A Lake District holiday park has been honoured with a top award by the AA.
Skelwith Fold Caravan Park in Ambleside has been awarded the AA’s five-star Platinum rating, the highest grade possible in the organisation’s annual assessment of UK tourism providers.
Platinum awards given by the AA – based on guest reviews and a “secret shopper” visit by inspectors – are regarded as the Oscars of the holiday parks industry.
Owners of the family-run park thanked staff for their pivotal role in helping to achieve the honour.
Henry Wild, of the park, said: “The AA’s inspection team put all aspects of the business under the microscope, and with a special emphasis on the levels of hospitality on offer,” he said.
“They look at how guests are welcomed and helped during their stay, and whether the park is sustaining a warm and friendly atmosphere which is likely to make a return visit likely.
“Delivering all of these elements is in the hands of our staff team, and so they deserve a lion’s share of the credit in persuading the AA to give Skelwith Fold their top excellence award.
“We are proud of our business’s family values, and everybody here shares our passion for creating the best possible holiday memories for guests from the moment they arrive.
“In fact, the vast majority of holiday bookings here are from people returning after a previous visit, or as a result of a personal recommendation from a friend or relative.
“This tells us that our team at the park have got the formula just right, and this award is a fantastic way to wrap up the 2025 season as we close our gates for the winter months.”
He said that park staff were all retained out of season, and activities include helping with the park’s winter wildlife feeding programme.
Owned by the Wild family for almost 30 years, the park has 450 pitches in 130 acres of countryside with staying options such as luxury safari tents and facilities for touring caravans.
The AA Platinum award comes on top of Skelwith Fold’s being named in 2025 as the Lake District’s Holiday Park of the Year in 2025 by Cumbria Tourism.
“We’re certainly finishing on a high this season, and I hope that the publicity from these awards will also help put the spotlight all of Cumbria’s fantastic hospitality businesses,” said Henry.
