LONGLEAT HAS WON the Gold Award in the large visitor attraction category in the South West Tourism Awards. Silver went to The Big Sheep attraction, and other winners included Cothele, The Eden Project and Lost Gardens of Heligan.  

 

The Eden Project was the venue for this prestigious annual awards event, held on Saturday, 8 February. Given that the South West coast has been battered by the severest winter storms for centuries just recently, the awards gave a vital boost to tourism in the region.

 

More awards went to the most exciting small tourist attractions, festivals and events and a selection of excellent campsites and holiday parks. Here’s our round-up of the top winners. 

 

Large Visitor Attraction of the Year

The Gold Award went to Longleat, Warminster, Wiltshire.  The Silver Award went to The Big Sheep, Bideford, Devon. Bronze went to 

Cotehele, Saltash, Cornwall, and also to Trebah Garden, Mawnan Smith, Cornwall. Highly Commended Awards went to: The Eden Project, Bodelva, Cornwall. The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Pentewan, Cornwall, RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Devon and  

Pennywell Farm, Buckfastleigh, Devon.   

 

Small Visitor Attraction of the Year

The Gold Award went to National Trust Coleridge Cottage, Nether Stowey, Somerset. The Silver Award went to Geevor Tin Mine, Pendeen, Cornwall. Bronze Awards went to: St Austell Brewery Visitor Centre, St Austell, Cornwall, Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life, Tiverton, Devon, The National Trust Trerice, Kestle Mill, Cornwall and Wild Futures Monkey Sanctuary, Looe, Cornwall.  

 

South West Holiday Park of the Year

The Gold Award went to Highlands End Holiday Park, Bridport, Dorset. 

The Silver Award went to Wooda Farm Holiday Park, Poughill, Bude, Cornwall. Bronze Awards went to Cofton Country Holidays, Dawlish, Devon and also to Gwel an Mor Resort, Portreath, Cornwall. Highly commented awards went to four holiday parks: Finlake Holiday Park, Chudleigh, Devon, The Park Mawgan Porth, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall. South Lytchett Manor Caravan and Camping Park, Lytchett Minster, Dorset and Perran Sands Holiday Park, Perranporth, Cornwall. 

 

South West Events of the Year

The Gold Award for Events of the Year in the South West went to the Ageas Salisbury International Arts Festival, Salisbury, Wiltshire. Silver Awards went to two events: Dorset Seafood Festival, Weymouth, Dorset   and the Falmouth Oyster Festival, Falmouth, Cornwall. Bronze was won by RNAS Yeovilton International Air Day, Yeovilton, Somerset. Finally the Highly Commended Awards went to: Exeter Festival of South West Food & Drink, Exeter, Devon and Veuve Clicquot Polo on the Beach, Watergate Bay, Cornwall. 

 

Taste of The South West Award 

Delicious regional food is a highlight of any motorhome holiday, so we know you’ll appreciate the winners in this category. Joint Gold Awards went to Bybrook Restaurant at the Manor House, Castle Combe, Wilts 

River Cottage Canteen & Deli, Plymouth, Devon. Joint Silver Awards went to: Eastbury Hotel, Sherborne, Dorset and The Herring, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall. Highly Commended Awards went to: Juliet’s Garden Restaurant & Bar, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly,  Northcote Manor Country House Hotel, Umberleigh, Devon, Porthminster Beach Cafe, St Ives, Cornwall and the Tudor Farmhouse Hotel & Restaurant, Clearwell, Gloucestershire. 

 

Tourism Pub of the Year

Pubs are also key attractions in Britain and the pub that won Gold in the South West Tourism Awards was the Pandora Inn, Mylor, Cornwall. Two Silver Awards went to The Cornish Arms, St Merryn, Cornwall  and the Start Bay Inn, Torcross, Devon. Bronze went to The New Inn, Tresco, Isles of Scilly. Finally, Highly Commended Awards went to The Inn at Cranborne, Cranborne, Dorset, The Jack in the Green, Rockbeare, Devon and The Lamb Inn, Sandford, Devon  

 

For the full list of winners in even more categories please visit the South West Tourism Awards website. 

 

Kate Taylor

Practical Motorhome

10 February, 2014

 

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