The camping season may be long over for the year as the cold winter temperatures draw have well and truly set in, but it seems as though Cornwall was a favourite spot for the activity over the summer - as three Cornish campsites have been named among the best in the UK at the 2024 Camping and Glamping Awards.
The awards were created by Campsites.co.uk, to celebrate some of the best camping, glamping, and touring sites that the UK has to offer, from coastal sites to action-parked holiday parks, or a romantic luxury glamping experience for two.
The top accolades include Best Campsite, Best Glamping Site, Best Caravan Site, and Best Family Campsite - with Cornish campsites winning in three out of these four main categories.
For the second year running, East Thorne in Bude was named Best Glamping Site, an award given to a site that combines outdoor adventures with hotel-style luxury and home comforts, so you can soak away your stresses in style.
East Thorne, which was founded in 2011, offers 10 accommodation options on-site, from stand-alone roundhouses that sleep up to six people, to the more intimate 'Secret Roundhouse' for two, set in a private garden and complete with underfloor heating, a king-sized bed, and an outdoor area comprising a covered al-fresco kitchen, a fire pit, and a wood-fire hot tub.
The site is open year-round, offering amenities such as laundry and a communal barbecue area, on top of the en-suite bathrooms at each of the 10 properties, which are complete with toilets and showers.
East Thorne is family-friendly and pet-friendly, and is located just a 10-minute drive from Sandymouth Bay Beach, and only a 15-minute walk from The London Inn pub, as well as other takeaways and a Co-op store.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Bude, Wooda Farm Holiday Park was hailed as the UK's Best Family Campsite, also for the second year running.
There are over 300 pitches available at this family-run site, from grass pitches available for tents only, to hardstanding pitches for motorhomes and RVs.
Wooda Farm Holiday Park has been open since 1975, and overlooks the stunning Bude Bay, being situated just 1.5 miles from the seaside town of Bude.
From the farm animals, tractor rides and alpacas, to the various trails, sports and activities, Wooda Farm Holiday Park is packed with fun for all the family, and it is not hard to see why it has been named the Best Family Campsite.
Facilities include a playground and games room to keep children of all ages entertained, as well as an on-site bar and takeaway if you don't fancy preparing your own food.
There are also activities for the grown-ups, including fishing, watersports, and golf. The site offers toilets and showers and is also pet-friendly, providing separate showers for dogs, as well as an exercise field and a walking area.
A note from the site owners on Campsites.co.uk reads: "We love that we can play a part in making people happy and especially love how many repeat guests we get each year. Our staff are like family and we like to think that guests enjoy becoming a part of that too! We can't wait to welcome you to our beautiful part of the country."
Wooda Farm Holiday Park is now closed for the season, and will reopen on March 15, 2025.
Lastly, Tregarton Park at Gorran, near St Austell, won the title of the UK's Best Caravan Park, a title it has held onto from last year.
Situated just a five-minute drive from The Lost Gardens of Heligan, and half an hour from The Eden Project, Tregarton Park offers 113 bookable pitches, all offering 10-amp electric hook-ups, and most also offering water supply.
Set on 12 acres of land, with coastal and countryside views, this family-run park is ideally situated for relaxing and exploring Cornwall.
It is just a few miles from several Cornish beaches - but the campsite itself offers a heated swimming pool with poolside waiters, meaning you never even have to leave the Tregarton Park grounds if you don't want to.
Other facilities include a shower block, laundry room, and dishwashing facilities, as well as a 16th century 'Park Shop' barn where campers will find a range of groceries, beers, wines, spirits and Cornish cider as well as souvenirs, camping equipment and gas.
There is also a takeaway service providing freshly cooked food and delicious Cornish cream teas, and a local, family-friendly pub just a mile up the road. Tregarton Park is open from May 1 until September 28, so you can make the most of the British summertime at this site.
As well as these three Cornish campsites taking home first place in some of the Campsites.co.uk Camping and Glamping Awards top categories, other campsites across the country also secured runner-up spots in a number of other categories.
This includes East Crinnis Holiday Park in Par coming as runner-up for Best Campsite - losing the top spot to Nantcol Waterfalls in Snowdonia National Park in Wales - and The Old Stables Campsite in Hayle taking the runner-up spot for Best Budget Friendly Campsite.
Furthermore, Mount Pleasant Eco Park at Porthtowan was named runner-up for the Greener Site Award, honouring the most sustainable and eco-conscious campsites. And Tregonetha Lake, which opened as a campsite just last year in St Columb, near Newquay, narrowly missed out on winning the Best Newcomer award.
Martin Smith, founder of Campsites.co.uk, said: "Our annual awards give us the opportunity to celebrate the UK's best campsites, and this year's standards feel higher than ever.
"Each of the winning sites stand out for the care they put into being consistently excellent. My thanks and congratulations to all of the winners for adding some much-needed adventure to everyday life."
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