Kelling Heath Timeline
We created this Timeline to highlight many of the milestones at Kelling Heath since 1984 when the Timewell Family purchased the land.
We hope you enjoy reviewing it and that it may bring back memories for some of you.
During this time, a significant amount of time and resources have been invested to enhance the visitor experience of the park and help protect and preserve this unique natural environment for future generations to enjoy.
1980s & 1990s
6 April 1984:
Kelling Heath was purchased by the Timewell family following six months of protracted negotiations.
1984: Commenced trading during the hottest Easter for years.
1984: The Southern Forestry was cut and cleared of firebreaks.
1984: A review of services and strategy was undertaken to formulate a business and development plan.
This led to a priority list of improving touring facilities first, then leisure & amenity facilities, and finally, the huge programme of mains connections to holiday home areas. In effect, the development of a large village / small town!
1984: We acquired the first fire tender, recognising the risk posed by dry heathland.
1985: The letting fleet doubled from four Willerby Homes to eight.
1985: The first major electrical upgrade involving underground cabling.
One thing visitors to Kelling Heath do not see is the considerable investment in infrastructure required to permit the development of facilities. Early holiday home owners may remember the spaghetti of black water pipes running between caravans and the open invitation, “If you want water, find a pipe and connect into it!”. We proceeded with extensive planning on the future requirements for power, water and drainage, and this particular electrical upgrade permitted the later development of touring electric hook-up points, amenity buildings and enhanced supplies to privately owned holiday home plots. Despite some criticism, the dark skies policy was recognised as significant, and the team decided to mitigate the impact of amenity lighting, as far as safely possible, to allow all at Kelling to enjoy the panorama of the night sky.
1986/7: Development of touring shower blocks areas 1, 2 & 3.
Touring and camping guests require modern clean facilities, and one of the early tasks was to rebuild three amenity buildings providing showers, WCs, laundry areas and dishwashing installations. Throughout the 25 years, these buildings have been refurbished several times to maintain the quality our guests demand.
1986: Development of external pool and fountain together with a feature wall.
This replaced the two existing pools, one surrounded by an unbroken brick wall! An early “H&S” preventative to stop children stumbling into it – never mind the injuries falling over the wall!
A swimming pool is a key facility on any holiday park, and this pool was the first stage of the redevelopment of the central facilities at Kelling Heath. The pool was designed with an integral paddling pool for youngsters and as a fun pool. The external wall features Norfolk flint panels, wonderfully complimenting the backdrop of the mixed woodland beyond.
1986/7: Development of Terrace & Forge Bar (in two stages over two years).
This new build, though larger, followed part of the footprint of the original building, replacing the ‘Sutherland Bar’ named after a previous owner, Major Sutherland. The build incorporated reclaimed materials and provided the Terrace Bar, Forge Bar and adjoining restaurant.
1987: Creation of the Top Pond.
A sandy hole in the ground was transformed from a rubbish dump into a thriving wetland ecosystem. This initiative was part of the Nature Trail, the first formal trail at Kelling Heath, and was constructed with help from the Manpower Services Commission. The circular trail linked the North Norfolk Railway at Weybourne to what is now the Village Square, returning to pass the Top Pond. This pond is not naturally fed and was originally the site of sand extraction. The pond project cleared the site and provided a liner and planting, which created a wonderful haven for wildlife and was described by Dr David Bellamy as “The best lowland pond I have seen in years”.
1987: Sir Duncan Bluck, Chairman of the English Tourist Board, opens a two-and-a-half-mile nature trail and unveils a plinth on the Point.
1987: The commencement of a scheme to link Kelling Heath’s Nature Trail to the North Norfolk Railway.
The scheme linked the trail to Weybourne Station by a footpath. Subsequently, the halt at Kelling Heath was opened, permitting diesel railcars to stop in both directions. Because of the gradient, steam engines can only stop on the return journey from Holt. The North Norfolk Railway is voted the number one external activity by visitors to Kelling Heath.
1990: The first mains service development to privately owned holiday homes.
Following the earlier infrastructure planning, this was the first of eight phases that provided enhanced electric, drainage and water to holiday home plots. The location of holiday homes amongst mixed woodland meant that the utmost care had to be taken when planning excavation routes, so as not to damage tree roots.
1991: Kelling Heath’s surrounding area was evacuated due to chemical drums washed ashore at Weybourne.
One of the more bizarre incidents during the 25 years saw the complete evacuation of the park and surrounding area, as immediately after the May Day weekend, two drums containing toxic chemicals were washed up on Weybourne beach. Fortunately, there was no harm done.
1993: Ramtech Security System was introduced.
1996: A dedicated holiday home sales office was created.
1997: David Bellamy opened Village Square.
The Village Square was the next stage in the development plan for what was previously called the site centre. Originally the main drive followed through what is now the Village Square and it was important to divert the flow of traffic and create a safe area for pedestrians which is enjoyed by visitors today.
1997: Kevin Hart, BA Honours Leeds University, was appointed as Countryside Manager.
The estate at Kelling Heath extends to 250 acres in an area of outstanding natural beauty and borders a ‘site of special scientific interest’. The demands of maintaining and preserving the estate require specialist knowledge, and the appointment of a full-time countryside manager was a major step for the park. It had a significant impact on the park’s philosophy of managing the estate and how it interacted with its visitors. Kevin was responsible for the majority of the initiatives that led to success in several environmentally based award schemes in the coming years.
1997: First David Bellamy Award received.
The holiday park industry owes David Bellamy a debt of gratitude for helping the ‘greening’ of the holiday park industry and raising its profile along the way. Parks occupy large footprints both on the coast and in the countryside, and Professor Bellamy recognised that large park owners could be persuaded to manage large areas for the benefit of wildlife and the environment.
1998: Pitch Design & Management guide for privately owned holiday homes introduced.
Holiday caravans occupy large areas at Kelling Heath, and it was important to establish guidelines to assist owners of holiday homes that would help us in our strategy of preserving the estate for our enjoyment. The guide detailed simple initiatives, for example, permitting only indigenous species to be planted and prescribing the style and form of decking, verandas and fencing. This ensured the special character of the woodland was preserved.
1998: Awarded Calor Gas Best Holiday Park in Britain.
1998: Awarded Calor Gas Best of the Best Holiday Park in Britain.
1998: England for Excellence Awards – Silver in Green Category Awarded.
1998: First David Bellamy Conservation Gold Award (regained every year following).
1998: Received a Special Award from the Norfolk branch of the Council for the Protection of Rural England.
1998: The bottom pond doubled in size, and a clearing was made to create a marginal wetland habitat to complement the open water of the newly enlarged pond.
1999: British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow winner.
A significant achievement for Kelling Heath in what was a major international award scheme. Kelling Heath joined a marine park in Tanzania, a five-star resort on a remote Fijian Island and a Hungarian village in going through to the Tourism for Tomorrow global finals. 115 projects from 41 countries were considered for the prestigious awards that recognise an environmentally and culturally sensitive approach to tourism.
1999: Hebridean Sheep arrive at Kelling to help restore the heathland.
Heathland is rarer than tropical rainforest, and Kelling Heath sought to maintain and preserve this habitat for years to come by simulating the historical use of the heath as it would have been some 8,000 years ago. This was achieved by scrub removal, rotational cutting and grazing of sheep.
1999: Red squirrel breeding programme started at Kelling as part of a national initiative.
Once the only squirrel living in Britain, the red has declined sharply and is now only present in a few areas of England. It is thought that the incredibly successful introduction of the Grey Squirrel from America in the 1880s is largely to blame. It is known that the Parapox virus, which is carried without detriment by the Grey’s, has killed large numbers of Red Squirrels. Greys tend to survive better, producing more young, effectively forcing Reds out of an area, though they do not fight. By participating in the national breeding programme, we hope to prevent the complete extinction of the Red Squirrel from Great Britain.
1999: Off-park cycle routes launched around quiet lanes surrounding Kelling Heath.
New Millennium
2000: Kelling Heath was presented with the Tourfor Award – part of a European initiative with partners in Finland and Portugal to monitor and protect woodland in tourism.
2000: Awarded Calor Gas Millennium Best of the Best – England
2000: Bill Oddie opens Health & Fitness Club.
The addition of this magnificent facility was known as the ‘Kelling Millennium Project’ with building spanning the turn of the century. The club provided a 19 x 9 metre, laned swimming pool, spa, sauna & steam rooms whilst the gym provided a range of modern equipment. The design concept was to build to the highest quality using vernacular materials such as flint and red brick, and to give the impression of swimming outdoors through the extensive use of glass and captured views of the surrounding woodland. Operated by Fitness Express and its team of trained leisure professionals, this facility was warmly welcomed by visitors and residents.
2000: 42 caravan holiday home plots released for sale following extensive planting, landscaping and provision of infrastructure.
This development has been cited by planners and industry bodies as the perfect example of how to develop a caravan park. Several years before any development work was started, extensive planting of indigenous species to the boundary and internal area was undertaken, creating a new woodland habitat. Today it’s difficult to see the caravans occupying the pitches as the woodland area matures. In all, some 7,000 individual trees were planted in this area, increasing biodiversity and creating a new woodland footpath for visitors and local people to access the nearby heathland.
2000: New sales and management offices provided.
2001: Awarded East of England Tourist Board – Regional Holiday Park of the Year.
2001: Open-air theatre makes its debut in the Village Square with London Vertigo.
2002: Awarded Safeway Excellence in England – Holiday Park of the Year Award.
Known as the ‘Oscars’ of the tourism industry, Kelling Heath was delighted to achieve this prestigious award.
2002: BBC ‘Holiday’ Programme films at Kelling Heath.
The once-popular TV programme was filmed at Kelling Heath in the summer of 2002. Presenter Roland Rivron and his son Daniel enjoyed staying in a caravan holiday home and participating in a series of events that were on offer to all. The 4-minute film aired the following March and saw Kelling outsource the brochure fulfilment to a third party, such was the demand.
2003: First two Woodland Lodges were introduced for hire at Kelling Heath – there are now eight available.
2003: Business Commitment to the Environment Award.
2003: Rare fungus discovered at Kelling Heath.
The discovery of a rare fungus at Kelling Heath Holiday Park was the highlight for the British Mycological Society during their autumn foray in north Norfolk. The society visited numerous locations to fulfil various objectives, including the finding and identification of species of fungus. Kelling Heath offers a diverse range of habitats, and many species were recorded, including the russula ruberrima, which is a large red toadstool that has not been previously recorded in Britain and is rare in all but a few sites on the European continent.
2004: Silver Studded Blue Butterfly Programme launched.
A nationally rare and threatened species that became extinct on Kelling Heath during the 60s due to the lack of heath management, was successfully re-introduced in a joint venture with The Norfolk Wildlife Trust, Butterfly Conservation and Natural England. The Countryside Team now carry out special management tasks on the heath to ensure it is a good habitat for the Silver Studded Blue and for a species of black ants that the butterfly needs help from to survive!
2004: Probably the biggest sculpture in Norfolk was unveiled.
Kelling Heath Holiday Park unveiled what is believed to be Norfolk’s largest work of art, at over 78m from the centre of the spiral to the furthest point, making it almost twice the size of the Norwich City football pitch. The enormous work of art, made out of red tree guards, was constructed by local artist Judith Campbell, who wanted to reflect the links between the people who visited the park and connections to the natural environment. Judith chose the spiral form used symbolically by prehistoric people in their artwork, who would have lived on Kelling Heath 8000 years ago, which in turn is reflected in the natural world – in plants such as the formation of bracken and in the horns of the black Hebridean sheep who graze the field.
2004: The first Sky Camp at Kelling Heath.
Up to 500 stargazers headed to Kelling Heath in September for a special 10th anniversary event. The Loughton Astronomical Sky Camp was started by half a dozen enthusiasts in 1994 and has steadily grown to become what is believed to be the largest annual event of its kind in Europe. Kelling Heath works hard to maintain its environmental credentials, including minimising the effects of light pollution. At Kelling Heath, lighting is restricted to the main public areas, and we take great pride in the fact that the night sky seen from the park is unspoilt and spectacular.
2006: Traditional Norfolk orchard planted.
2006: Extensive refurbishment to Terrace Bar.
2007: Health & Fitness Club claims IFI Fitness for All status.
2007: Launch of the Environment and Sustainability Working Group.
This group was commissioned to analyse, assess and improve the environmental performance of the complete Kelling Heath operation. Another example of Kelling Heath’s long-standing and ongoing commitment to caring for its environment.
2007: Shaun Woodward – Minister for Tourism Visits.
Following an invitation by the Park Directors, Tourism Minister Shaun Woodward visited Kelling Heath to discover how the park was helping to protect and enhance the natural world and see the range of holiday homes and facilities on offer. He said: “It is patently obvious that what you have done here is amazing. You are setting the benchmark here for the other 110,000 businesses that are involved in tourism at a national level.”
“Sustainability is at the heart of what goes on here and I know that visitors certainly enjoy being closer to nature while they are having a great holiday at the same time.”
2008: Online booking of accommodation and touring pitches made available.
2008: The completion of the refurbishment of the Blue amenity building incorporating environmental initiatives.
The new facility boasts three environmentally friendly features – rainwater harvesting, solar water heating, and ground source air exchange. The collection and use of rainwater is expected to save 119,600 litres of water a year – or enough to fill six-and-a-half Aventura 312 touring caravans!
2008: Acquisition of Squirrel Wood Farm.
2009: Received the David Bellamy Conservation Award of Special Distinction.
We were proud to receive this special award for our refurbishment of the amenity building and our ongoing environmental work.
2009: The Park celebrated 25 years under the ownership of the Timewell family.
Several special events were held to commemorate the anniversary. Click here for full details of the events and activity.
The Next 25 Years
2009: David Bellamy opens the Anniversary Trail.
The new trail will take visitors along a clearly signposted route which explores some of the natural and built environments created at the park over the past 25 years. It will also show what impact Kelling’s interventions have made and how it might have developed without an environmental management plan.
2009: Star Party returns to Kelling Heath.
Over 500 amateur astronomers and intrigued general public were drawn to the 250-acre Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty at Weybourne, which is famed for some of the clearest and darkest skies in England, to enjoy crystal clear views of our planetary neighbours and elusive galaxies.
2009: David Bellamy Conservation Scheme – Gold status was retained for the 13th consecutive year.
2010: Coasthopper Bus Calls into Kelling Heath.
The Coasthopper Xtra bus, which runs along the north Norfolk coast, added an extra stop at Kelling Heath Holiday Park.
From May, those staying at or visiting the park were able to leave their cars behind and travel along the coast by bus, getting the chance to take in the scenery, as well as doing their bit to help the environment. Coasthopper’s existing service travels from King’s Lynn to Hunstanton, Wells-next-the-Sea, Sheringham and Cromer, and the new Coasthopper Xtra travelled further west inland, taking in the busiest section of the coast, calling at Holt, Kelling Heath and cutting across the Peddars Way.
2010: Anniversary Celebrations Close with Launch of Tree Trail and Sculpture.
Kelling Heath continued to build on its green credentials with the launch of a new tree trail and the unveiling of a sculpture to mark the closing of a year of anniversary celebrations.
The Sculpture, ‘Time Flies’, stands 12ft tall with fused glass inclusions within its Corten steel structure. It is the work of local artist Nora Gaston, who worked with Fransham Forge on the construction to mark the park’s 25th anniversary of ownership by the Timewell family.
Commenting on the finished work, Nora said that Kelling Heath is a beautiful area of North Norfolk that has been sensitively cared for by the Timewell family for 25 years. “It is so beautiful that it did not seem appropriate to merely imitate nature, and I had to think of something else. This is how the idea of using the family name as inspiration for a sculpture developed. I decided to play with time.”
“I began to think of how time means nothing when on holiday, time does not dictate when things are done, and time becomes irrelevant. This was all symbolised by the image of a deconstructed clock. The fused glass reflects flowing water and the items we find and collect on the beach, and the large leaves make the sculpture blend in with the surroundings and adds to the ‘Alice in Wonderland’ experience” said Ms. Gaston.
The new Tree Trail is a circular route of 25 specimen trees, one for each year of the Timewell ownership. The trail was designed to give the public the chance to find out more about the collection of existing trees on the Kelling Heath site whilst introducing new species to the park. It takes between two and three hours to complete, giving visitors and those staying on the park the opportunity to amble through the woods and learn more about nature.
2010: Gold rating from the Green Tourism Business Scheme.
The Green Tourism Business Scheme is the national sustainable tourism certification scheme for the UK and is widely regarded as one of the most important environmental accreditation schemes across the tourism sector. It aims to ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of sustainable tourism by rewarding organisations across the country that make a conscious contribution. Kelling Heath was awarded Gold at its first attempt.
2010: Trim Trail Re-Launched as Eco Gym.
To mark 10 years since Kelling Heath Holiday Park first opened the on-park health & fitness facilities, the park relaunched one of its challenging fitness pursuits – the Trim Trail – which offers a holistic blend of outdoor exercise and woodland fitness.
The Trim Trail takes fitness enthusiasts through woodland and forest with designated stops along the way where participants can try their hand at challenges, including inclined sit-ups, pull-ups and the balance beam. Substantial changes were made to the course, including hurdles, a new traverse wall and a challenging new rope climb.
2010: A Hat Trick of Awards for Kelling Heath.
Kelling Heath Holiday Park in North Norfolk picked up a hat trick of awards at the prestigious Regional Enjoy England Awards at a ceremony held at The West Wing at Ickworth, near Bury St Edmunds. The internationally renowned Park scooped awards in the ‘Caravan Park / Holiday Village of the Year’, ‘Sustainable Tourism’ and ‘Tourism Experience of the Year’ categories.
The Enjoy England Awards for Excellence are recognised as the premier awards for the tourism industry. The regional awards highlight the quality of the tourism industry in the eastern region (Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk) and help raise the profile of the participants.
2011: A New Reception and Guest Services & Refurbishment to Village Store.
The winter of 2010 / 2011 saw the development and renovation of the Reception and Guest Services area at Kelling Heath Holiday Park. The work also saw external refurbishments and a new interior to the Park Village Store to provide a dedicated gift area.
2011: The Forge Bars & Restaurants Introduced.
The introduction of a table service dining area in the Terrace Bar, offering a selection of freshly cooked meals with locally sourced food. There will be improved seating layouts to the Terrace Bar, plus a new children’s zone area adjoining the Terrace. That will include a soft play area where Acorn Events and other child-related activities will take place.
2011: Holiday Park funding keeps Norfolk hearts beating.
Staff and holiday-makers at Kelling Heath Holiday Park raised more than £3,200 to pay for new life-saving heart defibrillators to be installed in remote areas of north Norfolk.
In July, a cheque was presented to the Holt Community First Response team – a group of volunteers who assist in emergency situations in north Norfolk before an ambulance can arrive on the scene.
Kelling Heath already has its defibrillator located in the Village Square, which has been used to save the life of one guest.
2011: Kelling Heath Retains David Bellamy Gold Conservation Award.
Rufus Bellamy, British Holiday and Home Parks Association environmental advisor and one of the judges added: “Blue Sky Leisure is a real pioneer when it comes to sustainable tourism. They are also leaders when it comes to welcoming wildlife onto their sites. They do everything they can to make sure that the parks are bursting with biodiversity.”
2011: Sustainable Award for Kelling Heath.
Kelling Heath Holiday Park was again recognised for its green credentials, triumphing in the Sustainable Tourism category at this year’s EDP Tourism Awards.
Recognising that the park puts sustainability at the heart of its operation and profitability, the judges, including Archant Anglia Business Editor Paul Hill, said: “The environmental ethos throughout the company is endorsed by customers and staff alike, but has been implemented on the strength of cost-saving and economic benefits, resulting in true sustainability rather than superficial ‘tokenism’.”
2012: Kelling Heath Scoops Top Euro Award.
Kelling Heath Holiday Park was voted one of the best country campsites in Europe.
The Park was one of only two UK campsites to be recognised at the Alan Rogers Awards – an annual event organised by leading travel guide publisher, Alan Rogers. Named as runner-up in the Country Award category, the park was commended for its dedication to protecting and maintaining the natural beauty of the woodland and rare open heathland. It was also praised for the excellent range of amenities and activities on offer to visitors.
The park was chosen for the honour ahead of more than 2,500 others.
2012: New Female Red Squirrel arrives from Cornwall.
Kelling’s latest addition arrived as part of a swap deal with Paradise Park in Cornwall, which specialises in breeding endangered birds and other wildlife.
David Martin, countryside manager at Kelling Heath Holiday Park, said: “There has been a shortage of red squirrel females over the past year, so we’re very lucky to have found a mate for ours at Kelling. Now we all have our fingers crossed that the pair get on so we can help to maintain and conserve the British Red Squirrel bloodline.”
Picking up on the arrival, the local newspaper – The North Norfolk News – held a competition to name the pair – the winning names were Red and Ginger.
2012: Embracing new technology with the iPhone Explorer App.
Developed exclusively for visitors to Kelling Heath by Affinity New Media, the App features two trails which can be completed on foot or by bike, enabling families to discover more about the rare heathland and woodland environments. Explorers can download the app before visiting or at the park and can choose between the Enchanted Wild Wood Trail and the Golden Trail to earn explorer badges and a prize. Following the maps and way markers, families can work together to locate special codes which for the app, which unlock questions about the Kelling Heath estate, its wildlife and the local countryside. A correct answer reveals more information about the subject, alongside pictures and audio recordings of the wildlife. Once adventurers have completed the trail and earned their explorer badges via the app, they can collect their prize – an enamel Kelling Heath badge.
2012: Kelling Heath Retains Green Tourism Business Scheme & David Bellamy Gold Awards.
We were pleased to have retained gold status in both the Green Tourism Business Scheme and the David Bellamy Conservation Awards.
Kelling Heath’s success in the Green Tourism Business Scheme means it has retained the coveted gold award first presented in 2010. Businesses are graded against a rigorous set of criteria, including energy and water efficiency, waste management, biodiversity and many more. Assessors were particularly impressed with Kelling Heath’s biodiesel processor, which converts the waste cooking oil from the kitchens into fuel for the Parks vehicles. The range of great nature‐based activities for adults and children also attracted praise, alongside the solar power used to provide hot water for the toilet blocks.
Kelling Heath also retained the highest accolade in the David Bellamy Conservation Awards for protecting and enhancing the natural world. The scheme is one of the longest-running green tourism awards in the UK, with Kelling Heath continuing to achieve recognition since the awards launched in 1997.
2012: CPRE Norfolk Award.
Kelling Heath has been given a special award in recognition of the educational trails and Acorn Events – all of which are designed to teach children and families about the natural environment. The CPRE gives awards to projects which make a significant contribution to the protection and enhancement of the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of the English countryside.
Judges commented that “Kelling Heath has a beautifully maintained natural landscape which provides a chance for people from urban areas to relate to nature on holiday.”
2013: Kelling Heath Holiday Park is the best in the country.
Kelling Heath Holiday Park has picked up a national award recognising it as the best caravan park in the country.
Members of the park’s dedicated countryside team collected the coveted trophy after winning the Caravan Holiday Park / Holiday Village of the Year category at the prestigious VisitEngland Awards for Excellence in Manchester on 20 May 2013.
It was also awarded Bronze after being shortlisted as a finalist in the Sustainable Tourism category. It is the second year in a row the park has been commended for its green credentials after being highly commended in 2012.
2013: Kelling Heath Holiday Park was highly commended in the Green Tourism Goldstar Awards 2013.
In this honour recognising its green ethos, the holiday park, set in 250 acres of woodland and rare heathland, was entered in the Best Holiday Park category. The awards recognise organisations that have done the most to promote sustainability within the tourism industry by implementing cost-saving practices that help the environment and improve customer services.
2013: Blue Sky Leisure scoops top accolade in EDP Business Awards.
Bradwell-based family firm, Blue Sky Leisure, is celebrating after carrying off the top award ‘Business of the Year’ in the prestigious Eastern Daily Press Business Awards last evening (7th November 2013) at the Norfolk Showground Arena.
Blue Sky Leisure, which runs north Norfolk holiday parks Kelling Heath and Woodhill Park, as well as the Zaks restaurant chain, was also nominated in the Sustainability category in recognition of its strong eco-ethos.
More than 300 firms entered this year’s awards – a record number – with 36 finalists competing to win 12 categories, with the business of the year selected from one of the finalists.
2013: There are two breeding pairs of Red Squirrels at Kelling Heath for the first time.
The UK’s rare red squirrel population is set for a boost after one of two kittens born at Kelling Heath Holiday Park earlier this year was found to be female.
The kittens, named Sunny and Summer by popular vote on the holiday park’s Facebook and Twitter pages. The male has been moved to Pensthorpe to find a suitable female, while his sister will move to an adjacent enclosure at Kelling to meet a new male companion.
David Martin, Countryside Manager at Kelling Heath, said: “This will be the first time in nearly fifteen years that we’ll have had two breeding pairs of squirrels at Kelling Heath, which is fantastic. We’re pleased that our work to support the squirrel population through this conservation scheme is going from strength to strength. The squirrels we have at the park are happy, healthy and very inquisitive.”
2014: New heathland created at Kelling Heath.
The countryside team at Kelling Heath have created a new heathland habitat from scratch, reverting arable land to its previous state of heather heath. The new heath will be the location for twenty luxury lodges that will be offered for sale.
Creating heathland is not an easy task, and substantial investment has gone into making sure ground conditions were right to receive the heather and acid grass seeds harvested from the surrounding established heathland. The result of this work will be another push by Kelling Heath towards expanding this rare habitat rather than allowing it to disappear, sending a clear message to the Park’s many guests that their visit achieves much more than just enjoying a relaxing break in a very special part of the country.
2015: Sheep helped restore the land to nature at Kelling Heath.
An area of environmentally sensitive heathland at Kelling Heath in north Norfolk is being restored to its natural state thanks not to modern technology but by using techniques that nature intended.
Kelling Heath Holiday Park, internationally recognised for its contribution to eco-friendly tourism, has brought in a small flock of Welsh Mountain Sheep to help wage war on the lowland heath’s ever-encroaching scrub and tree growth.
Traditional Norfolk lowland heathland has been disappearing at an alarming rate, largely due to changing farming practices. Animals are no longer commonly grazed on heaths, leading to the heathers and grasses being taken over by more aggressive vegetation and eventually turning it into scrub woodland. Hence the expansive views, for which Norfolk is especially famous, are gradually disappearing.
This is not the first time that sheep have grazed at Kelling Heath. In 1999, a flock of Hebridean sheep were on the park helping manage the heathland.