"It is a real pleasure to return to this Holiday Park set in the countryside just inland from the North Cornish Coast and forming part of a farm. What a contrast this peaceful wooded area is compared to the rugged coastline and what a range of flora and fauna! It was so good to see how all the factors that have led to a Gold Award, have been maintained and to find the owners as enthusiastic as ever. They retain the personal touch with visitors who obviously enjoy the whole ethos of the Park and return frequently to enjoy the tranquillity of this rural setting so rich in biodiversity.

One of the main attractions of this holiday park is the area of natural vegetation, which is tastefully transformed into a nature walk and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It contains 6 acres of marshland, scrub and currently three lakes. A fourth lake is in the process of being created and will be another area of interest to visitors. My walk around the whole area with the owner was both pleasurable and educational. The sounds of the countryside including birdsong and running water from the river and the smells of different vegetation including newly mown hay are really enjoyable.

An old record claims 70 birds spotted in the area, but does not state over which period of time or when. A survey done in May this year (2004), during a 30 minute walk sighted 36 birds, 7 butterflies, 5 mammals plus 2 reptiles. One wonders how this list would be extended over a longer period and at a different season. A map showing the locations of 12 diverse nest boxes is available to those who wish to pursue their interest. These boxes are for owls of different sorts, tits, robin, woodpecker and one for dormice.

I found walking around the Culm Grassland area most fascinating. Fenced off for safety reasons, but with access, this area of heath/marsh/rush pasture overlying slate and shale supports a large range of wildflower and attendant animal life. To stand in one spot and count over a dozen flowers with insects buzzing is most educational. Advice is being sought from English Nature in the management of this area, which is now being dominated by a few stringer plant species, especially rushes.

The owners are very conservation minded and work with the various organisations to get the very best from their site - a real nature lover's paradise, which is much appreciated by the visitors who keep coming back to enjoy their close encounters with nature."

David FJ Pearce