I'M not sure what all the fuss is about, we found Camelot easily enough just off the A7 between Carlisle and Gretna.

It turned out to be a holiday park of the same name rather than the fictional court of King Arthur and while we didn't have a castle as such, we were perfectly comfy in our premier caravan and were treated royally.

It's a family-run park that has two of the most popular and scenic locations in the UK on its doorstep, the Scottish Borders and the Lake District, so you're very well placed to get out and explore.

I hadn't realised Cumbria had a place in Arthurian legend but there's history on their side as some claim the King pulled his sword, Excalibur, from a stone in these parts and legend has it that he was buried at the nearby Arthuret Church.

If he was around now, and so inclined, he could’ve got a nice sideboard to go with that round table he was so fond of as there’s a retail centre just down the road.

Camelot Holiday Park is a safe and secure family-run park and, as it's open all year round, you can even buy your own holiday home there, fully furnished and decorated with prices from £24,999, and enjoy a short break whenever you like.

Our caravan was plush inside, the master bedroom had an ensuite bathroom with power shower, while the livingroom was spacious and modern, with comfy sofas and TV.

The kitchen had a dishwasher and washing machine to take care of the domestic chores while there was a nice seating area on the balcony outside and space to park next to the caravan.

With continued uncertainty about holidays abroad, staycations look set to become even more popular and while there aren't any amenities as such on site, it's an ideal base to get out and have a look round a nice part of the country.

We visited Talkin Tarn Country Park, a lovely spot near the historic market town of Brampton, where you can take it easy with a coffee and bacon roll and look out over the water while ducks and swans swim serenely by.

The lake was formed by a glacier 10,000 years ago, carrying a heavy toddler that refused to walk around it seemed to take about as long, and you can windsurf, sail and row, row, row your boat there too.

It's rumoured that King Arthur was trained in combat at one of the nearby Roman forts so, duly inspired, we set out for a look at Hadrian's Wall, a short drive away.

Building a barrier 73 miles long, from coast to coast, would still be an awe-inspiring feat today – how's your wall going Donald? – but the Romans managed this the best part of 2,000 years ago.

This historical wonder was a little lost on our eight-year-old though, who groaned: "We’re driving 20 minutes to see a wall? We’ve got walls at home."

Another day trip took us to the Lake District, a place I'd only visited once before.

It was for a stag do during the foot and mouth crisis, when some genius thought that shuffling around in the cold for some outdoor 'fun' would be a good way to kill time until the pubs opened.

Back then the extent of the ‘safety measures’ to protect ourselves against this disease was standing on a soaking wet mattress – if only Covid-19 was so easy to shake off – before entering the 'killing fields' of paintball.

This time I loved it.

The drive south gave us a great opportunity to enjoy the autumn colours, lakes, hills and stunning scenery of Keswick, Windermere and Ullswater. Busy, popular places, even in a midweek October when the English schools weren’t on holiday.

Keswick, for all its other charms, famously has a pencil museum – "Pencils? We’ve got pencils at home!" – but someone didn't see the point in going.

The city of Carlisle is well worth a visit, the Gretna Green shopping outlet is just six miles away, the Keilder Water & Forest Park is nearby and there's even a Carlisle Lake District Airport – who knew? – a few miles down the road with flights to and from London, Belfast and Dublin.

And it's only a couple of hours in the car from West Fife.

To find out more go to www.camelotholidaypark.co.uk.