offers both rentals and holiday ownership options – as well as camping, caravan and motorhome pitches in an idyllic setting to rival anything overseas.
It’s in Scotland, so of course you cannot guarantee sunshine all year round, but believe me, when the sun shines on Rosneath Castle Caravan Park, set on the shores of a beautiful loch, there is simply nowhere more beautiful to be than on it’s shores at sunset, and when it rains the mist takes on it’s own eerie, mystical magic. We arrived on a sunny day and were instantly captivated by the view across the loch, the mountains seemed to blend into the loch as you looked across the shore, direct from our caravan, which also had a balcony and chairs to enjoy it to the full.
Of course, it takes more than a view to make a holiday and the pet-friendly caravan we stayed in was perfectly equipped, with three comfortable bedrooms, plenty of storage space and stunning views to boot. I will add the accommodation was spotlessly clean too – and Meg was most most excited to see the bag of dog treats they’d kindly left for her.
What’s on site?
The site is very well laid out, with an on-site restaurant that serves home made food, hot and cold drinks and alcohol daily from 1pm – 7:45pm. As two adults with our dog Meg, we were relieved to find that the restaurant has a large dog friendly area, and an equally large area where dogs were not allowed, enabling both diners with and without pets to eat in comfort. Free guest wifi is available in both areas, and we both found it adequate to work remotely during our stay.
We are also happy to confirm that the food was great, and we ate there every day during our stay. Mark loved the Haggis Bonbons (you really must try them during your stay!) while I loved the creamy mushroom ciabatta, although the lasagne was also great. There was a good choice of home made accessible food and we loved everything we tried. We understand the bar als0 hosts entertainment at weekends, although we had a midweek stay.
For families, there is a soft play area, a large outdoor playground (again with fantastic views) and zip lines, and for all ages there is a wide selection of watersports available on site.
Watersports on site – Image credit: Rosneath Castle Park
Shop wise, there is a small on site shop, but if it doesn’t have everything you need, there is a small co-op about 5 minutes drive away so you shouldn’t need to venture far unless you want to – although for a big shop, the large Morrisons across the bay in Helensburgh is excellent (about 30 mins away).
Things to do in the area
It rained a lot on our first day, tired from the drive and not facing another car journey, we decided to take the ferry at nearby Kilcreggan across to Gourock, and while there wasn’t a lot in Gourock, we enjoyed a lovely harbour walk (with Meg and Mark enjoying a bit of fun in the wind) and a fantastic meal at the Mermaid Cafe.
However, once we had settled, we simply couldn’t be this close to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs without visiting – and rain or shine, it is well worth the trip, we loved visiting Luss and taking a cruise on the loch.
However, there are plenty of closer places to explore within an easy drive.
Helensburgh’s Submarine Centre makes for an interesting educational trip, as does The Outdoor Museum. while pretty Hermitage Park and it’s war memorial is great for a walk. There are also two National Trust properties, Hill House and Geilston Gardens within easy reach. Dogs are allowed in the gardens but not in the properties, but these are all great for families.
Grown ups, however, will love a visit slightly further afield to the many distilleries in the Loch Lomond area.
We’d also mention that, as dog owners, we found the Ardencaple Hotel and Bar, across the loch, very dog and human friendly and they also served delicious food – and on a rainy day, we also enjoyed a great game of pool.
Our verdict?
We could not fault anything about our stay and would happily recommend this friendly holiday park to anyone, whether looking for a holiday caravan or a touring pitch. The pitches for tourers were completely flat and very accessible and the whole site had a friendly atmosphere.
There is plenty to do if you want to, but it is also the perfect site to lay back, enjoy the scenery and relax – and that was exactly what we needed. In fact, we found it so relaxing that if we didn’t live so far away (about a 9 hour drive) we’d have looked at holiday ownership here.
Whichever part of Scotland we visit, we both find the beauty of the scenery captures a little bit of our hearts – and that was definitely true with Rosneath Castle. I will continue to see the views in my dreams here from our home in Wales, and look forward to returning.
