IT was only a matter of time before I would break from our tradition, forego a foreign holiday with my eight-year-old daughter and return to the pleasures of a holiday park in the UK.

I spent many years as a child with my parents and brother and sister going to Haven holiday parks in Devon and Wales, so I was really looking forward to our break at Woodovis, a five-star family-run park on the border of Devon and Cornwall.

With money tight and wanting to enjoy the beautiful landscape this country offers, I was quick to remind Erykah how lucky we are to be able to have a holiday each year and stressed the importance of remembering them.

Stepping up into our luxury Deluxe Finch static caravan which was to be our home for a couple of nights, I instantly reminisced about my own childhood holidays.

My memory of playing hide and seek between the caravans with my brother and sister is still very vivid; splashing around in the fun pools and on the slides, eating fish and chips on the way back from the family shows in the big playhouse, it’s all there stored in a small part of my mind. And this holiday was no different.

Despite my age increase and responsibilities as a parent, Erykah and I crammed into our short stay dips in the pool, cycling the traffic-free Granite trail from Lydford to Okehampton, sightseeing at Morwellham Quay and relaxing on the manicured lawns.

In less than 48 hours we managed a 10-mile round trip, picking up the cycle path from the village of Sourton, and pretty much reached Okehampton.

The track runs parallel with the industrial railway line that carries aggregate from Meldon Quarry, passing over the Meldon viaduct. The 341ft drop alone made Erykah and I quiver. The steel structure was built in 1874 for the London and South Western Railway main line. You can see the Meldon Dam in the distance if you are brave enough to cross it. We did and I think Erykah won’t forget it in a hurry.

Morwellham Quay, in the picturesque Tamar Valley, was once the busiest port in England and many of the historic remnants from the area's mining heritage remain intact. The mining here was principally for copper and arsenic. The visitor centre’s big screen shows footage of bygone days and restoration, and there’s plenty of information to hand.

Another fond memory came to the fore when I woke up to a familiar sound on the last day.

It was the sound of seagulls’ feet tap tapping up and down on the roof of the mobile home. When I was little, I used to try to guess whereabouts the birds were on the roof.

This time round, I just rolled over and went back to sleep.

WOODOVIS PARK - Gulworthy, Tavistock, Devon PL19 8NY. Tel No: 01822 832 968 www.woodovis.com e:info@woodovis.com Friendly owners John and Dorothy Lewis have sprinkled lots of tender loving care into this site in the last 11 years. Being keen campers they left the rat race to put their heart into regenerating Woodovis, and their attention to detail has paid off. You just have to look at the amount of awards they have achieved over the years to see they mean business. They have a solid team who work at the park on rotation so there is always someone nearby to help at the drop of a hat. Managers Chris and Eppy made sure we didn’t go without. We also met site wardens Andy and Angy - everyone was so pleasant that I want to know what their secret is.

The shop has everything you need to get started on arrival. From postcards to shampoo, milk to ice-creams freshly made on site bread and patisseries - requests are taken the day prior. They even have their own label of wine!

The park also hase a games room, indoor swimming pool. dishwashing area, launderette and lots of recycling points.

There are three quiet, secluded, wooded areas for the static caravans, plus touring, all-weather and super pitches - these are for those big tents. The camping pod, pictured above, is ideal for campers who want to stay dry.

The park is safe – the lane to the site is at least a mile long so I was happy to let Erykah cycle around the park on her own. Woodovis is stone’s throw away from Dartmoor National Park and within easy reach of the many beaches.

Dogs are also welcome for a nominal charge.

THE DELUXE FINCH sleeps up to six people The pictures reveal the immaculate, roomy, modern and very comfortable two bedroom home, which reflects the standards on the whole for the entire campsite.

The spacious lounge area has satellite tv, dvd, a gas fire, double glazing and central heating, which we used on both evenings - it does get rather chilly at night.

The double and twin bedrooms are dressed with tasteful fabrics and there’s plenty of storage too.