Kelling Heath Timeline

We have created this Timeline to highlight many of the key milestones at Kelling Heath since 1984 when the Timewell Family purchased Kelling Heath.
We hope you enjoy reviewing it and that for some of you it may bring back memories.

During this time a significant amount of time and resources have been invested to enhance the visitor experience of the park and to help protect and preserve this unique natural environment for future generations to enjoy.

1980's

1984 6 April 1984
Kelling Heath Purchased by the Timewell family, following 6 months of protracted negotiations

1984 Commenced trading during the hottest Easter for years

1984 Southern Forestry cut and cleared firebreaks

1984 Review of services and strategy to formulate business and development plan
This led to a priority list 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 Acquired the first fire tender, recognising the risk posed by dry heathland

1985 Letting fleet doubled from 4 Willerby Homes to eight

1985 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 pipe running between caravans and the open invitation "if you want water find a pipe and connect into it!"   Extensive planning on the future requirements for power, water and drainage was undertaken 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 it was 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 shower, WC, laundry and dishwashing. Throughout the 25 years these buildings have been refurbished several times thus maintaining the quality our guests demand

1986   Development of external pool and fountain together with feature wall
This replaced the two existing pools, one surrounded by an un-broken 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 providing a wonderful compliment to the backdrop of the mixed woodland beyond

1986/7 Development of Terrace & Forge Bar (in two stages over 2 years)
This new build though larger followed part of the footprint of the original building replacing the ‘Sutherland Bar' named after a previous owner one Major Sutherland. The build incorporated reclaimed materials and provided the larger Terrace Bar and smaller 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 through 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, creating a wonderful haven for wildlife which in later years 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 2½ mile nature trail and unveils plinth on the Point

1987   Commencement of 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's

1990   First mains service development to privately owned holiday homes
Following the earlier infrastructure planning this was the first of 8 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 in planning excavation routes so as not to damage tree roots

1991   Kelling Heath surrounding area 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 immediately after the May Day weekend when 2 drums containing toxic chemicals were washed up on Weybourne beach, fortunately there was no harm done 

1993   Ramtech Security System introduced to privately owned holiday homes

1996   Dedicated holiday home sales office provided

1997   David Bellamy opens 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 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 & preserving the estate require specialist knowledge and the appointment of a full time countryside manager was a major step for the park and one that had a significant impact on the parks philosophy of managing the estate and how it interacted with its visitors. Kevin was responsible for the majority of the initiatives that was to lead 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 holiday 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 today and, for future generations. The guide detailed simple initiatives for example permitting only indigenous species to be planted and prescribing the style and form of decking and verandas and fencing. This ensured the special character of the woodland would be preserved.

1998   Calor Gas Best Holiday Park in Britain Award

1998   Calor Gas Best of the Best Holiday Park in Britain Award

1998   England for Excellence Awards - Silver in Green Category

1998   First David Bellamy Conservation Gold Award (regained in every year following)

1998   Special Award from the Norfolk branch of the Council for the Protection of Rural England

1998   Bottom pond doubled in size and clearing made to create a marginal wetland habitat to compliment 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. A total of 115 projects from 41 countries were considered for the prestigious awards which recognise an environmentally and culturally sensitive approach to tourism

1999   Hebridean Sheep arrive at Kelling to help restore heathland
Today heathland is rarer than tropical rain forest and Kelling Heath seeks to maintain and preserve this habitat for years to come by simulating the historical use of the heath as it would have been starting some 8,000 years ago. This is achieved by scrub removal, rotational cutting and grazing of sheep

1999   Red squirrel breeding programme starts at Kelling as part of 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 1880's, 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 actually fight. By participation 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 round quiet lanes surrounding Kelling Heath

New Millennium

2000   Kelling Heath presented with Tourfor Award - part of a European initiative with partners in Finland and Portugal to monitor and protect woodland being used in tourism

2000   Calor Gas Millennium Best of the Best Award - 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 their team of trained leisure professionals this facility was warmly welcomed by visitors and local residents

2000   42 sales plots for caravan holiday homes 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 brand new woodland habitat. Once development was completed and the first holiday homes sited further planting of standards was made. Today it is difficult to see the caravans occupying 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   East of England Tourist Board - Regional Holiday Park of the Year Award

2001   Open air theatre makes its debut in the Village Square with London Vertigo

2002   Safeway Excellence in England Awards - 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 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 was aired the following March and saw Kelling outsource the brochure fulfilment to a third party such was the demand

2003   First 2 Woodland Lodges introduced for hire at Kelling Heath - there are now 8 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 held 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 60's due to the heath not being managed 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 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 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 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   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   Sean Woodward - Minister for Tourism Visits     
Following an invitation by the Parks Directors Tourism Minister Sean 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. Shaun Woodward MP 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 now available

2008   Completion of refurbishment of 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   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
A number of special events were held to commemorate the anniversary click her 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 a strong 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 being blessed with 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 retained for 13^th consecutive year.

2010 Coasthopper Bus Calls into Kelling Heath
The Coasthopper Xtra bus, which runs along the north Norfolk coast, added an extra stop to its service 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' which stands 12ft tall features fused glass inclusions within its Corten steel structure and is the work of local artist Nora Gaston, commissioned by the park and who worked with Fransham Forge on the construction that will 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 has been 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 its on Park health & fitness facilities, the park re launch 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 the introduction of hurdles, a new traverse wall and a challenging new rope climb.

2010 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 to raise the profile of the participants.

2011 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 will also saw external refurbishments and a new interior to the on Park Village Store to provide a dedicated gift area.

2011 The Forge Bars & Restaurants
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 childrens’ zone in the 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 own 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 has again been 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 has been voted one of the best country campsites in Europe.
The Park was one of only two UK campsites to be recognised at this year's 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 by a panel of independent judges.

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 tecnology 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 park’s 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, when typed into the App, 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 some 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 the Kelling Heath’s biodiesel processor which converts the waste cooking oil from their kitchens into fuel for the Parks vehicles. The range of great nature‐based activities for adults and children also attracted praise as well as the use of solar power 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 work it does to educate visitors through its 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 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 Monday 20 May.
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 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 are 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 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 back 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 that were harvested from the surrounding established heathland. The end 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 help restore 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 itself 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 the 1999 a flock of Hebridean sheep were on the park helping manage the heathland.