Following the founding of the Automobile Association in 1905, the AA brand became well known in the ensuing years with the introduction of the iconic black and yellow AA badge, AA phone boxes, village signs and the AA members’ handbook. In the early 20th century AA Members, who were becoming more adventurous due to the improving reliability of their motor vehicles, looked to the AA for recommendations of places to stay and rest up on their journeys. The accommodation star rating was shown for the first time in the 1913 AA handbook.
The introduction of one week’s paid annual holiday in 1939, increased to two weeks by the 1950s, benefitted the majority of the population who mainly relied on the excellent national railway network for leisure travel. During the latter part of the 50s and early 60s, mass produced cars became affordable which allowed families to enjoy holidays by towing a trailer-tent or caravan. At the same time, the growing number of Warner, Pontin and Butlins holiday camps attracted hiolidaymakers in their hundreds of thousands as enterprising farmers and showmen saw the potential for fashionable holiday destinations.
The AA steps in
The AA soon realised that its Members wanted a reliable benchmark as guidance when choosing campsites, and decided to introduce a rating system similar to its star classification for hotels. The AA had published listings of places to camp for many years, but in the late 1960s, it was decided to create a more discerning system, similar to hotel star ratings, for camping and caravanning sites. From 1968, four years were spent inspecting and rating the sites, and in 1972 the unique Pennant rating system was launched. Annual inspections have been carried out by a professional and experienced AA team ever since.
A great deal has changed since the introduction of the first AA Camping & Caravanning Handbook, as it was then called, when a simple one-Pennant park provided just the basics of a water standpipe and simple latrine but they maintained the camping and touring areas to immaculate standards. Very often these sites were located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The focus of ‘AA Quality Standards’ has always been the careful monitoring of customer care, cleanliness and maintenance at a site. To achieve an increased Pennant rating the inspector looks at the facilities, improvements in quality, and, for the higher Pennant levels, good privacy options in amenity blocks.
An ever-popular pursuit
Although affordable package holidays to distant and usually hotter climes have been the trend since the 1970s, today there is an increasing move toward staying the UK.
This has influenced the increase in caravan and motorhome sales in recent years and savvy park owners have introduced basic camping pods so that ‘traditional campers’ can avoid the hassle of putting their tent up. The glamping craze has seen owners installing designer yurts, shepherd’s huts, tipis, belle tents, tree houses and even converted double-decker buses in order to create a unique leisure experience. Today the latest guide lists more than 200 sites with luxury camping facilities.
The 50th edition
The 50th edition of the AA’s bestselling Caravan & Camping Guide featuring 800 fully inspected and independently graded camping parks across Britain and Northern Ireland.
- Packed full of practical information – opening dates, prices, on-site facilities
- Details about the winners of the AA Caravan and Camping Awards
- Gold Pennant ratings for Britain’s very best sites
- Glamping and Holiday Parks also reviewed and rated
- Clear AA mapping makes campsites easy to find
Award-winning campsites
Following nominations by AA inspectors, we award an annual overall winner from three national finalists; five regional winners and a Holiday Centre winner – all are selected for their outstanding overall quality and high levels of customer care. Two special awards recognise the best small campsite, and the most improved campsite.