The Caravan Club revealed the top Certificated Location sites in its network, as voted for by its members, in a ceremony at the House of Commons.
The top three Caravan Club Certificated Location (CL) sites were presented with their awards by the Rt Hon Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and Minister for Tourism, John Penrose.
Certificated Locations are small, five-pitch, often minimum-facility, privately owned informal sites right across the UK. They’re often found in remote rural settings, on farms, beside pubs and even in the grounds of stately homes.
There are more than 2500 CLs and they’re exclusive to Caravan Club members, almost a third of whom cite access to the CL network as their primary reason for joining. Award winners are chosen based on the votes collected from members who stay on the sites. Here are the results:
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Overall Winner: Manor House, Blackpool
This is the second time in three years that Manor House Park CL near Blackpool has taken top honours in the awards, and this beautifully tended site was also voted the ‘Most Picturesque Site CL’ on the network.
CL owners Jeremy and Sharon Haworth took over the site in December 2007 and have never looked back, investing in facilities for their guests and welcoming them all year round to this fascinating part of Lancashire.
Sharon says: “We’re very lucky with our location here – it’s a great base for the bright lights and buzz of Blackpool, but also for the quieter resorts nearby, and we’re only an hour from the Lake District.”
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Second place: Bron Derw Farm, Llanrwst, Conwy
Bron Derw on the edge of the Snowdonia National Park has been in the Edwards family for 33 years. The site is run by John and Beryl Edwards, and Club members appreciate their commitment to providing a comfortable site from which to enjoy the area.
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Third place: Old Granary House, York
Glynn and Val Wiggins are relative newcomers to CL ownership and it’s a tremendous achievement for them to receive a national award in only their second year running the site. They have created a gem of a site and also run a B&B business, which is much appreciated by the non-caravanning friends and relatives of members staying on the CL.
Other highly recommended CLs
As well as the overall winners, there are a host of regional winners and sites with specific talents that warranted special mention. If you are looking for a quiet, good-value break but can’t decide where to go, these are the sites that Caravan Club members say you must not miss.
South West : Penlover, Cornwall
Southern England : Birch Trees Farm, Haywards Heath
Northern : Low Moor Head Farm, Longtown
Wales & West Midlands : Hillcroft, Kilgetty
Middle England & East Anglia: Keal Lodge, Deeping St James
Scotland : East Fortune Farm, North Berwick
Best Public House CL : The Windmill Inn, Thetford
Best Farm CL : Bron Derw Farm, Llanrwst
Best CL for Fishing : Fields End Water CL & Fishery, March
Most Picturesque CL: Manor House, Blackpool
