What If Peace and Quiet Is the Main Facility? Static Caravans for Sale in Somerset

Holiday parks usually tell you how much there is to do.

Swimming pools. Entertainment. Restaurants. Activities. Somewhere to keep everyone occupied from morning until night.

But what if the reason you’re buying a static caravan is because you want less going on, not more?

That’s something we’ve been thinking about after speaking with Marian, the owner of Oxenleaze Farm near Wiveliscombe in Somerset.

When we asked what owners love most about the park, the answer wasn’t complicated.

Peace and quiet.

Not manufactured tranquillity or a quiet corner of a large resort. Oxenleaze is a small holiday park on a working sheep farm, surrounded by Somerset countryside and close to Exmoor.

For its owners, that’s exactly the attraction.

A Proper Somerset Bolt-Hole

There’s a difference between somewhere you visit for a week’s holiday and somewhere you want to escape to regularly.

With your own static caravan, not every visit needs an itinerary.

You might arrive for a long weekend with plans to explore Exmoor. Another time you might go fishing, head towards Minehead or spend the day walking.

And sometimes?

You might make a cup of tea and do very little at all.

Oxenleaze works particularly well for that kind of ownership. It’s somewhere to have your own Somerset bolt-hole, leave everyday life behind for a while and enjoy being in the countryside.

Yes, They Love Dogs. No, You Can’t Bring One.

There’s something important to know about Oxenleaze before you fall in love with the place.

Dogs aren’t allowed on the park, including visitors’ dogs.

It’s not because the owners don’t like dogs. They do.

The reason is much simpler: Oxenleaze is a working sheep farm.

Having livestock around the park means dogs aren’t compatible with how the farm operates, so the rule applies across the site.

For some buyers, that will immediately mean Oxenleaze isn’t right for them.

For others, particularly those specifically looking for a holiday park without dogs, it could be one of the reasons they choose it.

Pet-free parks are relatively unusual, and we’ve put together a separate guide to pet-free holiday parks in the South West where dogs aren’t allowed if that’s something you’re looking for.

Peaceful Doesn’t Mean There Isn’t a Swimming Pool

Oxenleaze may be small and peaceful, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing there.

The park has its own indoor heated swimming pool, available seasonally for owners to enjoy.

It’s a nice example of the balance here.

You can have a morning swim without needing a huge leisure complex around it. Afterwards, you’re straight back to the countryside and the slower pace of the park.

There’s also Wi-Fi, which is useful if your idea of escaping to Somerset doesn’t involve completely disappearing from civilisation.

What If Somerset Is the Entertainment?

One of the advantages of owning somewhere like Oxenleaze is that you don’t need everything to happen inside the park gates.

You’re on the southern fringes of Exmoor National Park, with miles of countryside waiting to be explored.

There are walks, villages, reservoirs, pubs and places to visit in almost every direction.

Wiveliscombe is nearby for everyday essentials, while Taunton gives you a much larger choice of shops, restaurants and services when you need them.

Head the other way and you can reach Minehead and the Somerset coast.

That’s quite a lot of variety from one little corner of Somerset.

Near Taunton – But Not Too Near Taunton

This is something worth considering if you’re searching for static caravans for sale in Somerset near Taunton.

How close do you actually want your holiday home to be to the town?

Taunton is useful. Having shops, supermarkets, restaurants and good transport connections within reach is certainly an advantage.

But when you arrive at your holiday home on Friday afternoon, you might not want to feel as though you’re still in town.

Oxenleaze sits near Wiveliscombe, putting you out in the Somerset countryside while keeping Taunton within reach.

For a holiday home, that can be a much nicer balance.

Close enough when you need it. Far enough away when you don’t.

Fishing Instead of Frenzy

Fishing is another reason this part of Somerset appeals to people who enjoy a quieter pace.

Clatworthy Reservoir, on the edge of Exmoor in the Brendon Hills, is particularly well known for its trout fishing.

Even if fishing isn’t your thing, it’s a lovely part of the area for walking and spending time outdoors.

There are other fishing opportunities around Somerset too, giving keen anglers plenty to explore from a holiday base around Wiveliscombe and Exmoor.

It’s not exactly an entertainment programme.

That’s rather the point.

There’s Even a Deer Park Next Door

One of the nicest things Marian mentioned when we spoke to her was a new deer park next door to Oxenleaze.

It’s a small detail, but perhaps that’s why we like it.

This isn’t somewhere that needs to manufacture a countryside theme. You’re staying on a working sheep farm, with Exmoor nearby and deer now living next door.

If you’re buying a holiday home because you want to spend more time around the countryside and wildlife, it’s difficult to fake that sort of setting.

Minehead When You Fancy the Seaside

Choosing a countryside holiday park doesn’t mean giving up the coast.

Minehead gives owners the option of heading to the seaside when they fancy a change of scenery.

There’s the beach and seafront, while the town is also a useful starting point for exploring more of the coast and Exmoor.

Golfers can also head to Minehead & West Somerset Golf Club, while walkers have an enormous choice of routes across the surrounding countryside.

Then, when you’ve had enough for the day, you can head back inland to Oxenleaze.

That’s the nice thing about having a holiday home rather than booking one big annual holiday.

You don’t have to fit everything into one visit.

There’ll always be another weekend.

Do You Really Need a Big Holiday Resort?

There’s no right answer to this.

Some people love big holiday parks.

If you’ve got children who want constant entertainment, you enjoy busy clubhouses or you want lots of organised activities without leaving the park, paying for those facilities can make perfect sense.

But plenty of buyers don’t use them.

And that’s when it’s worth asking what you’re actually paying for.

The purchase price of your caravan is only part of the cost of ownership. Annual site fees matter too, particularly if you’re planning to keep your holiday home for a number of years.

Oxenleaze has traditionally appealed to buyers looking for affordable holiday homes and relatively low site fees, rather than an expensive resort experience.

If you’re more interested in Exmoor, fishing, walking and having somewhere peaceful to escape to, that difference could matter.

Who Wouldn’t Enjoy Oxenleaze?

We think holiday parks should be clear about this.

Oxenleaze isn’t going to suit everybody.

If you want a big entertainment complex, nightlife or a packed schedule of organised activities, there are other Somerset holiday parks that will probably suit you better.

And if taking your dog away with you is an essential part of owning a static caravan, this isn’t the park for you because of the working sheep farm.

But if your list looks more like:

peace and quiet, countryside, fishing, walking, wildlife, an indoor pool, Exmoor nearby and somewhere to escape to regularly, then it’s worth a closer look.

Could You See Yourself Coming Back Here?

That’s the question we’d ask before choosing the caravan.

Not whether you can fill seven days with attractions.

Could you imagine coming back to this part of Somerset again and again?

Could you happily spend a weekend walking on Exmoor?

Would you enjoy an afternoon fishing?

Would you head to Minehead when the sun comes out?

And could you be equally happy spending an afternoon at your caravan doing very little?

If the answer is yes, you’ve probably found the sort of location that works for holiday home ownership.

Static Caravans for Sale in Somerset Near Taunton

If you’re looking for static caravans for sale in Somerset near Taunton, don’t automatically assume that a bigger holiday resort will give you more.

Sometimes what you’re looking for is somewhere smaller.

Oxenleaze Farm is a privately owned holiday park near Wiveliscombe, on the southern fringes of Exmoor National Park. It offers affordable holiday home ownership in a particularly peaceful part of the Somerset countryside.

There’s an indoor pool when you fancy a swim. Fishing nearby when you want to get out. Exmoor when you want to explore. Minehead when you want the coast.

And a working sheep farm and countryside when you want very little at all.

Perhaps peace and quiet really is the best facility a holiday park can have.