Tattershall lakes

We’ve been visiting Tattershall Lakes for years because we genuinely love it, and the caravans are always excellent and spot on. But the shared areas, including the bars and children’s play area, are looking worn already this early in the season. The benches are coming apart, cigarette ends and rubbish are stuck in what little grass is left, and the splash pad is in poor repair. We hope the site puts money back into these areas and takes better care of the place. Seeing it like this now makes us worry about its condition during the peak six-week holiday period.

We mainly came for the fishing, but the fishing lake was so overgrown with weeds that it was almost impossible to fish. Apparently the other lakes are similar, and the bait shop has closed. It seems more like a haven type site than somewhere that caters for fishing. It was our first visit, and we didn’t realise activities had to be booked so far ahead, so we missed out on quite a bit. The place is huge, with so many caravans packed in, and it was extremely busy over half term. I know everywhere gets busier then, but it still felt very crowded. The bars and restaurants were nice, the food was good, and the staff were friendly enough.

There’s plenty for the whole family to do, and I loved watching the jet skis and the geese with their babies. I went for the 80s themed weekend, and all the acts were really good. Badness seemed especially popular. Drinks are expensive, though you get a pound back when you return the beaker. The shop was pricey too. The fish and chips were excellent, with proper golden chips, not the anaemic kind you get in most places. They also do good-value mini meals at lunchtime. It’s a lovely holiday spot, but quite out of the way if you don’t have a car. You need a pass to get into the bars, swimming pools and entertainment.

We were there as a family of three with a dog and had a great time. Staff from Away Resorts and the other businesses were friendly with both our child and dog. There’s plenty of parking, and you can get around by road or bike. There are lots of caravan options, and it looks like there’s plenty to do on and off the water in summer. You need leisure passes for the main attractions. Away Resorts bookings include them, but people in private lettings have to buy their own. With a pass, there’s an entertaining arcade, lots of bars, and activities and entertainment, though the bars are quite pricey and activities must be booked and paid for. There are also plenty of children’s play areas inside and outside the leisure centre, plus lots of bins for rubbish and recycling. The indoor pool was far too cold. The RAF base is very close, so planes fly over regularly. They’re loud, but can be great to watch.