Touring & Camping - Faqs
Queensberry Bay
Holiday Park
Touring & Camping Frequently Asked Questions (and answers) ...
- What are your showers like?
- Do you take tents?
- Why is there a length restriction?
- Why do you restrict associated parties?
- I travel alone – do I get a discount?
- What’s happened to 7 for 6?
- Why have you changed the touring loyalty scheme?
- Why are your children’s charges so high?
- Are you adult only then?
- Shoreside, Fieldside or Kiddies Corner?
- Can I put my tent on Shoreside?
- Can I have a non-electric pitch on Shoreside?
- What is the Campers’ Kitchen?
- How big are your touring pitches?
- Do you offer seasonal touring pitches?
1. What are your showers like?
They ’re superb – modern self contained units and with soap, shampoo and conditioner provided and right down to piped music in the background!
See also the independent and unsolicited (!) comments under testimonials.
Yes – unlike many caravan parks these days we still take tents as well as touring caravans, camper vans and mobile homes.
We also offer discounted rates for hikers and cyclists pitching a one-man tent.
3. Why is there a length restriction?
Our aim is to provide a stress free break coupled with total relaxation. Some modern touring caravans are so large that it’s scarcely legal to tow them - and there’s nothing worse than having your peace and tranquillity destroyed by a monster caravan pulling up along side you and blocking your view!
Then there’s the manoeuvring problem – our Shoreside pitches are simply not large enough to handle anything over 21feet (including tow bar).
4. Why do you restrict associated parties?
We have found that groups of visitors of any age tend to bring more noise (and hence disruption for our other guests) to the park.
By restricting associated groups to just 2 parties we find that, even when full, we are able to maintain that level of calm and tranquillity that everyone so loves about Queensberry Bay.
5. I travel alone – do I get a discount?
Yes –the prices quoted are for a touring caravan, one car and two adults (or in the case of a camper van, for the camper van and two adults). Adults are charged at £3.50 each – so if you are travelling alone you will pay £3.50 per night less.
6. What’s happened to 7 for 6?
We recognise that the majority of our visitors are here for a short period – 2 to 3 nights is the norm. 7 for 6 was a nightmare to administer and to set out clealry on invoices - so we now have the equivalent – but it’s called a 7 night minibreak. We also have our great seasonal touring rates if you want to stay a bit longer.
7. Why have you changed the touring loyalty scheme?
We’re amazed to report that the old scheme was abused so often by people who rarely visited that we’ve had to overhaul the whole thing.
The new system is explained here (and link) and applies to anyone who has stayed with us FOR 3 NIGHTS OR MORE on more than 3 occasions in the past 2 years.
This will apply therefore to our regular guests – as was always intended.
If you qualify for a loyalty card, then the next time you book a stay of 3 nights or more you’ll get either:
- A £5 discount on your stay – and any future stay in 2010, OR
- A £10 discount on any letting unit booking in 2010, OR
- A free upgrade to Shoreside (if available)
8. Why are your children’s charges so high?
We are not a family park. We have no amusements for children, no play area or other facilities and only cater for those young enough still to enjoy Pets Corner or the rock pools on the beach. We therefore have very few family pitches on our park.
Families with well behaved children are welcome – but other parks locally provide a far better service for them.
For families we always recommend either Hoddom Castle (www.hoddomcastle.co.uk) or Bruce's Cave (www.brucescave.co.uk) – both of whom have a range of family orientated activities.
We know that kids love the sea, and we know that there will always be families here. However we also know that the family market has changed and families want activities and entertainments that we simply don’t provide.
We have adult only areas on our park for touring, seasonal and static tourers – and that works really well.
For touring Fieldside is entirely adult only. Shoreside pitches 4 to 20 are adult only. In fact these adult only pitches are so popular that booking is usually essential.
10. Shoreside, Fieldside or Kiddies Corner?
It depends on what you’re looking for ... Shoreside touring pitches are more pricey - but water and electric hook are included. Families are welcome on pitches 1 and 2.
Fieldside touring pitches are for adults only. They have just electric included and have a central water tap. Shoreside touring pitches are open to the sea and have terrific views. Fieldside touring pitches are more sheltered. Shoreside is generally busier than Fieldside.
Kiddies Corner is the family alternative to a Fieldside pitch – it is a safer and open area and close to our small football field. Electric is included in the nightly price and there is a central water tap nearby.
11. Can I put my tent on Shoreside?
Our Shoreside pitches are the closest we have to hard standing. They can be used for tents – and campers with hard-ground or metal stakes usually have no problem there.
Shoreside is not suitable however for tents using plastic pegs or for those perhaps camping for the first time. Please note that the Shoreside touring pitches can be windy.
12. Can I have a non-electric pitch on Shoreside?
All Shoreside, Fieldside and Kiddies’ Corner touring pitches include electric hook up in the price charged. You can park on Shoreside and choose not to use the electricity supplied – but no discount would be given.
We have specific non-electric pitches available for those who are fully self sufficient or travelling on a budget.
13. What is the Campers’ Kitchen?
Queensberry Bay Caravan and Holiday Park had one of the first Campers’ Kitchens in Dumfries and Galloway. The old kitchen which is now our mower shed was built some 25 years ago. It was intended as a place for holiday makers to meet, to prepare and eat meals, and to get dry!
We have tried to maintain this with our “new” kitchen – which is an enclosed and weatherproofed area with seats and tables, sink with hot and cold water and microwave.
It has superb sea views across the Bay and is still a great place for our guests to meet, eat and dry out! It’s not the Ritz – but it’s provided free of charge, is warm and dry and is a firm favourite with our campers.
14. How big are your touring pitches?
Our park is 17 acres and we have an extra 15 acres behind the Fieldside area – we don’t cram our pitches together.
All of our touring pitch sizes are a minimum of 10 metres deep by 7 metres wide. In addition, we altered Fieldside last year and reduced the pitch numbers from 20 to 12 – not through lack of space, but simply as part of our pampering@powfoot development, which lent itself to the new, far more spacious Fieldside layout.
In addition, we altered Shoreside last year and reduced the pitch numbers from 20 to 10 as part of our ongoing programme of improving your touring experience with us.
We’re not short of space – so you shouldn’t be either!
This does of course mean that we have less touring pitches overall – so booking is the best way to guarantee a pitch.
15. Do you offer seasonal touring pitches?
We offer both seasonal touring pitches and static touring pitches.
The seasonal tourers are those that come on mid season and they pay a flat weekly rate for the period they want to stay. The period must be block booked and paid for – we don’t offer seasonal touring on a week by week or month by month basis – the rate’s too good for that!
Static touring vans stay on their pitch all year. Static tourers are on specific pitches only and have to have been on the park as a seasonal tourer for a full season before they’re offered a static touring pitch. We do have a waiting list for static touring pitches.
