Van Live! Hall 5 Award-winning campsites plan for 2021

Latest news from the regional winners in our 2020 Top 100 Sites Guide, and other UK sites

Back of Beyond Touring Park

Dorset

This adults-only site is a haven for guests and wildlife alike. Leave your daily stress behind with walks in its 18 acres of woods or around the two fishing lakes.

Last year, owners Martin and Victoria Bowrey were clearing streams, improving showerblocks, building 19 hardstandings, and creating an external pop-up bar and a communal barbecue and seating area. New measures have been employed to create a safe environment for guests.

› 234a Ringwood Road, East Moors Lane, St Leonards BH24 2SB

› backofbeyondtouringpark.co.uk

Ballyness Caravan Park

Northern Ireland

Visits to two top attractions, the Giant’s Causeway and the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge, are well served with a base at this award-winning park at Bushmills, where the Causeway Rambler bus stops to pick up passengers.

The site’s 20th anniversary last year witnessed the owners’ dream of a now well-established countryside ambience of pond, wildlife area, cottage-style washblock and immaculately laid out grounds surrounded by fields, with 21st-century amenities and values.

The site has its own solar panel field.

Improvements for 2021 include Wi-fi upgrading, and planting more trees.

› 40 Castlecat Road,

Bushmills BT57 8TN

› www.ballynesscaravanpark.com

Cartref (1)

Heart of England

A 15-minute drive from this immaculate site will take you to the medieval town of Shrewsbury, or across the border and on your way to Snowdonia.

Last year saw the building of The Shed, offering breakfast baps, cream teas, pies, burgers and pizzas for pre-ordering, plus a new reception and shop to allow guests easier access. The bar, which has a new log-burner to keep things cosy in winter, will this year have a marquee added, for those preferring to remain outdoors.

› Ford Heath, Shrewsbury SY5 9GD

› www.cartrefcaravansite.co.uk

Concierge Camping (2)

South East England

The name implies hotel standards, and you get exactly that at this small site on the edge of the South Downs, 15 minutes from the historic town of Chichester and 10 minutes from the pretty village of Bosham and Chichester harbour.

The 27 fully serviced hardstanding pitches are set around award-winning amenities, with individual shower suites. Last year saw the introduction of new ‘en suite pods’, available for hire on individual pitches, and Covid-19 measures, which will continue in 2021.

› Ratham Estate, West Ashling, Chichester, West Sussex PO18 8DL

› www.conciergecamping.co.uk

Crow’s Nest Caravan Park

North East England If you’ve a young family, the excellent facilities at Crow’s Nest on the North Yorkshire coast make this the perfect choice. These include a heated indoor pool, a play area for children, family and lounge bars, a dog-friendly conservatory and walking area, a supermarket – and a fish and chip takeaway.

Open all year, the site has all-weather super-pitches. Its location between Filey and Scarborough means that you have a fine choice of beaches and seaside resorts, while a 20-minute drive will bring you to the beautiful North York Moors National Park. The best of both worlds.

› Gristhorpe, Filey,

North Yorkshire YO14 9PS

› www.crowsnestcaravanpark.com

Grantown-on-spey (3)

Scotland

Grantown-on-spey is the ideal base for exploring the breathtaking Cairngorms National Park – home to Britain’s only free-roaming herd of reindeer – and touring Speyside’s whisky distilleries.

It’s also just a 40-minute drive to the coast and under an hour to the city of Inverness, at the head of Loch Ness.

Last year saw the installation of new ultra-fast broadband, refurbishment of one of the washblocks, reconfiguration of the water and drainage supply to five pitches, and new Tarmac roads.

The campsite’s plans for the 2021 season include upgrading the electric supply and the installation of car-charging stations. It’s a 10-minute walk from the site into the centre of town, with its pubs, restaurants and shops.

› Grantown-on-spey PH26 3JQ

› www.caravanscotland.com

Holgates Holiday Park (Silverdale)

North West England Holgates’ flagship site, Silverdale, has everything you need for a fine family holiday: two play areas, a games room, soft play area, pool, sauna, gym and bowling alley, plus a restaurant, café and bar. Beyond the campsite gates is the Arnside & Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, wonderful for walks and bike rides, and a choice of the sandy beaches of Morecambe Bay.

For a little seaside fun, Morecambe is a 30-minute drive, while the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the Forest of Bowland are just an hour’s drive, making these beauty spots ideal for some great day trips. The campsite is open all year.

› Middlebarrow Plain, Cove Road, Silverdale LA5 0SH

› www.holgates.co.uk/silverdale

Ladram Bay Holiday Park (4)

Devon

During the summer, the entertainment programme is a key fixture at this clifftop campsite on the spectacular Jurassic coast; so much so that last year, an exterior stage was installed so that the show could go on! In addition, a new splash zone was created for the little ones.

The park, separated from the cliff edge by the South West Coast Path, has its own private beach, where you’ll find the Beach Shack for super-fresh seafood, snacks and ice cream, and you can also hire kayaks and deckchairs here.

Other amenities include the site shop, launderette, pool, climbing wall, soft play area and children’s clubs.

› Otterton, Devon EX9 7BX

› www.ladrambay.co.uk

Old Brick Kilns

East England

Keen anglers can enjoy fishing for carp, bream, rudd and tench in the pond at the centre of this pristine park, while wildlife enthusiasts can head beyond the gates to the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and its incredible reserves.

Landscaped gardens and wildflower banks are a backdrop to the immaculate pitches, and the campsite has its own bore-hole for supplying fresh water.

There are four heated washblocks, and at the site’s hub is a bar/restaurant and a shop, which has an off-licence and supplies a range of groceries and baked goods.

› Little Barney Lane, Barney,

Fakenham, Norfolk NR21 0NL

› www.old-brick-kilns.co.uk

Old Oaks Touring Park

Somerset

Mystical Glastonbury, with its famous tor, is a bike ride away from this immaculate adults-only retreat. Its layout resembles a village, with a licensed shop.

You’ll also be very well catered for on the food front, with a choice of Breakfast Boxes and Somerset Special Produce boxes, bakery goods and visiting mobile catering trucks, including fish and chips, burgers, pizza, Chinese/thai and curry.

Try a painting course or coarse-fish on the half-acre lake, hire a fire pit or borrow a bird box – it’s all there for you to enjoy.

› Wick Farm, Wick,

Glastonbury BA6 8JS

› www.theoldoaks.co.uk

Silver Sands Holiday Park (5)

Cornwall

Trees and shrubs separate the pitches of this family-run holiday park on Cornwall’s Lizard peninsula. The effect is that of being pitched, with electric and water connection, in your own small garden.

The Lizard is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, so you are guaranteed some lovely walks, including one through woodland that takes you to the beaches of Kennack Sands. The South West Coast Path runs around the peninsula.

Back on site, there’s an excellent play area for children, including a dedicated area for under-sixes and an open space for ball games, and a small shop for essentials.

› Gwendreath, Lizard, Helston TR12 7LZ

› www.silversandsholidaypark.co.uk

South Wales Touring Park

Wales

This award-winning holiday park put the downtime of 2020 to very good use, by installing a raised dog-shower area and a covered chemical disposal point.

In addition, all of the standard pitches now have numbered bollards made from recycled plastic, and everywhere has had a fresh lick of paint.

Plans for 2021 include improvements to the Wi-fi, upgrading the air movement systems in the heated washblock and installing a charging point for electric cars.

Local amenities include Llangennech village, where you’ll find a Co-op branch, a chippie and two pubs, a dog-sitting service, and car and bike hire.

› Fferm Llwynifan Farm,

Llangennech SA14 8AX

› southwalescaravansite.co.uk

Linnhe Lochside Holidays

Scotland

Base yourself here on the shores of Loch Eil and you will have easy access to the outdoor pursuits town of Fort William, Ben Nevis, Lochs Linnhe, Leven, Shiel and Ness, and Glencoe. Along the A830, there’s access to the islands of the Inner Hebrides, passing the Glenfinnan Viaduct of Harry Potter fame. There’s a private beach, free fishing and a shop on site.

› Corpach, Fort William PH33 7NL

› www.linnhe-lochside-holidays.co.uk

Cote Ghyll

North Yorkshire

The setting, on the western edge of the North York Moors National Park, is lovely, and the site even has its own substantial waterfall and a stream for paddling.

There are plenty of places to walk and great adventures to be had at this five-star, family-friendly campsite.

The top-notch facilities you’ll find here include two washblocks, a mix of grass, hardstanding and super-pitches, a football field and two play areas that are linked by a footbridge. The site also has a dedicated quiet area for couples.

› Osmotherley, Northallerton DL6 3AH

› www.coteghyll.com

Kelling Heath

East of England

Kelling Heath offers a little of everything, with 300 acres of woods and heathland, where you can explore miles of trails on foot or by bike. On the wild side are bugs, bees, red squirrels and bats.

Facilities include a pool, tennis courts, adventure playground and eco-gym, plus a health and fitness club, shop, restaurant and bar. The campsite has its very own stop on the Poppy Line for a heritage train ride to Sheringham on the north Norfolk coast, or the market town of Holt.

› Weybourne, Holt, Norfolk NR25 7HW

› www.kellingheath.co.uk

Rushin House (6)

Northern Ireland

This neat terraced site on Lough Macnean has views across the water to Ireland and the mountains. The picturesque village of Belcoo is just one mile away – drive across the bridge there and you are in Ireland. The site boasts 38 fully serviced pitches, a playground, all-weather football pitch and sports area, and an outdoor gym.

› Holywell, Belcoo,

Co Fermanagh BT93 5DU

› www.rushinhouse.com

Llanberis Touring Park (7)

Wales

Llanberis Touring Park lies on the banks of Llyn Padarn, at the foot of Snowdon. The campsite has 35 hardstandings and 19 super-pitches, a reception/shop and a centrally heated washroom. Zip World is a 25-minute drive, while Adventure Parc Snowdonia, with its brilliant surf lagoon, is 45 minutes away.

› Glyn Rhonwy LL55 4EL

› www.morris-leisure.co.uk/caravanparks/llanberis-touring-park.htm

Castlerigg Hall (8)

North West England

Explore the lakes, fells, mountains, towns and villages of one of England’s most beautiful national parks from this quiet Keswick site, originally a farm. Choose from a variety of pitches, some overlooking Derwentwater and the mountains beyond.

› Keswick, Cumbria CA12 4TE

› www.castlerigg.co.uk

Poston Mill

Heart of England Based at Poston Mill, you can explore Herefordshire or pop across the border into Wales to walk the Brecon Beacons. From the bus stop outside the site, you have access to the famous book town of Hay-on-wye, or travel further afield to explore castles, churches and historic Hereford. Facilities at the site include a first-rate amenities block.

› Peterchurch, Hereford HR2 0SF

› www.postonmill.co.uk

Whitefield Forest

Southern England

Top-notch facilities and a tranquil setting make this a great place for a quiet break. The site is near Ryde and Sandown, so you can choose between the towns and their beaches for days out. On site are woodland walks, and an adventure playground.

› Brading Road, Ryde PO33 1QJ

› www.whitefieldforest.co.uk

Bath Chew Valley (9)

Somerset

On arrival, you’ll immediately notice the real sense of peace at this immaculate, friendly, adults-only site, set on the edge of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. But if you want to liven things up a bit, the many attractions to be enjoyed in the splendid city of Bath are just a half-hour’s drive away.

› Ham Lane, Bishop Sutton BS39 5TZ

› www.bathchewvalley.co.uk

Dornafield (10)

Devon

At the heart of this beautiful campsite is a 14th-century farmhouse and farm buildings, where you will find a shop and a games room, and local tourist information. All of the site’s 135 pitches are fully serviced, with 119 all-weather. A half-hour drive will bring you to the fine beaches of the English Riviera or onto the wilds of Dartmoor, so there’s plenty of choice for things to see and do here.

› Two Mile Oak,

Newton Abbot TQ12 6DD

› www.dornafield.com

Wareham Forest

Dorset

The forest setting of this immaculate site is ideal for walks with dogs, and for the children, there’s a modern play area, plus a swimming pool, paddling pool and table tennis. Two washblocks and a shop serve the pristine pitches.

Just down the road is the historic town of Wareham, and a 30-minute drive takes you to Kingston Lacey, Athelhampton House & Gardens, the Tutankhamun Exhibition or the Teddy Bear Museum.

› North Trigon, Wareham BH20 7NZ

› www.warehamforest.co.uk

Heligan

Cornwall

Pay attention, all of you keen gardeners: there’s a very pretty campsite right next door to the fabulous Lost Gardens of Heligan, and what’s more, guests staying at the site can get a discount on tickets to visit the gardens.

On site is a smart new amenities block providing a launderette and a full-access washroom, plus a shop and a play area.

Ideally located, the campsite is also just two miles from the wonderful beach at Pentewan Sands, five minutes’ drive from picturesque Mevagissey and a 20-minute drive to St Austell.

› Pengrugla PL26 6EL

› heligancampsite.com

Eye Kettleby Lakes

Heart of England

This fabulous adults-only holiday park is an angler’s dream destination, with no fewer than eight lakes offering mixed coarse and specialist carp fishing, all available for those staying on a touring pitch to choose from. You can even get tuition!

Superb amenities, immaculate pitches and an inviting clubhouse have won this site several awards. Nearby is the market town of Melton Mowbray, famous for its pork pies and Stilton. Leicester Cathedral (where Richard III was reinterred in 2015), the National Space Centre and Rutland Water are all within a half-hour drive.

› Melton Mowbray,

Leicestershire LE14 2TN

› www.eyekettlebylakes.com