St Helens in the Park, a caravan and camping park near Wykeham, England, is marking its 50th anniversary by asking former and current guests to share photographs and memories from their stays.
The park opened in 1976 on the edge of the North York Moors National Park, following its development by the Dawnay Estate. The site was created on a former sand and gravel quarry as part of an effort to diversify the estate while responding to demand for holiday accommodation in the area.
The anniversary is being marked during 2026, with celebrations taking place at the park throughout the summer. The milestone also follows St Helens in the Park being named the AA’s England and Overall Campsite of the Year for 2025/2026.
Simon Roe, Manager of St Helens in the Park, told The Scarborough News: “Over the years, we have welcomed generations of the same families.
“Many people have grown up visiting us, often returning with children and grandchildren of their own.
“As we celebrate fifty years, we would love people to look back through their photograph albums and share the stories, pictures and memories that have stayed with them.”
The park is particularly interested in material from its opening season in 1976, a year that brought a range of unusual weather conditions across the UK. Temperatures reached the 90s Fahrenheit, while the country experienced drought conditions, water shortages, large numbers of ladybirds and flooding in August.
Simon said: “1976 really was an incredible year to open a caravan site,” he said.
“You had temperatures reaching the thirties – or the nineties, as people would have known them then – a national drought and water shortages.
“But as the summer drew on, there were also swarms of ladybirds and, finally, August floods.”
Reflecting on the operational challenges faced by the park’s staff during its first season, Simon added: “They must have been scratching their heads in disbelief, or perhaps simply trying to shake the ladybirds out of their hair.”
The way guests use the park has changed considerably over the past five decades. Early visitors would have arranged bookings by telephone or mail and typically relied on paper maps and other offline resources when planning their trips.
Today, St Helens in the Park offers touring and camping pitches alongside glamping accommodation, a luxury lodge and private bathroom facilities.
For operators, the anniversary highlights how established parks can retain a connection with their history while adapting their accommodation and facilities to changing guest expectations. Gathering visitor stories can also provide operators with a way to document the development of a property and strengthen relationships with repeat customers and families who have visited across generations.
Simon said the anniversary celebrations have provided an opportunity to reflect on that history.
“This summer, we’ve been making lots of new memories, with celebrations across the park, bringing regulars together, taking time to mark this special moment,” said Simon.
“It has really reinforced for us how many special moments have taken place in our grounds.
“We are enormously proud of what St Helens has become, but this anniversary is also an opportunity to gather stories from our history.
“We’d love to hear the memories that still make people laugh, and the moments they have always remembered.”
Guests and former visitors can submit stories and photographs, along with names, dates or other details that may help identify the people and events pictured, by emailing caravans@wykeham.co.uk.
The material will be compiled into a 50th-anniversary scrapbook. Copies of the scrapbook will be available for purchase, with proceeds going to Macmillan Cancer Support.
