July's News
03.07.09 | 14:31
Carry on Camping – Camping Holidays over the last 40 years
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the release of Carry On Camping, one of the most enduring and popular films in the ‘Carry On’ series, we take a look at camping holidays then and now, with a quick glimpse into the future.
“Carry on Camping” starred Sid James; Kenneth Williams; Charles Hawtrey; Barbara Windsor; Hattie Jacques and Joan Sims, and was set in the ironically named ‘Paradise’ campsite.
When they arrive, the campers find to their disappointment that their destination is damp, has no views and no luxuries. Things only look up for Sid James when a bunch of girls arrive from Chayste Place finishing school.
One of the most iconic ‘Carry On’ moments ensues, when ‘Babs’ Windsor loses her bikini top during an aerobics workout. A member of our touring and camping team was actually used as an extra during the film and stood beside Babs at that key moment! See if you can work out who it is on your next camping holiday!
Camping Today
Fortunately, touring and camping visitors to our parks will have a much better experience than poor Sid James! 11 of our 24 holiday parks around the UK; in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Scotland offer extensive touring and camping facilities for guests who want to sleep under canvas, or bring their own caravan or motorhome and enjoy all the great entertainment on offer.
What’s more, touring and camping guests can take full advantage of all the entertainment and facilities our parks are packed with, including restaurants, heated pools, evening entertainment and kids’ clubs.
For those who still want the fun of staying in a caravan, but don’t have their own, we have a range of fantastic static caravan holiday homes on our parks.
It isn’t just the facilities that have improved since Carry on Camping, but the campervans and the people who are enjoy camping holidays have all changed, as some of our staff have noticed -
Zoe Shand, at Grannie's Heilan' Hame Holiday Park in Dornoch Firth, Scotland has noticed a rise in the number of American–style motorhomes that visitors are bringing onsite.
While James Carstairs, from Southerness Holiday Park in Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland has observed that it's no longer just families pitching up for camping holidays. There has been a huge increase in the numbers of couples in their late 20s and early 30s catching the camping bug!
Camping for the Future
Finally we would like to see what the future of touring holidays could be in years to come. We have already seen the development of larger comfortable campervans, instant pop-up tents and the move of the industry to appeal to a much larger market, but what next?
An exciting new prototype caravan, the Mehrzeller, was revealed at this year’s Caravan Salon in Dusseldorf.
Designed by two Austrian architecture students, Theresa Kalteis and Christian Freissling, this concept is a completely customizable trailer. A million miles away from the caravans featured in Carry on Camping!
You can find out more about the Mehrzeller caravan on our Twitter page - www.twitter.com/parkdean. Follow us on Twitter to find out more about our latest holiday updates, offers and handy camping tips.
Find out more about the great touring and camping facilities available at 11 of our holiday parks.
