Meet the owners - South Lytchett Manor Caravan & Camping Park

A five-star, award-winning, family-run park located just three miles from Poole and a 20-minute drive from Bournemouth. The site consists of grass and hardstanding pitches with some fully serviced. The site is set in 25 acres of parkland and surrounded by countryside. South Lytchett Manor is only 13 miles from the Jurassic coastline, and Ringwood, the western gateway to the New Forest, is just half an hour away.

How long have you been running your campsite for?
We took ownership of the park on the 24th December 2006.

How did you first become owners of the site/what made you want to own and run a campsite?
We retired from a family business in 2004 and spent two years looking for a park, as we wanted to relocate from the Midlands. At the time our eldest son Ben was travelling and looking forward to moving to Dorset with his fiancée, Matthew our middle son was looking forward to joining us running the park as he is a fully trained craftsman, and our youngest Megan was 13 and excited to move to Dorset to finish her education.

Tell us a little about your site and how it first began?
South Lytchett Manor was a camping park way back in the 1960s. Lady Lees, the owner of the Manor, decided to set up the campsite on the impressive driveway to the Manor to aid her Christian charities. She even sold teas at the front gates with her own china and silver teapots!

What did you do before becoming the owners of this site?
We worked in the family haulage business.

What do you like most about being a campsite owner?
We do love the interaction with our guests, including banter! It is lovely to see happy smiling faces enjoying the delights of our campsite and Dorset, it makes our job very rewarding. Reading the lovely reviews our guests put on social media channels is the icing on the cake.

What are the challenges?
Mainly the weather and the 2020 uncertainty of being open/closed due to COVID.

What is a typical day like for you?
The day starts bright and early at 7am with the early morning clean and check of the toilet blocks. Then it’s up to the shop, receiving the delivery of freshly baked bread and croissants. During the day the phones start ringing – we are tourist information one minute, camping connoisseurs the next and five minutes later we are Google maps! It is a very diverse job and involves everything from pushing caravans to repatriating lost children! Meanwhile the chaps are busy mowing the lawn, trimming the hedges, getting the pitches neat and tidy in preparation for our new arrivals at 12pm. As soon as it hits 12 there is the mad rush of arrivals. The hustle and bustle of the campsite means the afternoon quickly passes. Soon enough it’s 5pm and the late shift commences. At 8pm it’s time for the late clean. The shop closes at 10pm, so everything is locked up and put to bed, and the staff embark on the late-night walk around. After a busy day at South Lytchett Manor the large iron gates are closed at 11pm and the campsite sleeps ready to start all over again the next day.

What do feel makes your site special and appealing to the guests who return every year?
We have guests who are still returning for 14 years. It is lovely to remember these children in 2007 are now grown up and are visiting us with their families. Returning guests love the fact we do not sit on our laurels – every year we reinvest into new pitches and upgrades on amenity blocks. We had new shepherds’ huts for the 2020 season and for 2021 the extended shop will become our outlet for food.

What do you love about the region your site is based in? Do you have any favourite locations/attractions?
Just a few! They include Brownsea Island, Bournemouth, the New Forest, the Purbecks, Old Harry Rocks, Corfe Castle, Swanage, Kingston Lacy House and Wimborne.

What do you like to do on a rare day off?
We have two Labradors named Rosie and Penny. We love walking them from Sandbanks to Bournemouth and back! If we are not walking, we take our bikes from the park and cycle the 26 miles around Poole harbour, taking in views of Wareham, Arne, Corfe Castle, and the short trip on the Chain Ferry back to Sandbanks with its stunning with views over to Brownsea Island. The final leg is onto Poole Harbour for a rewarding swift beer on the Quay, then back to the park via Upton Country Park. It’s a stunning memorable ride! Sometimes, if 26 miles is too much, we enjoy the flat four-mile off road cycle ride into Poole.