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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

Ruda Holiday Park , North Devon, anyone been recently??

16 replies

alibo · 04/01/2006 11:52

Took ds to south devon last year, and would love to go back to another area of devon this June. Stayed in a cottage in Salcombe last time, but he will be 2.5 this summer, and would prefer a park with play areas etc. Ruda looks good on website, but have read a few not too fantastic reviews about the caravans.

OP posts:

Cadeauxbury · 04/01/2006 12:12

I went there in 96 - not recently but I enjoyed it. We stayed in a lodge which was very comfortable.

Prett pricey though.

Original poster

alibo · 04/01/2006 12:24

yes, the prices of the lodges were nearly double that of a 3 bed caravan!! Is there plenty for small children to do?

OP posts:

Roobie · 04/01/2006 12:27

We went camping there in June. We go for a weekend there with friends every year largely due to its proximity to the beach and don't use the facilities apart from the shop and wetsuit hire. Some friends go there a lot and love it largely because of the pool and the clubhouse with the childrens entertainment. You can't beat the location though - Croyde is fab.

Original poster

alibo · 04/01/2006 21:06

thanks for replies, anyone stayed in a caravan there recently??

OP posts:

tatt · 05/01/2006 14:17

stayed there last year and the caravan stank. Think I remember paying extra for the pool too? You might like woolacombe with a young child or dawlish warren is a beautiful safe beach (and near exeter for shopping )

tatt · 05/01/2006 14:18

Original poster

alibo · 05/01/2006 14:56

thanks tatt, which type of caravan did you stay in?? . the one i thought looked ok was the most expensive "putsborough", a 2004 one with a verandah. there are some new ones from 2005 and new for 2006, but these aren't as big and have no verandah. Which one have you been to in Woolacombe? was also looking at one called golden coast, ilfracombe.

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tatt · 05/01/2006 15:50

one of the cheaper ones - we just went for a long weekend or I'd have asked for a move/ refund instead of getting some bleach.... foget what the charge was for the pool but I didn't class it as "small" as it was much the same (charge) as any other pool. The pool was nice and warm though and the staff were great - pity about the caravan.

look at this site for woolacombe, althoug I haven't actually stayed there www.woolacombe-sands.co.uk/home.asp

Some friends stayed at Haven Sandy Bay at Exmouth and recommended that.

Original poster

alibo · 05/01/2006 19:05

thanks tatt, will take a look at those too

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lionhearted · 06/01/2006 11:30

Went there a couple of months backgreat for children (kids club worked for the children we had in our party aged from 3 to 9)caravan clean, bit gloomy but o.k for the price. Otherwise cheap and cheerful holidayespecially when the weather brightens up when you can take adantage of the beach, pool, kids club as well as get out and about to visit other parts of Devon. I wouldn't say its particular great for the adults, unless you are into surfing, (Woolacomb might be a better choice)but definitely one for the kids. Or, to put it another way, we were there in October, caught the tail end of those big storms, hated the idea of a caravan park but were still glad to have gone .....

Rosefairy · 06/01/2006 14:29

We have been going to Woolacombe bay for many years both Lodge, caravan and camping, and never had any problems all three sites are great for kids of all ages. Only a short drive to Ruda and we often do that as well as the kids love cascades the water park there. You can often pick up short breaks cheap from collecting the tokens out of newspapers,(thats how we first came to visit there.)
www.woolacombe.com

Original poster

alibo · 06/01/2006 19:25

woolacoombe parks do look nice also, now i'm spoilt for choice. also looked at haven's devon cliffs exmouth! ds will be 2, and will also have my mum and dad with us. so need somewhere with play areas suitable for young children; and my dad would also love somewhere with indoor pool, sauna, jacuzzi for him to escape too! may start another thread for those that have been to the woolacoombe parks!

OP posts:

tatt · 07/01/2006 07:33

what does your 2 year old like? Mine were content to dig sandcastles or swallow pebbles I know south/east devon better than north - the museum of country life (just outside haven) have little things to peddle and Crealy devon has a special play area for little ones as well as animals to hold and a couple of trains they can ride on. I've also heard good reports of the barn at abbotsbury if you fancied dorset instead (good beach at weymouth).

Original poster

alibo · 07/01/2006 08:58

he loves the beach, not too keen on big pools!, but also loves parks with swings(baby swings-too little for normal swings)and climbing frames etc.

OP posts:

tatt · 09/01/2006 06:25

most caravan sites will have a play area for children usually with baby swings. He might start to enjoy the evening entertainment now. Best oes a remember weere at a site in Newquay but that would have to be outside school holidays as it was full of teenage surfers then and noisy! Dawlish Warren and Weymouth both have beaches where the water is very shallow for quite a long was but both are a bit commercial, with rides/ stalls, woolacombe is a nice family beach too, Croyde had nice rock pools (mine love those) and sand dunes.

JayzMummy · 09/01/2006 06:49

Putsborough beach is by far the best. Better water quality for little ones to paddle/swim in etc. I wont let my guys in Croyde without them being fully togged up in wetsuits etc...Ive seen what floats about just past the rip!!!
Croyde/Woolacombe get just as many surfers as Newquay...I know I am one of them!!!

Ruda has a lovely play park right by the beach which is perfect for LO's. There is a great park at the back of the vilage hall in Croyde and another in Georgeham. I live 2 mins away from Ruda and we stayed there last year for a few days in the camping field...it was excellent!!!

There is more to do in Woolacombe than Croyde as its more commercialised, more shops and places to eat....Croyde has six surf shops in the main village,a post office, a small deli/paper shop called "Crook" stores (really called Brooke stores but not known by the locals at that...very expensive and even more so in the winter!!), an ice cream parlour and a couple of restaurants plus two pubs, The Thatch and Billy Budds. Both serve excellent food...owned by the same family...one is more for adults, the other has a kiddies play area outside with swings etc.

Woolacombe on the other hand has loads of shops...surf and general...loads of places to eat and there are more things to do...pitch and put, fun slides etc. We go to Woolacombe once a week during the summer just for a change of scenery.

My choice would always be Croyde because I love it....but Woolacombe is just as nice and probably has more to offer a famiy who are looking for a bit more than just a beach holiday.

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