A campsite in Cornwall has been named best in the UK, while two others in the south west make the top ten.
The list has been compiled by outdoor accommodation booking site Pitchup.com
It has revealed its top-ranked sites across Cornwall, Devon and Dorset, as rated by campers following their own stays at these locations.
Two million holidaymakers booked to stay at one of the 2,369 live UK sites listed on the website across the UK in the past year.
Each site featured had to have at least 20 reviews to be considered, and six in the south west achieved a perfect 10 out of 10 rating – including the UK’s number one spot, Trewall Farm Campsite at Downderry in east Cornwall.
It’s described by Pitchup.com as “modest yet wildly romantic”, with the 100 campers who reviewed the site in 2022 giving it an overall average score of 10 out of 10. Visitors praised the striking sea views, friendly owners, and the peaceful location with proximity to Looe, with many commenting that they would be returning.
Both families and dogs were said to enjoy the rural surroundings, with cows and sheep grazing nearby, and the dark skies being mentioned a number of times in reviews.
Prices start from £22 per night, based on two adults sharing a non-electric grass tent or trailer tent pitch.
Based on more than 159,000 customer reviews in 2022, each site making the list was evaluated on aspects including location, value for money, quality of accommodation, activities and cleanliness.
Guests awarded 70% of all UK sites listed on the platform in 2022 an overall score of 8/10 and above, with 398 sites in Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Wiltshire and Somerset scoring an eight or above.
The top ten sites in the south west also included a further two from Cornwall – Anchor Barrow Campsite in Perraporth, which came eighth in the region, and Porthtowan Tourist Park, Porthtowan, at number nine.
Combas Farm in Devon and Chalk Meadow in Dorset were named second and fifth best in the UK respectively.
The full south west list is:
Pitchup’s founder Dan Yates said: “The south west is always the most popular choice for outdoor holidays in England and it’s clear to see why when the two most highly-rated sites in the UK are both in this region.
“While Cornwall tops the chart, Devon is home to half of the ultimate top-rated sites of 2022 for the region, and it’s good to see that other counties are also well-represented in the top ten.
“The south west is the region with the largest number of sites bookable on Pitchup.com, which means there is more choice for campers there than anywhere else in the country.
“By clearly showing the average customer rating from past guests on all listings, and pulling through detailed reviews, we make it easy for people to see at a glance what to expect on their stay.”
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And it seems those staying in the south west like to get back to nature more than in other regions.
Mr Yates added: “It’s interesting to note that half of the most highly-rated sites in the region are focused on traditional campers, offering non-electric pitches for tents and/or touring caravans and motorhomes.
“In other regions there is a far higher proportion of glamping options in the top ten. In the north west for example, eight of the top ten most highly-rated sites offer some kind of ready-made outdoor accommodation like yurts, shepherds huts and camping pods.”
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