by Joe Jeffrey
Read on to find out won in the AA’s annual awards
Eleven of the country’s top caravan parks and campsites were celebrating yesterday upon receiving seal of approval from the AA as part of the road organisation’s Caravan and Camping Awards 2016.
The annual AA Caravan and Camping Awards recognise the best of the best when it comes to the nation’s caravan and camping sites. Award winners are selected by the AA’s team of expert campsite inspectors who travel the length and breadth of the British Isles to ensure that campers can be confident of high standards wherever they see the AA Pennants at a campsite.
The winner of the AA Campsite of the Year for England sponsored by Avante Gas and the overall winner for England, Lytchett Manor Caravan and Camping Park, Poole.
All the award winners were recognised for their achievements at the lunch held at the Aztec Hotel in Bristol. The awards lunch also marked the official launch of the the AA Caravan and Camping Guide, now in its 48th year. The guide has details of over 900 fully inspected and independently graded camping parks across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The winners for 2016 announced were:
AA CAMPSITE OF THE YEAR 2016 sponsored by Avanti Gas
England and Overall winner – South Lytchett Manor Caravan and Camping Park, Poole
Scotland – Craigtoun Meadows Holiday Park, St Andrews
Wales – Pont Kemys Caravan and Camping Park, Usk
AA REGIONAL CAMPSITE OF THE YEAR 2016
South West – Dornafield, Newton Abbot, Devon
South East – Concierge Camping, Chichester, West Sussex
Heart of England – Clover Fields Touring Camping Park, Buxton, Derbyshire
North West – Hollins Farm Camping and Caravanning, Far Arnside, Lancashire
North East – Naburn Lock Caravan Park, Naburn, North Yorkshire
HOLIDAY CENTRE OF THE YEAR
Craig Tara Holiday Park, Ayr, South Ayrshire
MOST IMPROVED CAMPSITE OF THE YEAR (ROGER ALMOND AWARD)
Trevalgan Touring Park, St Ives, Cornwall
SMALL CAMPSITE OF THE YEAR
Long Acres Touring Park, Boston, Lincolnshire
The sites in the AA Caravan and Camping Guide 2016 have all been visited by one of the AA’s qualified campsite inspectors to look at touring pitches, facilities and hospitality before grading the site from one to five Pennants, including the Gold Pennants awarded to the best parks. Each entry within the guide includes location, ratings, contact details, directions, prices, opening times, facilities and a description to help select the right site for your needs.
For those who like a little style while camping, the 2016 guide not only carries a ‘Glamping’ symbol for sites that offer the glamping experience, but also editorial features on Glamping and how it has evolved and A Beginners Guide to Camping, with some great tips and advice for people trying camping for the first time.
The AA Caravan and Camping Guide is available here and as a free app for iPhone, iPad and Android.
