Awards for the best club campsites

The Caravan and Motorhome Club has announced the winners of its CL of the Year Awards as well as its Sites in Bloom accolades, plus there are two new awards for this year – Sites to Inspire and Sustainability Chairman’s.

Sites in Bloom

Created in 2003, this award recognises the work that campsite staff and volunteers put into the horticultural aspects of a campsite, split into the sites managed by a single couple and multiple couples (a set of site staff and a set of assistant site staff):

2021 Multi-couple Winner: Tewkesbury Abbey Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite
2021 Single-couple Winner: Englethwaite Hall Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite

Sites to Inspire

A new award for 2021, this honours those campsite staff who go above and beyond to make a stay exceptional. Both members and non-members were asked to nominate sites that inspired or provided a ‘magic moment’ in post-stay questionnaires with awards divided into larger and smaller sites”

2021 Winner Large Occupancy Site: Blackshaw Moor Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite

Quote “Overall the staff were very approachable and friendly, they showed genuine interest in what we thought of our stay”

2021 Winner Small Occupancy Site: Gwern-Y-Bwlch Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite

Quote “A biodiversity site like this is right up our street. Definitely will be back…”

Sustainability Chairman’s Award

Looking at the environmental, social and economic commitments, actions and engagements of campsites within the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s network, this is another new award. Entrants were judged on criteria (that looked at things like tree planting and charity fundraising) set by the Club Chairman, Grenville Chamberlain OBE, who also assessed each application and decided on the winner.

2021 Winner: Cirencester Park Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite

Initiatives include upcycling projects to create items for members, bug homes around the site, minimum standards for food vendors trading with the site (using either recyclable or biodegradable materials) and a campsite shop that supports local entrepreneurs.

            Quote Grenville Chamberlain OBE, Chairman of the Caravan and Motorhome Club
“I am honoured to introduce this new award, which demonstrates the Club’s commitment to sustainability, innovation and charitable initiatives. We had many wonderful entries and so it was a close call, but Cirencester Park is an exceptional campsite and a deserving winner.”

CL of the Year

Especially within the last year, smaller privately-owned five ’van campsites within the two big club networks have come into their own, offering everything from just a simple field with very basic facilities, to something that extra-bit special. These are called certificated locations by the Caravan and Motorhome Club and are only available for members to use.

 Quote Nick Lomas, Director General of the Caravan and Motorhome Club

“Our growing network of CLs provides our members with unique stays across the UK, and whilst they all offer something special, unfortunately they can’t all win!”

2021 CL of the Year Winner: Poole Farm

On the Devon Cornwall border, this has been a CL for 10 years. It’s adults-only and dog-friendly and all five pitches have electric hook-up, drinking water and WiFi, plus there’s a building housing a toilet/shower and tourist info point.

2nd place: Rails End Nursery, Worcestershire

Three miles from Evesham, this campsite offers level pitches with electric hook-up in a paddock. Guest can buy fruit and vegetables grown on the property as well as home-made jams, chutney and free-range eggs.

3rd place: Cae Bugail, Anglesey

This campsite has hardstanding pitches, electric hook-ups and water as well as a grey water disposal point with stunning views.

Newcomer CL of the Year: Walnut Tree Farm, Norfolk

Washing up amenities, toilet and shower facilities, chemical toilet disposal, general and recycle waste along with WiFi are all on offer at this family-run campsite in a rural location.