Welcome to Bladon Chains Caravan Club Site Get to know Bladon Chains The site is situated on the Blenheim Estate, offering the pleasure of seeing magnificent trees around the site, which is mostly level and just outside the wall of the Palace grounds. From the corner of the site you can walk to Bladon Church to see Churchill’s grave, simple and unforgettable. Then visit the Palace, where he was born and which has been home to the Dukes of Marlborough since the 18thC. Oxford is a must – one of the easiest ways to see this historic university town is by open-topped bus, weather permitting. Within easy reach of the Cotswolds, you can tour Burford, Bourton-on-the-Water and Northleach for a picture postcard view of the beautiful villages. If there’s time, go to the historic bustling market town of Witney or go north to Banbury, with its Cross or Bicester to the Designer Outlet Village. Things to see and do from this Club Site Local attractions • Broughton Castle Historic 14th Century castle, which was enlargedin the 16th Century. Blenheim Palace • Splendid plaster ceilings, fireplaces and panelling. Fine walled Home to the 11th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and the gardens with herbaceous borders, old roses and clipped box. birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. Surrounded by over 2,000 acres 01295 276070 of ‘Capability’ Brown landscaped park and great lake. www.broughtoncastle.com 0800 849 6500 www.blenheimpalace.com • RSPB Otmoor Otmoor is a magical nature reserve of wet meadows and reedbeds. Warwick Castle • It is a haven in winter for thousands of ducks, such as teals and A full day out at Britain’s ultimate castle where you can immerse wigeons, and in spring and summer for breeding wadingbirds, yourself in a thousand years of jaw-dropping history – come rain such as lapwings and redshanks. or shine. Experience the heat of battle at such close quarters you’ll 01865 351163 almost smell the fear, as winners become true heroes and losers are www.rspb.org.uk confined to dark, dank dungeons to be forgotten for eternity. 0871 265 2000 www.warwick-castle.co.uk Activities Cycling The Shakespeare Houses & Gardens • • There is a cycle route from the site to Oxford. The nearest National At Shakespeare’s Birthplace, enjoy the new exhibition before touring Cycle Network route to this site is Milton Keynes to Colchester, Route the historic house where he was born. See Anne Hathaway’s Cottage 51, OS ref SP454159. and Hall’s Croft, as well as Nash’s House and New Place, where Shakespeare’s story ends. Cycling notes 01789 204016 There have been developed in conjunction with Sustrans and are www.shakespeare.org.uk available on this site. They include a detailed map, step-by-step directons and useful route information. Buckinghamshire Railway Centre • A great way to explore the local area, you can pick them up FREE Revisit the golden age of steam in steam-hauled passenger trains from Reception of download them from www.caravanclub.co.uk and an extensive miniature railway. There are many locomotives on display from express, passenger types to the humbles hunting engine. • Walking Regular ‘Day out with Thomas’ events. Walking routes near the site include a main road footpath to 01296 655720 Woodstock and a country walk from Orchard Field Lane to Bladon www.bucksrailcentre.org Church. There is a charge to walk in the grounds of Blenheim Palace. General site information RECEPTION SERVICES Mail and messages Mail and messages are put on the board at Reception. Site Shop Open at the same times as Reception. The shop sells Aqua Kem, Aqua Rinse, gas, newspapers, milk, ice cream, drinks, sweets and TV booster cables. Information Room Open from dawn to dusk. Leaflets are available about the many attractions and places of interest that you can visit during your stay. Mobile & public telephones All mobile networks have weak reception. Public telephone – there is a public telephone located at the front of the Reception area. Please note that this phone does not accept incoming calls. PITCHES Due to fire regulations, no sideways pitching is allowed, except pitches Fire Point 9 and 19. (to activate alarm/warning) Located at service points around the site. Pitch care The fire assembly point is adjacent to the car park. Awning ground sheets must be lifted daily. Vehicles and cycles Motor caravans Parents are reminded that children remain their responsibility and If your pitch is left unoccupied, please leave your motorcaravan sign on therefore they should be supervised at all times, and to ensure that all display. members of their party follow the principles of road safety. Vacating your pitch Motor vehicles and bicycles on site should, at all times, be used with due If you wish to stay after 12 noon on your day of departure, it is normally regard to the safety and convenience of others and their speed should not a problem unless the site is fully booked. Please see the notice at the not exceed walking pace (5mph). No cycling is permitted on site between site office. the hours of dusk and dawn, as determined by the Wardens. Any one-way Barbecues system signs should be observed by all vehicles and cycles. Foot pedalled These are allowed on site but open fires are not. Barbecues must be kept cycles, scooters and skateboards can be used, but are not allowed on the raised off the grass. paved area around toilet blocks and communal areas and must not be TV reception ridden on footpaths. Please note that motorised mobility scooters are In order to watch television on site you will need an Integrated Digital TV allowed on site, but children’s motorised scooters or skateboards are not. (IDTV) or a digital receiver, and you may also need an aerial or satellite Visitors dish. For more information visit www.digitaluk.co.uk. Please ask your visitors to make themselves known at Reception when Electric Hook-up arriving at the site. If you are expecting visitors after hours, please meet The cost of electricity is included in your pitch fee, but please help us to them at Reception and accompany them off site as they will not know minimise our effect on the environment by considering your electricity the gate code. use while on site. In 2009 The Club’s expenditure on electricity was £4 million and any saving can help to reduce pitch fees or invest in new sites OUT AND ABOUT or redevelopments. Supermarkets SITE FACILITIES The Closest is the Co-Op in Woodstock, about 1 mile from the site or Sainsburys which is 4 miles. Please see the Site map for location of the amenity block. Cinema Toilets and showers The Odeon in Oxford about 10 miles from the site. The toilet block is closed for cleaning at the following times: Tel: 0871 2244007 Gents: 10.30am to 11.15am. Ladies: 11.00am to 11.45am. Swimming pool The disabled toilet is located in the toilet block. This facility is open when The outdoor pool in Woodstock, about 2 miles from the site. the block is being cleaned. Tel: 01993 811 785 Laundry Tourist Information Centre Prices for the use of the laundry facilities are: In Witney. Washing machine £3.00, Tumble drier 70p/cycle, Spin drier 10p/cycle. Public Transport Washing sinks are also available. There is a bus service 5 minutes walk away, which goes to Oxford or Please do not hang washing lines between trees or on the fences. Chipping Norton. Park & Ride to Oxford: 5 miles. Play areas Places of Worship Due to the compact nature ofthe site, ball games are not permitted. C of E, Catholic, Methodist and Baptist Churches are all in the local area. A separate field for ball games is available. We thank parents for their cooperation. Recycling facilities TELL US WHAT YOU THINK… If you have any comments or suggestions that could help us to improve Mixed recycling at all service points. this Site, please put them in our Visitors’ Comments Book. And if you SAFETY ON SITE discover a local pub or Pets restaurant or an interesting place Please keep your pet on a lead at all times. There is a dog walk on site to go tell us about that too! and dog waste bins are provided at the dog walk entrance and site Site address, Bladon Road entrance. Woodstock OX20 1PT Telephone: 01993 812390 .