Lake District caravan park Skelwith Fold is on a mission to see the humble holiday postcard re-crowned as king of the nation’s “having a lovely time” greetings.
And although the writing isn’t yet on the wall for “wish you were here” messages via social media, the park’s Henry Wild says that the park’s campaign is gaining ground.
It all began, said Henry, at the start of this year when Skelwith Fold sent its customers a calendar of park views – each able to be detached in the form of a colourful postcard.
Recipients were invited to use the postcards to send to friends and relatives – and to return one to Skelwith Fold with a favourite memory of their holiday in Cumbria.
The sender of the most enchanting, they said, would be rewarded with a bottle of bubbly.
“The feedback so far has been really encouraging!” said Henry whose Ambleside holiday park covers 130 acres of woodland in the heart of the Lake District National Park.
“Now we intend to display all the postcards as they arrive, and are inviting guests to select the memory which they find the most delightful, amusing or poignant.
“We’ve had some lovely entries so far, ranging from couples having a ball with their grandchildren to young families getting back to nature in one of our safari tents.
“Each captures a little moment of holiday bliss, and I think that receiving a handwritten postcard through the letterbox is much more personal than just clicking on a social media feed.
“Not that we’ve any objections to sites such as Facebook or Instagram, and use them a lot ourselves, but it was great to see picture postcards making a comeback this summer!” said Henry.
Skelwith Fold offers glamping accommodation such as fully equipped safari tents as well as cottages to rent, along with pitches for motorhome and touring caravan guests.
It also provides holiday caravans to own, and Henry reports a substantial lift in enquiries this year, sparked in part by uncomfortable temperatures in mainland Europe and travel problems.
“A UK holiday has always been a more relaxed affair than going abroad, and owning a holiday caravan means the family can enjoy the Lake District throughout the four seasons,” he said.
That means plenty of extra postcard-sending opportunities as Cumbria undergoes its magical transformations, as well as new memories to share with friends and loved ones.”
The Wild family, which has owned Skelwith Fold for over 25 years, has won a number of awards for its care of the natural world and received praise for its sustainable development policies.
More information about bookings and holiday home ownership, can be accessed on the park’s website at www.skelwith.com