Tummel Valley Holiday Park - Parkdean Holidays

Firstly I have never felt the need to write a review before but having just returned from a weekend break away with my family at Tummel valley, I feel compelled to do so.
We are a family group myself/wife/ daughter 28 sons 25 and 22, totaling 7 with two partners 28 & 22, keen walkers looking forward to the fresh air, Friday evening arrival quick meal off to bed.
Bit disappointed returned from the hills Saturday to discover pools last session was 5.00, not to worry. Looking forward to dinner, showered and eaten we all decided to check out the amenities.
We decided to have a drink at the bar, bad idea! ~Daughters Partner- 28 and son at 22 elected to go to the bar, and quickly returned somewhat embarrassed but laughing saying they were refused as daughters partner at 28 didn’t have ID with him.
I went to the bar had no issues with the bar persons ID request, but asked why, then should they not serve anyone else in the group, as you can imagine I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. They had decided I guess maybe we didn’t fit the criteria or the stereotypical mould of the “birdie song group”.
Farcical I know, however, the manner in which she replied to any of my questions was appalling and quite frankly if this is the staff they wish to employ then I am glad I will never return.
However as a company whose business revolves around this form factor of young children and families. Then maybe they should put the safety of these children foremost!
The campsite is situated in an area of undoubtedly, natural beauty, however I couldn’t believe the fact the main road split the campsite in two with children’s play areas either side of the open road.
Even more alarming is the river which is extremely fast flowing and runs un-fenced in the majority of areas right through the site. If this were a motorway it wouldn’t be allowed, yet deemed to be safe in a children’s play-park.
This water can rise dramatically to form a raging torrent some five feet in a matter of seconds from the release of water from the power station directly opposite the clubhouse, one step or a tumble a child or even an adult would almost certainly be swept away to their death.
Again various duck ponds with the allure of children center of site with absolutely no protection.
After writing this I noticed there are similar letters with the same alarming topic, it would appear the management need to prioritise what they believe is important, and look after the interests and safety of its patrons, its an accident waiting to happen. The incidents at the bar I laugh at, however as a company you need to get serious with your responsibilities.

Tummel Valley Holiday Park - where do I start?

After booking on this site and reading various reviews some good some very bad, one got confused about the truth. So after making a decision of we jolly well trooped to - Tummel Valley Holiday Park.

Before I go any further I want to clear up the confusion. This site is primarily a Static Caravan Holiday Park with an excellent entertainment centre, Bar, Restaurant, Pool, Sauna etc. There is even a well stocked shop on site. I can not stress loud or long enough about the three entertainers employed by the park for the Kids. One in particular, the male entertainer, is without doubt, brilliant with both children and adults. In my opinion he should be on £1000 a day. This accounts for the Good reviews on various web sites. They are reviews from people who holiday at Tummel Valley in the STATIC Caravans. Now for the Tourers both caravan and motorhome:-

The Pitches:
The first inclining of problems was driving on to the touring part of the site. I noticed sheets of wood on most of the vacant pitches (we arrived early) and on a few of them the occasional rear window shelf from a car or van lying around. When we pulled up to our pitch it looked dry enough but in reality the ground was sodden. There is no drainage to take water away from the pitches. Although the hard standing was gravelled it made the grassed part of the pitch even wetter because the gravelled part did not allow water to drain away and the pitches, in the slightest of rain fall filled up with water and it was always in the area of the caravan/awning part. In other words the part where you have to tread to gain access to and from your awning/van. It does not take rocket science to work out just how wet and muddy both can get.

The Water fill/Waste water points:
You can fill up your water supply with ease but try and empty you dirty water and immediately the drain overflows, so poor is the drainage from the pitched areas. It was easier to just drag the waste water container away from the van and turn it upside down in some long grass. It saved you getting your feet, already soaked through with the pitches, getting covered in waste water. Really..........

The Toilet/Shower Block:
I went for a shower on the first morning there and whilst standing in the shower (basically a wet room with the drain right in the middle of the showering part) I realised that the water was actually coming back up the drain and I was standing in water that had came back up. There was no seat or any type of area to sit down in and only one small hook on the door. When I finished getting showered I had to stand in the urinal area of the toilets because it would have been standing in dirty water that had by now flooded the shower. Believe me getting dried in the urinal area was a better option.

The urinals where filthy, the drier did not work, The ventilator did not work so the place smelled all the time of people doing what they do.

OTHER POINTS:

Pylons/High Voltage Cables:
Someone wrote on a review somewhere that the Electric cables from the near by power station run directly across the Pitches. They do but you do not notice them and the nearby power station, I found very interesting and strangely beautiful to look at.

THE SHOP:
On any campsite almost anywhere in the UK if you need toilet fluid or spare parts for your van most carry such items. Well we ran out of Blue Toilet Chem and when I asked at the shop if they had any I was told “Sorry we don’t stock it as we don’t get asked for it”. !!!!!!!!! On looking around the shop there was not one bit of touring merchandise of any kind.

The Duck Pond:
Filthy and full of rubbish

In conclusion:
Tummel Valley Holiday Park is basically a Static Caravan Holiday Park and a good one at that. But from a touring point of view - Do not go there. When you drive in you see a sign “We take your tourer as down payment on a Static” or words similar to these. That about sums up the site.

POINT TO NOTE
IF YOU RUN OUT OF ANYTHING RELATING TO TOURING IT IS A 26 MILE ROUND TRIP TO THE NEAREST TOWN TO GET ANYTHING.
Tummel Valley Holiday Park, Pitlochry, Kinross, Scotland

Holiday dates: 20 - 23/07/07

This was my first adult caravaning holiday and I was suitably impressed.

A few minor problems but nothing that would put me off going back.

We arrived at 19:15 pm and reception was closed. There was a sign on the window telling you to phone the number on it, if you had just arrived and wanting to book in. Trouble is, there is no reception for O2 mobile users in the caravan site or in a 6 mile radius of the place!

Luckily there's payphones right beside reception. So, after phoning the number, I was greeted by a member of staff who told me to go into the bar to get booked in. The bar is directly behind reception, about 20 footsteps away, so why didn't the sign on the window just say "Go to the bar behind reception to get booked in" ?? Could have saved me 50p!!

The caravan was a 6 berth bottom of the range model but it was very clean and suitably equipped with cutlery and bedding.

There was a cd/tape/radio player and portable tv/video combi that we couldn't get tuned in but we never bothered to report it because we didn't go on holiday to watch telly. I'm sure they would have fixed it if we wanted though.

Our caravan was probably the furthest from the club house and on the map, it looked like a major hike but in reality, it was only a 3 or 4 minute walk.

There is a 'Forest Walk' at the top corner of the site but unless you are a professional hiker with abseiling equipment, don't do it. It's a 100 yard, almost vertical climb at the beginning, through bushes and a muddy very narrow path and once at the top, it didn't look like it got any better. I didn't venture further because my wife, sister and nephew refused to climb the first part. It was quite dangerous.

But, there are pleny of other scenic walks to go on, this was just a bit misleading. We observed many people over the weekend walk to the beginning of the forest walk, only to turn around again.

Swimming pool was nothing more than a play pool. 1.2 metre's was at the deepest point but it was more than adequate for splashing around in and having fun with your children.

We didn't try the food but it looked good. There's a shop onsite that sells a good selection of items and is reasonably priced. Also, a chip shop is just outside the bar and closes at 22:30 pm.

Kids entertainment was good and there seemed to be plenty for them to do and get involved in. My 6 year old nephew wasn't interested so I can't comment on it too much. There's an outdoor 5-a-side pitch that doubled up as a basketball court. I saw boxing lessons taking part in it and there was football training but that got called off for the rain.

Aerial slide and kids play area, behind the club house was good but the crazy golf was a bit disappointing. Only 8 holes and was all squashed together.

The road from Pitlochry to Tummel Valley is about 9 miles long and very narrow at places, with hardly a straight strecth of road in it. It wasn't too bad for just a car, however, I wouldn't like to tow a caravan along it!

Plenty of lovely views to keep the passengers amused but going above 40mph is not advised because of all the blind corners and the 200 foot drops at the side of the road at some parts!

There's not a ATM machine onsite and the shop only accept switch with purchases over £10. Nearest bank is in the Spar shop in Kinloch rannoch, 8 miles away and charges you £1.75 to use it! So take plenty cash and don't make the mistake we did of taking none!

This is also my first review of somewhere, apologies for it's length and hopefully it helps.

loved this park as well, facilities basic but clean, fine and dandy. Wonderful scenery, great family pubs nearby as well. Great place to take the kids mountain biking too.
Didnt try the fishing but it looked great. The road is fine to the park and was not too dangerous to cycle on. All in all a very friendly place, the owners were welcoming.

Arrived at the park with all my grandchildren and their parents for a fun packed week it was just as we expected for this kind of parks, plenty to do and entertainment for all this was one great holiday. Except for the dreaded Midgie's!!!!!!!

I first visited this park when I was 18, with a friend and both my parents. When we first arrived, I couldn't close my mouth, the surroundings are nothing short of stunning. The river is just a few metres from the main building of the park and the woods surrounding are simply beautiful. Within the wood runs a small babbling brook, and during the very hot weather we could not help recite from A Midsummer Night's Dream ( a play we were both starring in) whilst seating ourselves on rocks in the centre of the brook. I would suggest anyone who loves the Highland Scenery visits the Tummel Valley park. I cannot wait to visit again. The place is wonderfully cosy and the parks amenities are fantastic, I actually found myself fishing! I would definately recommend this to anyone - couples, families, older couples. Just visit this place, you'll see what I mean.