Campers say South West is the best region in England for holidays

The nation’s campers have spoken - and say that the South West is the best place for a holiday in England.

So far in 2022, holidaymakers with outdoor accommodation specialist Pitchup.com, have left more than 110,100 reviews about England’s campsites. And the South West comes top in six review rating categories*, including Overall, Value for Money, Quality, Facilities and Child-Friendliness.

A beautiful coastal region, the South West is a perennially popular holiday destination, famed for its beaches, seafood, cream teas and ciders.

Devon was the South West county which was rated most highly by campers, making it into the top five overall at county level**, as well as the top five for quality, facilities, service and for being child-friendly. From the bustling historic cities of Plymouth and Exeter, to the moors and tors of Dartmoor and Exmoor and the rock pools and smugglers’ caves on the coast, it’s clear this is a county which has a lot to offer tourists.

When reviewed and rated for the strength of sites’ wi-fi service, Wiltshire was placed in the top five in England.

Great British Life: Enjoy the best that the south west has to offer on your trip Enjoy the best that the south west has to offer on your trip (Image: Free to use under the Unsplash License)

Dan Yates, founder of Pitchup.com, said: “People looking for an autumn getaway that won’t break the bank should have a look at the incredible value accommodation on offer in the South West and in our other top regions, as rated by tens of thousands of our holidaymakers.

“Grass pitches can be as little as £6 per night, and as the weather gets colder there’s a host of other affordable alternatives such as shepherd’s huts, lodges, camping pods and cabins.

“Hard-pressed families will be conscious that the energy and cost-of-living crisis might hit their holiday funds next year, but we’re on a mission to ensure that there are low-cost options available so that everyone can enjoy a break away.”

Over the last year, Pitchup.com has handled holidays for 1.9 million people around the world, equating to 5 million bed nights. Pitchup received 33 million website visits in the last twelve months.

On its busiest day this summer - Tuesday, August 9 - Pitchup took as many as one booking every six seconds for its 5,000+ sites. That’s a staggering 7,446 bookings in just 24 hours, surpassing the previous record set in July 2021 by 12%.

The peak day for campers across the summer period was Saturday, August 27, with a staggering 110,228 people holidaying somewhere in the world with Pitchup on that day alone.

This summer also signals a welcome return to the UK by campers from further afield. Bookings for campsites in the UK from customers abroad have grown by 708% compared to 2021 (equivalent to 34,000 arrivals so far this year).