Willowbank Holiday Park

View prices & book 9.2 341 reviews
Gravel hardstanding pitches
Family-friendly park
Lovely wooded driveway
Ainsdale and formby beaches five minutes' drive away

  • Relaxed family-run touring park close to the Sefton coast
  • A five-minute drive to Formby beach; half an hour to Liverpool
  • Play area and dog walk area on site; great food pub 10 minutes' walk
A break by the beach? And one that’s likely to suit all family members – kids and dogs included? Make your way to Merseyside for a stay at Willowbank Holiday Park, a wonderfully welcoming and relaxed spot close to the Sefton coastline. This is a particularly splendid stretch of coast, as it’s home to England’s largest sand dune system, stretching for around 20 miles from Liverpool to Southport. Walking, cycling and birdwatching are popular pastimes around here – along with time spent on the beaches, paddling, building sandcastles and simply soaking up the sweeping views over the Irish Sea. The closest sands to the park are Ainsdale and Formby beaches (both about five minutes' drive), but you’ll also be in a great position for trips to Southport, Crosby beach or the buzzy city of Liverpool. You’ll have options for getting around too: there’s a bus stop at the end of the road and a railway just over a mile away, as well as local paths for walking or bike outings. The location of this family-run park is an attractive one, for sure, but that’s not all this place has to offer. The facilities are equally excellent too, with a play area and football pitch for the kids and a dedicated dog-walk area for canine customers and their companions. A launderette, wifi service and picnic tables are handy extra touches – and the bathroom blocks (with showers, toilets and accessible facilities) are kept immaculately clean. Final cherry on top? You’ll be able to walk to a much-loved local pub in about 10 minutes, for a tasty meal or a drink in the (hopefully) sunny garden.

Campground type

Caravan sites 38
RV & Motorhome sites 38
Open now
Opens 15 February

Tourist board rating

Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Commercial vehicles (vehicles used for work-related purposes, carrying goods or fare-paying passengers) and sign-written vehicles are not permitted on site.
  • Discount cards and gift vouchers cannot be applied to bookings made via Pitchup.com.
  • Reception is unmanned after 5 p.m.. Please inform the campground while on your way there should you expect to arrive after this time so that the team can provide information about your unit/site.
  • Units longer than 7.9 metres are not allowed.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Sat, 15 Feb 2025 to

No availability here for your search criteria

Site types & availability

Reviews

  • 66%
    10
  • 4%
    9
  • 20%
    8
  • 2%
    7
  • 3%
    6
  • 0%
    5
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    1
Location
9
Value for money
9
Accommodation
9
Facilities / Activities
9
Customer service
9
Child friendliness
9
Cleanliness
9
Wifi
9

93% would recommend this campground to a friend

91% would stay here again

What customers say

Willowbank's a top spot, really well-kept with spotless loos and cracking staff. Folks loved the chill vibe, big sites, and easy access to beaches and Southport. Minor road noise and temporary facilities for upgrades were noted, but most keen to come back.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 35
Arrival date (latest first)

Great site, good communication

Overall

7 out of 10
Location
7
Value for money
9
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
8
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
6
Wifi
10
Anonymous

Powered grass caravan site

Liked Laid back site with amenities that are being refurbished, plenty of bins close to the pitch.
Walking distance to the Sparrowhawk Pub, which serves great food.
The numberplate recognition on entry makes things easy.
Walking distance to the bus stop for Southport and Liverpool.
Good communication and instructions before arrival & responsive to Whatsapp messages whilst on site.
Co op deliver to the site along with various take aways.

Disliked The toilets need more frequent cleaning on a Bank Holiday.
Clearer pitch numbers.
I don't agree with children being allowed to ride electric scooters on the site roads, they cannot be heard by pedestrians.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely quite site in great location.…

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
7
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
7
Customer service
7
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10
Lindsay H.

Powered concrete and grass caravan site

Liked Lovely quite site in great location. Definitely return soon.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent site. Very clean and well maintained. We’ll be back.

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10
Kerris C.

Powered concrete and grass caravan site

Liked Beautiful site.

Disliked N/A

Recommend to friends Visit again

Be aware with no shop you have to drive a few miles

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
8
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
6
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10
julia w.

Powered grass caravan site

Liked Very clean site. All vans/caravans had lots of space around them. Spotless toilets and showers. Excellent wooden park . Staff very friendly

Disliked No shop just a small kiosk that sold hot food and milk but the milk was long life and not fresh. We thought wrongly from there website that there was a cafe and shop on the site. Lots of divets in the ground.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Nice quite site clean facilities, ideal for dogs.

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
No rating
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10
Denise D.

Powered gravel and concrete caravan site

Liked Nice quiet site ideal if u have dogs

Recommend to friends Visit again

A great location to visit Soutport or Liverpool.

Overall

8 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
8
Customer service
9
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
9
Wifi
9
Scott K.

Powered gravel and concrete caravan site

Liked Nice flat pitches. Close to Southport.

Disliked Did not see an onsite shop. Opening hours of coffee trailer not long enough.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great stay

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
9
Value for money
9
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
9
Customer service
9
Child friendliness
9
Cleanliness
9
Wifi
9
Katie L.

Powered concrete and grass caravan site

Liked We had a lovely stay at Willowbank. Site was very clean and pitches marked out well. Also to the staffmember who planned who parks where was very considerate as we were parked next yo the park which was great for our kids and for us to be able to watch our kids easily. Portable bathrooms were very clean.

Disliked Road noise was wuite loud, didn’t bither us as we are deep sleepers but you can hear it.
Maybe a mop in the bathroom would be good as I wanted to mop my shower after use ready for next person but couldn’t find a mop.

Recommend to friends Visit again

We had a very enjoyable weekend.…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
No rating
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
7
Gary S.

Powered concrete and grass caravan site

Liked We had a very enjoyable weekend. We found it quite and very clean. And staff are very friendly. The little butty bar did great breakfast baps on Sunday. On the whole a very nice campsite.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Yeah it was ok, tidy with nice staff.

Overall

6 out of 10
Location
6
Value for money
6
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
6
Customer service
8
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
8
Wifi
7
John M.

Powered gravel and concrete caravan site

Liked Easy to get to, neat, tidy, nice cafe van & outside area, ladies were very friendly.
Half a mile to the dog friendly Sparrowhawk pub, which is very nice, good food & service.
Service point was good to have.
All staff we met were very helpful.

Disliked Toilets getting refurbished- not great but it’ll be worth it…!
Our pitch was road side which was noisy (Saturday night) and I counted over 10, yes ten police sirens..! I was sober tbf…!
The entrance needs some lights for pedestrians. As does the road outside the site towards the roundabout.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Easy access to pitch…

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
8
Value for money
9
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
7
Customer service
7
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
9
Wifi
No rating
Jayne C.

Powered grass caravan site

Liked Easy access to pitch

Disliked No plug in toilet block

Recommend to friends Visit again


Features

Leisure on site

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Games room Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area TV room Take away Tennis Watersports

Amenities on site

Bath available Car parking by site/unit Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Laundry Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Picnic table Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Rallies welcome Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue provided Barbecues allowed Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all year

Utilities

Charging facilities Dump point Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Convenience store nearby Dog walk nearby Public transport nearby

Type

Large (51-200 sites)

Nearby leisure

Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horse riding nearby Indoor pool nearby Leisure/theme park nearby Mountain biking nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby Surf school nearby Tennis nearby Watersports nearby

Touring and motorhomes

Motorhome service point Seasonal sites

Location

Willowbank Holiday Park

Coastal Road

Ainsdale

Southport

Merseyside

England

PR8 3ST

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London +0100 (GMT+01:00)

GPS

53.58866°N
3.04412°W

Nearest transport

Coach
6.9 km Eastbank Street
6.9 km Eastbank Street
10.5 km Eastway
Rail
1.5 km Ainsdale Rail Station
3.1 km Freshfield Rail Station
3.9 km Hillside Rail Station
Ferry
16.3 km Liverpool Belfast Ferry Terminal Bootle
20 km Seacombe Ferry Terminal
20.5 km Liverpool Isle of Man & Dublin Terminal
Airport
30.6 km Liverpool John Lennon Airport

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Local attractions

The Sefton Circular: This 24-mile route is a great way to explore the Sefton coast, taking in pine woods, Antony Gormley's statues, Rimrose Valley, the Leeds Liverpool Canal, and the former Cheshire Lines railway. The Marram: This shorter route takes in seaside views of the Southport coast, passing the Queens Jubilee Nature Reserve and Ainsdale and Birkdale Local Nature Reserve. The Shrimp: This circular route takes in many of the main landmarks of Southport, including the home of the Southport Shrimpers, the second largest pier in Britain, and the resort's Marine Lake. The Natterjack: This route begins on the old Cheshire Lines Railway and then follows a circular route through Ainsdale, Birkdale and Southport Town centre. It also passes the Birkdale Nature Reserve, where you can find the rare Natterjack Toad and Sand Lizard. The Kestrel: This route allows you to enjoy the varied urban landscapes and the newly developed community woodland where hunting kestrels can often be seen. The route also takes you near the RSPB bird reserve at Marshside. The Mallard: This route takes you past the RSPB bird reserve at Marshside before leading you through Churchtown, a pretty village north of Southport. Options immediately around the site include a well-equipped playground in Freckleton Memorial Park and football pitches at Bush Lane playing fields, both within half a mile, and access to the Lancashire Coastal Walk within the same distance. If you're not up for hiking the full 137 miles of the route, the local section from Freckleton to Silverdale passes Lytham, the Ribble estuary, Morecambe and the RSPB reserve of Hest Bank. Have at least a few days in Lytham whatever your holiday tastes: the Park View 4U Playing Fields four miles from the park are an excellent family option with toddler play area, teen zone, BMX track, skate park and trim trail, and the famed championship golf courses at Lytham St Annes are a top pick for teeing off. The Lytham St Annes beaches have donkey rides, crazy golf and other seaside shenanigans alongside their swathes of sand. Hikes, hacks and mountain bikes are all available around the lush Forest of Bowland, 25 minutes' drive away. ------ ------ To Blackpool! The Pleasure Beach theme park, autumn illuminations and Blackpool Tower don't need much of an intro: if you haven't been before, go and plunge in. The Pleasure Beach theme park has been going strong since 1896 and is the most visited attraction in all the land, with the biggest number of rollercoasters of any theme park in Britain. The Big One, the tallest rollercoaster in the UK (once the world) will give anyone a big drop in their tum on its very big drops: very highly recommended. A climb up Blackpool Tower and a delve into Blackpool Tower Dungeon should be next, before trips to Blackpool's three other main attractions: Blackpool Zoo, set in 32 acres and with over 1,500 animals; Blackpool Sea Life Centre, where over 2,000 inhabitants live in 50+ displays, and the city's Sandcastle Waterpark, the biggest indoor waterpark in the UK. --------- --------- Ticking Blackpool Tower off your bucket list is one thing, but if you’re also an outdoorsy type, hiking over gritstone fells or valleys in the Forest of Bowland (from 25 minutes’ drive) will be just as much of an achievement. The Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has riverside walks, dark skies, waterfalls and cycling paths. If you’re alright with a long-ish drive, the Lake District (from 45 minutes) is also accessible up the M6. Lake Windermere (an hour) is one of the most popular spots closest to the site. Closer to base, however, is Preston (20 minutes). The Lancashire city has a gorgeous cycling path tracing the River Ribble – and for those who want to explore more ground, the Ribble Steam Railway makes a three-mile round trip on a heritage locomotive. Lytham St Annes (20 minutes), back towards the coast, is just splendid too. Two miles south of Blackpool, the two seaside towns have a boating lake, Victorian pier and heaps of independent shops. And if your little people were round-eyed at Blackpool Zoo, they should also like the award-winning Farmer Parr's Animal World in nearby Fleetwood, to see farm animals, rare breeds and some more exotic, non-native species. ------------- ------------- Legs a little worn out from walking/biking/riding? Take a scenic trip on the Ravenglass & Eskdale steam railway – there’s a station half a mile from Parkgate Farm, or you can board at Ravenglass, 10 minutes' drive away to ride the whole route. While you’re in Ravenglass, take a mooch round Muncaster Castle, a privately owned fort overlooking the River Esk. As well as tours round the castle there are also heaps of things for kids here, including an enchanted fairy trail, a maze and hawk displays. Golfing types can swing their clubs on the courses in Eskdale or Seascale (be prepared for potentially distracting sea views at the latter). There’s a sandy beach in Seascale too; if the water’s too chilly for swims, head north to Whitehaven (half an hour away) to the public swimming pool. The Rum Story, an exhibition in an original 1785 shop, is worth a visit up here too (and yes, you can buy bottles of the good stuff).

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Ainsdale 2.5 km Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
Formby 6.1 km Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Southport 7.3 km Sea N/AN/AGoodGood
Wallasey 17.4 km Sea N/AGoodGoodGood
St Annes 17.8 km Sea GoodGoodGoodGood

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre 12.3 km

Croxteth Hall & Country Park 18.1 km

Liverpool Football Club 19.5 km

Customs and Excise National Museum 19.5 km

Beacon Country Park 19.9 km

National Trust

Formby 3.8 km

Rufford Old Hall 16.1 km

Mr Hardman's Photographic Studio 21.6 km

Speke Hall, Garden and Estate 30.2 km

Cycle routes

Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.

Other

Ainsdale and the West End Path 1.5 km

Freshfield and Dobson's Ride 3 km

Freshfield - Old Formby 3 km

Freshfield Dune Heath and Old Fisherman’s Path 3.1 km

Freshfield and Fisherman's Path 3.1 km

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Want to know more about camping in Merseyside?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Willowbank Holiday Park have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Willowbank Holiday Park dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Willowbank Holiday Park? The Sefton Circular: This 24-mile route is a great way to explore the Sefton coast, taking in pine woods, Antony Gormley's statues, Rimrose Valley, the Leeds Liverpool Canal, and the former Cheshire … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Willowbank Holiday Park?
    Camping and caravan
    Arrive:  1 p.m. –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  noon
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Willowbank Holiday Park? From $66.46 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.