The Story of Silverbow Country Park
A family business, a love of holiday homes and a very special corner of Cornwall
Silverbow Country Park is part of Surf Bay Leisure, a family owned business with a history stretching back more than 120 years.
From a small campsite at Westward Ho! in 1905 to a family business operating holiday parks and selling holiday homes across the South West, the Taylor family has spent generations creating places where people can enjoy their time away.
Today, that same family heritage continues at Silverbow Country Park in North Cornwall.
1905
Where the story began
The story of Surf Bay Leisure began in 1905 when Ernie Taylor converted his parents' field into a campsite by the sea at Westward Ho!, near Bideford.
The field became known locally as Taylor's Western and marked the beginning of what would become a family business spanning generations.
What started with a simple campsite and a family looking to make the most of a beautiful coastal location would eventually grow into a much larger holiday business.
1960s
A family business begins to grow
As demand for holidays in Westward Ho! increased, Ernie Taylor worked alongside his son Archie, daughter in law Nora and grandson John to expand the business.
More farmland was converted and Surf Bay Holiday Park opened in the early 1960s.
The family was already building something that would become a defining part of the business for generations to come.
1970s
From holiday parks to holiday homes
During the 1970s, the business began to develop its caravan holiday home distribution operation.
John's son, Michael, became involved in the business towards the end of the decade.
Over time, the business expanded into the sale of both new and pre owned holiday homes, as well as caravan transportation.
The family business was evolving, but its connection with holidays and the great outdoors remained at its heart.
1989
A new chapter in Winkleigh
As the holiday home business continued to grow, more space was needed.
In 1989, the family secured a 12 acre site on a disused airfield at Winkleigh in Devon.
This became an important new base for the business, providing space for holiday home sales, refurbishment, repairs, transportation and customer care.
It remains the home of Surf Bay Leisure today.
1997
The family arrives in Cornwall
In 1997, Surf Bay Leisure purchased River Valley Country Park near Penzance.
The former campsite was developed into a holiday home and lodge park, expanding the family's presence in Cornwall and bringing another beautiful countryside setting into the business.
It was another step towards what Surf Bay Leisure has become today.
2020
A new beginning for Silverbow
In 2020, Surf Bay Leisure purchased the former touring park that would become Silverbow Country Park.
Although the site had once been a thriving and much loved holiday destination, by the time it was purchased it had become significantly overgrown and was in need of extensive restoration.
The park had enjoyed a particularly successful period during the 1980s and had even been recognised as the Best Holiday Park in England.
There was a clear sense that this special site deserved to be brought back to life.
Work began to restore the former touring park to its former glory, carefully bringing the site back into use while respecting its natural surroundings and character.
What followed was a major transformation.
Areas of the park were cleared and restored, holiday home pitches were created, infrastructure was improved and the natural landscape was carefully brought back into focus.
The vision was not simply to create another holiday park, but to create a peaceful country park where people could enjoy their own holiday home surrounded by nature.
Five Generations
A family business that continues to evolve
Surf Bay Leisure remains a family business today, with the fifth generation of the Taylor family continuing within the company.
More than a century after Ernie Taylor first opened his campsite, the family is still working in the holiday industry and still looking towards the future.
Silverbow is part of that continuing story.
While the business has grown considerably since 1905, some things have remained the same: a love of the great outdoors, a passion for holiday homes and a desire to create places where people can enjoy making memories for years to come.
Nostalgic photos of Silverbow
Today, Silverbow Country Park is set within 43 acres of peaceful North Cornish countryside near Goonhavern.
The transformation continues, with the park combining its heritage as a former touring park with a new vision for holiday home ownership.
Trees, ponds, wildlife and open countryside remain an important part of the character of the site, while new holiday home areas and improvements continue to bring the park forward.
