Keen angler Alan Jones has found his dream holiday home just a few hundred yards from a private lake where he can fish for free in the peace and tranquility of stunning South Shropshire countryside.
Alan, 69, a retired Rolls Royce engineer from Warrington, and his wife, Viv, have owned a luxury caravan holiday home on picturesque Bow House Country Park, near Bishops Castle for eight years.
The park’s holiday home and lodge owners enjoy exclusive fishing rights on a four-acre lake, which is stocked with carp and tench.
Taking up fishing as a retirement hobby, Alan was delighted when the park owners created the lake five years ago and has enjoyed many hours fishing there. His biggest catches to date are a carp of 12lb and a tench of 9lb.The lake, which is a wildlife haven, has 35 pegs and the park holds an annual fishing competition for owners, which Alan is hoping to win this year, having previously claimed second and third places.
“Buying a caravan here is the best thing we ever did,” he said. “We were attracted to the area by the peace and quiet and beautiful countryside. This area takes some beating for the spectacular scenery, walks and fishing, which is free.
“I can go fishing while Viv looks after her little garden or goes swimming in Bishops Castle, which has all the facilities you could want. You can’t ask for anything better.”
He credits the holiday home with aiding his recovery from a stroke. “We have always spent a lot of time at our holiday home as it helped to relieve the pressure that I was under at work and we have made some lovely friends here over the years,” he explained.
It takes Alan and Viv under two hours to escape to Bow House Country Park, which is located a couple of miles from Bishops Castle and within easy driving distance of Shrewsbury and Ludlow.
Owned by Morris Leisure, of Shrewsbury, the park is open 11 months of the year and is set in 33 acres of leafy parkland with wonderful views towards the Long Mynd hill range. The park has 60 caravan holiday homes and lodges, with planning permission for a further 25.
For more information about the park visit www.morris-leisure.co.uk
