2024 Recap
The end of another year in Dorset, and what a year it’s been! As always, lots has happened this year, including park improvements, awards, holiday homes sold, farm animal babies and more. But of course, the most important thing is that thousands of you enjoyed holidays by the Jurassic Coast, making precious family memories to last a lifetime.
2024 Awards
We have always prided ourselves on providing the best possible experience for our guests, and it’s something we try to achieve with every booking. We are thrilled when this is recognised externally and love the boost that winning awards gives to our hard-working team, as well as the reassurance it creates for potential guests who are thinking of visiting for the first time. This year we won a number of awards yet again, both for providing exceptional holidays, and for doing our bit for the environment.
Here’s 2024’s trophy cabinet:
- Dorset Tourism Awards: Holiday Park Of The Year (Highlands End)
- Dorset Tourism Awards: Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Tourism Award (Highlands End)
- Bridport Business Awards: Family Business Of The Year (WDLH)
- Eurocampers: UK’s Best Campsite (Highlands End)
- Taste Of The West: Gold (Martin’s Bar & Restaurant)
- AA Awards: Caravan & Camping – Platinum (Highlands End)
- AA Awards: Holiday Park – Gold (Golden Cap)
- West Dorset Gold Awards: Family Business Of The Year (WDLH)
- Campsites.co.uk: Best Holiday Park – UK (Highlands End)
- Campsites.co.uk: Best Family Campsite – South West (runner up) (Highlands End)
- Trip Advisor: Traveller’s Choice(Highlands End and Golden Cap)
As well as awards, we have also completed a number of challenges for David Bellamy’s Blooming Marvellous Pledge For Nature this year. These challenges are complex and involve lots of planning and work from our teams, all to do with improving the habitats for a range of animals.
- Home Sweet Home Challenge (Golden Cap, Larkfield, Graston Copse and Sandyholme)
- Pollinator Patch Challenge (Highlands End and Golden Cap)
- Treemendous Challenge (Larkfield and Graston Copse)
- Wonderful Wetlands Challenge (Larkfield and Graston Copse)

Fundraising
Throughout the year we aim to raise money for both local and national charities, as well as supporting a number of local clubs, schools and organisations with sponsorships or prize donations. Here’s some of our most impressive fundraising efforts this year:
- ÂŁ240 for The Alzheimer’s Society raised at Graston Copse‘s Cheese & Wine Party
- ÂŁ260 for The Motor Neurone Disease Association raised at Graston Copse‘s Summer Garden Party
- ÂŁ400 for Breast Cancer UK raised at our Winter Warmer’s Owner’s Event & Pub Quiz
- ÂŁ3,300 for Julia’s House Children’s Hospice raised at Highlands End Maker’s Market
- Over ÂŁ9,300 for The Jurassic Coast Trust from Guest and Holiday Home Owner donations
Becoming More Dog Friendly
We’re dog lovers, and we’ve always tried to make our Parks as dog-friendly as possible. We’ve listened to your feedback and know that there are lots of you out there with 3 dogs who’d love to come and stay with us, so we’re making it happen! We have now made the decision to allow up to 3 dogs in almost all* of our dog-friendly accommodation, as well as on all our Touring & Camping Pitches, and for Holiday Home Owners and Seasonal Pitch Holders too.
We’ve also reviewed a number of our accommodation units and are pleased to say we’ve increased the number of dog-friendly Caravans, Lodges and Glamping Pods. We’ll be going from just over 50% dog-friendly, to 75% dog-friendly accommodation across all our Parks, with 25% of our accommodation still designated as dog-free for those with allergies or specific preferences.
We’ve also installed a much improved dog shower at Highlands End and are planning on introducing welcome gift packs for dogs staying in hire accommodation next year.
*All dog-friendly accommodation allows up to 3 dogs, excluding select Glamping Pods at Highlands End, which can allow up to 2, due to limited space. As dogs vary considerably in size, all dog-owners are encouraged to look at the accommodation photos to decide if the space is suitable for them and their pets.
New And Improved Accommodation
Each year, we replace and upgrade a number of our hire caravans across all our Parks, and this year was no different. We also added a new area of hire caravans in the Red Hill View area of Golden Cap, and in the lower section of Eype Beach after a precarious journey over the fields from Highlands End. Sandyholme saw the return of Glamping, with Safari Tents and the large Bell Tent having moved from their previous home at Golden Cap. Perhaps most exciting were the new Gold Pods at Highlands End, which boast their own toilet and shower rooms and are open all year round. We’ve got a few more Pods very similar to these, due to make their way to Eype Beach next year, which we can’t wait for!
Over at Golden Cap, we increased the size of our Hard-Based Touring Pitches, meaning that we can now accommodate larger motorhomes and touring caravans to the park. We also refurbed the facility block that provides for these pitches.
Highlands End
Bronze Pod
Sleeps 6
Dog Friendly (ÂŁ, max 2)
Max of 2, charges apply
Friday or Monday Arrivals Only
Bed Linen Optional (ÂŁ)
Charges apply
Duvet & Pillows Provided
Golden Cap
Hard-Base Pitch
Units up to 10m
(32.8 ft)
Dog Friendly (ÂŁ, max 3)
Max of 3 & charges apply
Wifi Available (ÂŁ)
Charges apply
16 Amp Electric Hook-Up
Any Day Arrivals
Highlands End
Gold Pod
Sleeps 2
Dog Friendly (ÂŁ, max 3)
Max of 3 & charges apply
Friday or Monday Arrivals Only
Bed Linen Optional (ÂŁ)
Charges apply
Duvet & Pillows Provided
Sandyholme
Safari Tent
2 Bedroom
Sleeps 4
Dog Friendly (ÂŁ, max 3)
Max of 3 & charges apply
Decking Area
With seating
Friday or Monday Arrivals Only
Highlands End
Bronze Pod
Sleeps 2 Adults & 2 Child
Not Dog Friendly
Friday or Monday Arrivals Only
Bed Linen Optional (ÂŁ)
Charges apply
Duvet & Pillows Provided
Golden Cap
Caravan
2 Bedroom
Sleeps 4
Not Dog Friendly
Decking Area
With seating
Friday or Monday Arrivals Only
Sandyholme
Bell Tent
1 Bedroom
Sleeps 4
Dog Friendly (ÂŁ, max 3)
Max of 3 & charges apply
Friday or Monday Arrivals Only
Bed Linen Optional (ÂŁ)
Charges apply
Golden Cap
Caravan
2 Bedroom
Sleeps 4
Not Dog Friendly
Decking Area
With seating
Saturday Arrivals Only
Highlands End
Gold Pod
Sleeps 2 Adults & 2 Child
Dog Friendly (ÂŁ, max 2)
Max of 2, charges apply
Friday or Monday Arrivals Only
Bed Linen Optional (ÂŁ)
Charges apply
Duvet & Pillows Provided
Highlands End
Gold Pod
Sleeps 2
Not Dog Friendly
Friday or Monday Arrivals Only
Bed Linen Optional (ÂŁ)
Charges apply
Duvet & Pillows Provided
Dorset Foot Golf
After discussing the idea for a few years now, 2024 was the year we made the decision to change our Pitch ‘n’ Putt course over to Foot Golf. The team had great fun designing, building and testing the course. Opening in May, we weren’t quite sure what to expect and we were blown away by how much our guests and local residents have enjoyed it! In fact, over 3x as many people used the course this year, compared to when it was the Pitch ‘n’ Putt, proving that this is a much better way to utilise the land. We’ve helped enable some great teambuilding experiences for local sports teams and clubs, and we’re planning an exciting event involving the course next year, so keep an eye out!

Highlands End Leisure Club
At the very start of the year, the Leisure Club underwent a mini renovation with a new plant room and filter system as well as a re-grout of the pool and a lick of paint. We sold a number of our new Pool Passes to holidaymakers who love swimming regularly whilst on holiday, and we’ll continue offering these in 2025. Guests are able to purchase either a 7 day or short break (3/4 day) pass and will receive unlimited use of the Leisure Club (as the timetable permits) for the duration of the pass. Got a holiday booked in 2025?
Farming
2024 was another busy year for the Highlands End Farm Team, who welcomed over 300 lambs in spring, followed by 4 cria (baby alpacas) in the summer. Our guests have loved seeing the farm animals in the pen at the front of the park, and our alpaca meet & greet sessions proved very popular. We introduced a range of alpaca-themed merchandise into the SPAR store which has sold well, including socks made with wool from our own herd, as well as mugs, bags and more with cute painted alpaca designs, by our very own Lucy.
Having received a dedicated grant, The Team have started the planting work for our ‘Farming in a Protected Landscape’ Project. So far we have planted around 200m of native hedgerow on the farm to help establish new habitats and improve wildlife corridors. We’ve also got a brand new Hedgehog Hut next to our Bug Hotel!
Over at Golden Cap, we’ve recently restocked the Fishing Lake with plenty of fresh carp, ready for next year’s season. All fish caught must be released back to the lake, however that message hadn’t quite got through to the local heron, who enjoyed a few snacks towards the end of the year!
Green Energy
As well as having solar panels on the roofs of all suitable buildings, we have installed an area of 300 solar panels, in a small corner of one of the fields at Highlands end, chosen to be the most hidden from view from the village. The panels are raised off the ground, and we’ve discovered that our sheep like using them for shade on hot days, and shelter when it’s raining! The panels generated just over 102,000kWh of energy in just 4 months, enough to power 35 homes for a whole year! This energy is used to help run the park, heating the water for Highlands End Leisure Club, powering our electric vehicle chargers as well as our offices and holiday accommodation. Since then, the park has been completely self-sufficient, and we have exported around half of the power generated to the National Grid, supporting local infrastructure and properties. We’ll be planting a small apple orchard around the development next year to further hide the panels from view. We also have planning permission for a similar development in a small, hidden field at Golden Cap.
In 2024, we welcomed over 1,400 electric and hybrid vehicle owners to our holiday parks. We currently have 33 chargers across 5 parks, which we recently expanded from 15 chargers in late 2024 to cater for increasing demand. A few years ago, we pledged that all new company vehicles purchased going forward will be electric, as well as things like ride-on-mowers, strimmers and the buggies you will see our Maintenance Team driving round the parks in.
Holiday Home Sales
In 2024, we held a number of Open Days across our Parks, and spoke to a range of prospective and current owners. Throughout the year we sold a number of new and pre-owned Holiday Homes, including our first ever Lodge sold at Highlands End, welcoming some lovely new families to our Owners’ community. We also set up an additional Sales Office at Golden Cap to run alongside the Office at Highlands End. In the Golden Cap Office, you’ll often find Kate, our new Holiday Home Owner’s Receptionist – a role we created this year specifically to look after our Owners and be their dedicated point of contact.
This year we set up a partnership with a local finance company and are now offering the ability to purchase a Holiday Home using just a 20% deposit, with a repayment plan of between 3 and 7 years. The amount paid back each month varies depending on the Holiday Home price, the deposit put down and the length of the loan, which is set at a fixed interest rate. This means that we’re making the lifestyle of ownership more accessible for a wider range of people, who might not have the full amount ready up front. It’s also making the more luxurious models of caravans and lodges an option for people who may have fallen in love with something slightly outside of their budget.
Over the next few years, we have numerous developments planned, all designed to continually improve each Park. This year we completed work on the Red Hill View development at Golden Cap and have sited a number of caravans there ready for sale, as well as leaving some pitches vacant, waiting for someone to choose their dream Holiday Home for. Work has been ongoing in the top field at Eype Beach, with large terraces created ready to house our most luxurious Lodges yet, with incredible sea views and direct access to the South West Coast Path. Towards the end of 2024, we also began work in an unused field at Graston Copse, creating a small lake to be a focal point in an area that will house more Holiday Homes in the future.
Food & Drink
This year Martin’s Bar & Restaurant hosted a number of events, including live music, themed menus, discos, children’s parties, private events, charity functions, and recently a number of Christmas parties. We also welcomed a range of different local catering vendors to Highlands End, Golden Cap and Graston Copse, who provided delicious takeaways including pizzas, curries, fish & chips, Persian food, melted cheese and Thai noodles! What an array of flavours! It’s great to have these extra facilities available to our guests and we hope to arrange similar visits next year.

Footpaths
At the start of the year, we asked you to help us save a footpath that leads from Highlands End into West Bay. The discussion is still ongoing at the Council, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed and are thankful for everyone who supported the campaign during the appeal stage. We’re also pleased to have been able to reinstate the Nature Trail at Sandyholme once again, as the Park now has an additional field which gives us the access we needed. We know our guests and Owners have missed this route, so we’re glad to have brought it back!
Digital Statistics
Our Marketing Team love a good statistic, and 2024 has given us some great ones!
We recently surpassed 30,000 downloads on our WDLH app and we’re really proud of the work we’ve put into making this a useful tool to help our guests make the most out of their holidays. This year we introduced a feature we’ve been excited about for a while – local discounts! So far we’ve set up partnerships with 25 local businesses, offering our guests and Holiday Home Owners money off, or special perks. These partnerships have been great for our guests, and help bring in more business to those participating, and we can’t wait to set up more in 2025. Guests must have booked direct with WDLH, and be logged into the app in order to access this section.
As always, our webcams were some of the most popular pages on our website, receiving over 310,000 views in the last 12 months. They are enjoyed by a whole range of people, including Holiday Home Owners who are back at home, guests who are looking forward to a holiday, local weather watchers, fishermen, paragliders and more! We love they joy that they bring to people, and we love having a look at them too! We know that they played a big part in us reaching over 1 million user sessions in a 12 month period for the first time ever.
Read More...
Have a browse back over this year’s blog posts…
Double Gold Awards for Highlands End!
On the 1st February, businesses from across the county gathered at Weymouth Pavillion to celebrate the annual Dorset Tourism Awards. It’s always a fantastic evening, full of glitz and glamour,...
Farming In A Protected Landscape
At Highlands End, we are more than just an award-winning Holiday Park; we are also a working farm. With over 80 hectares of land to manage, a flock of around...
Bridport Business Awards 2024
On the 7th March, businesses from Bridport and the surrounding areas were welcomed to the Town Hall to celebrate the business excellence in our local community. The aim of these...
Dorset Foot Golf is now open!
You can now play foot golf in Dorset at Highlands End! We are excited to let you know about the new activity on the park, which replaces the old 9...
Witnessing the Extraordinary: The Aurora Borealis in Dorset
The heavens put on a show-stopping performance this past weekend, captivating residents and visitors alike as the elusive Aurora Borealis graced the skies above Dorset in a rare and unforgettable...
An Award-Winning Photographer on the WDLH Team!
James Loveridge, who has been part of the Marketing Team at West Dorset Leisure Holidays for over 10 years, was recently announced as the South West Coast Path‘s Photographer Of...
Alpacas born at Highlands End!
Last week was an exciting one, as we welcomed not one, not two, but three new cria (the word for baby alpacas) to the herd at Highlands End. All the...
A Gold Taste Of The West For Martin’s Bar!
Recently we welcomed judges from the Taste Of The West Awards, and we are now thrilled to announce that we have been awarded GOLD again! Taste Of The West is...
Meet The Owners – Graham & Helen
The next blog in a series, where we speak to holiday home owners to find out why they chose holiday home ownership, what they like about it and what they...
Meet The Owners – Jackie & Eddy
The next blog in a series, where we speak to holiday home owners to find out why they chose holiday home ownership, what they like about it and what they...
Meet The Owners – John & Jennie Willis
The first in a series of blogs where we speak to holiday home owners to find out why they chose holiday home ownership, what they like about it and what...
Meet The Owners – Sam and Keith Ogden
The next blog in a series, where we speak to holiday home owners to find out why they chose holiday home ownership, what they like about it and what they...
Fire-Fighting Memorabilia at Martin’s Bar
John Hannavy visited Martin’s Bar & Restaurant’s fire engine memorabilia and wrote an article for the Vintage Spirit Magazine (September 2024 edition). Here is that article, for anyone interested in...
Benefits of Holiday Homes over Second Properties
Holiday Home Ownership in Dorset already has many benefits over owning a second property. From 1st April 2025, Dorset Council will introduce a 100% council tax premium on second homes,...
West Dorset GOLD Awards 2024
Back in March, we attended the annual Bridport Business Awards for its fifth year in a row and joined a whole host of other successful businesses to recognise local entrepreneurship....
Our biggest solar project yet!
Across our holiday parks, we have been introducing solar panels for many years now and in our efforts to work towards achieving net zero carbon status, our 2024 project at...
More Dog-Friendly Holidays Than Ever Before!
At West Dorset Leisure Holidays (WDLH), we believe that no family member should be left behind — even the furry ones! As dog ownership continues to rise in the UK,...
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