UK or Europe this year?

[blakeley]

I thought it would be interesting to hear what everyone's plans to do this year now we finally have more freedom. We have been pricing up our summer holidays and campsite prices appear to have rocketed both at home and abroad, we are sadly tempted to do a flight + hotel holiday in Portugal and then ad hoc weekends away here in the UK as even with flights it comes out cheaper than camping on the continent. What is everyone else doing?

 

[chockswahay]

If it’s a holiday you want probably best to do the fly/hotel thing

If it’s adventure, spontaneity and choice then use the van.

We don’t use our van for holidays but that’s because we don’t need them as we are retired and life is a permanent adventure for us so we cannot resist the lure of whatever is just over the horizon. To put that in perspective we have rarely stayed in the same place more than one night and rarely use campsites, and that is something like over 800+ nights

 

[Perfectos]

trips Booked so far since lock down ended (or previously booked before latest lockdown(s) commenced):

Swanage 1week (already done immediately after last lock down - Youth
Hostel - many campsite were simply not open or did not have availability)

Northern France 1 week (already done - Cali)

East wittering (Done- weekend - house rental staying with friends )

wales 1 week ( Pembury country Park - Cali)

New Forest (Beaulieu VW event weekend- Cali)

Shropshire (Camper jam. - Cali -rolled over from 2020)

Cornwall (Newquay 2 weeks mixture of Cali & House: surf Safari)

Greek island (package holiday / hotel - need some guaranteed sun for the Fam post GCSE exams, (Not mine) who have not had a Sun/ Hotel / Beach / Pool holiday for three years & Family are revolting against another main Van holiday U.K. or Europe

other dates to be planned and booked as and when!
France west coast
Scotland
Lake District
Various Car Racing weekends UK and Europe
VW events (various U.K.)
lots of U.K. short trips Adhoc.


so to answer your original question a mixture of both, but Yes a Package Holiday interspersed with as many U.K. dates as I can muster, Prices for the package holiday were not horrendous, keeping the family happy After a truly dreadful last few years For travel.

Prices in Northern France were very reasonable (I thought) last month, but not sure about prices in high season. Euro tunnel was a roll over from 2020.

 

[California_Ocean]

I'm going the other way .... would love to be camping in Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia and Croatia ... our normal stomping ground ... but this year we're coming to the U.K. ... got to be done due to family.

My kids experienced some animosity a few years back in the throes of Brexit for speaking German - were told to speak english by a rude t**t - they were all born in the U.K. to British parents but have grown up bilingual and often speak German among themselves.

Hopefully all this has subsided and it'll be safe to tour the UK on german plates .

 

[Perfectos]

I'm going the other way .... would love to be camping in Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia and Croatia ... our normal stomping ground ... but this year we're coming to the U.K. ... got to be done due to family.

My kids experienced some animosity a few years back in the throes of Brexit for speaking German - were told to speak english by a rude t**t - they were all born in the U.K. to British parents but have grown up bilingual and often speak German among themselves.

Hopefully all this has subsided and it'll be safe to tour the UK on german plates .

I think you were pretty unlucky to meet a small minded individual, they exist everywhere I’m afraid, but fortunately they are a very small minority

The U.K. (as I’m sure you‘re aware) is very friendly and multi cultured.

Gute Reise

 

[The Tall Luthier]

I'm going the other way .... would love to be camping in Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia and Croatia ... our normal stomping ground ... but this year we're coming to the U.K. ... got to be done due to family.

My kids experienced some animosity a few years back in the throes of Brexit for speaking German - were told to speak english by a rude t**t - they were all born in the U.K. to British parents but have grown up bilingual and often speak German among themselves.

Hopefully all this has subsided and it'll be safe to tour the UK on german plates .

How very, very embarrassing for all of us!
I'm really sorry to hear that your kids were abused by the racists and xenophobes that seem to be having a resurgence (wonder why?) in the UK. I hope they continue to speak in whatever way they prefer, hassle free this year.

My apologies on behalf of all the 'good' people that live in the UK full time.

 

[GrannyJen]

I no

I'm going the other way .... would love to be camping in Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia and Croatia ... our normal stomping ground ... but this year we're coming to the U.K. ... got to be done due to family.

My kids experienced some animosity a few years back in the throes of Brexit for speaking German - were told to speak english by a rude t**t - they were all born in the U.K. to British parents but have grown up bilingual and often speak German among themselves.

Hopefully all this has subsided and it'll be safe to tour the UK on german plates .

I would think So, expect so and would so dearly hope it is so. All of us that have travelled can speak of warmth and hospitality throughout our travels but sadly we have elements in society that suffer from the brain decay of only ever looking inwards.

If when you come back to touring the UK you will certainly find warm hospitality parked on my drive. Should your travels take you my way then please feel free to pop in and overnight with us.

 

[GrannyJen]

Well, as my new signature proudly displays, I've made my next 5 years mind up, and for that you can thank the cycling enthusiasts on this forum

A lot of my family are lard-a*ses who spend too much time sat on backsides, popping in the car to go to the local shop two minutes away and constantly moaning about how crowded the UK is. I'm fed up with suggesting that they move a muscle and see a bit of our beautiful island so I'm going to do it for them.

I've fallen in love with my bicycle, that prodding from this forum prompted me to buy, and I'm going to cycle round all of our 15 National parks and 46 AONB's making video's to shove under their noses and photographs to adorn my new web pages.

My old boy Max cannot travel too far now so we do have some restrictions, but I'm going to grab those with both hands, get loads of exercise and see loads of beautiful places.

 

[Amarillo]

We have recently returned from two weeks in southern Spain. We stayed 13 nights at a resort type campsite with a first rate waterpark. The campsite was 688 Euros (about £575), diesel about £700. Eurotunnel £150 (including dog). Animal health certificate and Spanish vet check £120. I haven't totted up the tolls, but probably another £200. Total excluding food, treats and eating out £1,745 for a family of four plus dog. Probably comparable to flights, hotel and kennels for two weeks, but I didn't investigate.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

We went to France in 2020 and had one of our best holidays ever. In 2021 we did Dorset in the van and Norfolk in a house. We had a few hours of fun in Dorset in 7 days. We swam in the sea, had one great pub lunch. It rained quite a lot and it was windy and freezing cold almost all the time. My abiding memory was that every time I stood up my camping chair blew over. It was quite difficult to light the bbq and I had to buy a new gas stove to deal with the wind. I was determined never to have a summer holiday like that again.

I like weekends in the UK and occasionally 5 days in the New Forest, but for us the California is all about going abroad.

We will be ferrying to Santander and then driving back through France. A new thing for us. My favourite things ever are sitting by the van in the sun. Eating croissants in the morning, drinking wine in the evening and playing a stupid game after a family tea, still in the warmth of the evening sun.

 

[RonB]

This year’s plans:
Just returned from a couple of weeks with wall-to-wall sunshine, in north west Highlands and Outer Hebrides.
Ferry to Netherlands booked for early May with Greece, Italy, Croatia pencilled in as potential targets over the course of about 6 weeks.
Back home for July and August.
Then touring France in September and October.
The downside is that we have to take the 90 days within 180 days period within the EU into account, plus have reached a certain age to allow us the freedom to do all this in the first place.

 

[California_Ocean]

I would think So, expect so and would so dearly hope it is so. All of us that have travelled can speak of warmth and hospitality throughout our travels but sadly we have elements in society that suffer from the brain decay of only ever looking inwards.

If when you come back to touring the UK you will certainly find warm hospitality parked on my drive. Should your travels take you my way then please feel free to pop in and overnight with us.

Thanks for the kind offer ... West Sussex is unfortunately a fair way off our planned route, which is a bit of a whistle stop tour with our first stop in Somerset and taking in Brum, Lancaster, Glasgow, The Highlands, Edinburgh and finally Newcastle .... all visiting relatives and friends.

Actually really looking forward to it and I think all will be fine. Can't let one bad experience colour an entire country.

 

[California_Ocean]

This year’s plans:
Just returned from a couple of weeks with wall-to-wall sunshine, in north west Highlands and Outer Hebrides.
Ferry to Netherlands booked for early May with Greece, Italy, Croatia pencilled in as potential targets over the course of about 6 weeks.
Back home for July and August.
Then touring France in September and October.
The downside is that we have to take the 90 days within 180 days period within the EU into account, plus have reached a certain age to allow us the freedom to do all this in the first place.

Croatia isn't in the EU ... so the 90 day schengen clock stops when you enter Croatia - you get 90 days in Croatia too.

 

[Amarillo]

Croatia isn't in the EU ... so the 90 day schengen clock stops when you enter Croatia - you get 90 days in Croatia too.

Croatia is in the EU, it is not in Schengen but will be joining.

 

[California_Ocean]

Croatia isn't in the EU ... so the 90 day schengen clock stops when you enter Croatia - you get 90 days in Croatia too.

Actually I meant Coatia isn't in Schengen ... doh!!

 

[California_Ocean]

Croatia is in the EU, it is not in Schengen but will be joining.

You`re right ... my mistake ... I ought to know as I spent the best part of 3 months sorting out the EU VAT on my boat in Croatia ... no idea how I managed to type such drivel, must be going senile.

 

[RonB]

Croatia isn't in the EU ... so the 90 day schengen clock stops when you enter Croatia - you get 90 days in Croatia too.

Yes, aware that Croatia isn’t in Schengen although in EU, so offers time out from the 90 days rule. Last couple of visits when we crossed Croatian border into/out of Slovenia, and this was pre-Brexit, it was unmanned, so if that is the case nowadays, will need to go looking for a border guard to get passports stamped.

 

[Vagophile]

My kids experienced some animosity a few years back in the throes of Brexit for speaking German - were told to speak english by a rude t**t -

I have experienced situations where I have been spoken to in Welsh and cursed because I didn't understand. It does rather colour the impression one has of an area.
Come to think of it, I suppose that the same has happened to me in France. I wonder if my accent has anything to do with the way I am regarded by some.
After four months in Greece, helping a Greek friend on his Caique, I was told by a dear lady passenger in her eighties "You speak very good English"; a case of mistaken nationality!
To return to the topic, I will be visiting old haunts in Northumberland that are known to relatively few combined with day or week-end visits to a number of local attractions. I would love to be travelling abroad, but circumstances dictate confinement to the U.K. At least it avoids any channel crossing hassle.

 

[GrannyJen]

To return to the topic, I will be visiting old haunts in Northumberland that are known to relatively few combined with day or week-end visits to a number of local attractions. I would love to be travelling abroad, but circumstances dictate confinement to the U.K. At least it avoids any channel crossing hassle.

Getting away from me on the 15th May?

I might be trundling up to take my Grandchildren to the exhibition on the 14th/15th

 

[soulstyledevon]

Well, as my new signature proudly displays, I've made my next 5 years mind up, and for that you can thank the cycling enthusiasts on this forum

A lot of my family are lard-a*ses who spend too much time sat on backsides, popping in the car to go to the local shop two minutes away and constantly moaning about how crowded the UK is. I'm fed up with suggesting that they move a muscle and see a bit of our beautiful island so I'm going to do it for them.

I've fallen in love with my bicycle, that prodding from this forum prompted me to buy, and I'm going to cycle round all of our 15 National parks and 46 AONB's making video's to shove under their noses and photographs to adorn my new web pages.

My old boy Max cannot travel too far now so we do have some restrictions, but I'm going to grab those with both hands, get loads of exercise and see loads of beautiful places.

I’ve marked this post as welcome. Only because there’s no love emoji.
Great to hear how much you’re loving the bike and putting it to good use.

 

[soulstyledevon]

We went to France in 2020 and had one of our best holidays ever. In 2021 we did Dorset in the van and Norfolk in a house. We had a few hours of fun in Dorset in 7 days. We swam in the sea, had one great pub lunch. It rained quite a lot and it was windy and freezing cold almost all the time. My abiding memory was that every time I stood up my camping chair blew over. It was quite difficult to light the bbq and I had to buy a new gas stove to deal with the wind. I was determined never to have a summer holiday like that again.

I like weekends in the UK and occasionally 5 days in the New Forest, but for us the California is all about going abroad.

We will be ferrying to Santander and then driving back through France. A new thing for us. My favourite things ever are sitting by the van in the sun. Eating croissants in the morning, drinking wine in the evening and playing a stupid game after a family tea, still in the warmth of the evening sun.

This sums it up pretty well. Who wants to chance their main holidays with the British weather system?
It really is a game of chance, probably why we’re one of the most travelled nations on the planet…

So far, I’ve hit France (ski trip) in the van, Portugal for 10 days, flight/hotel plus a couple of one nighters in the van at the coast in Devon.
Got May half term to consider, thinking of Holland via the van and exploring the bike paths.
Still need to sort a summer break, considering returning to Switzerland in the van and October half term either Scotland again in the van or somewhere abroad.
My problem for me, is I’m a terrible planner and prefer spur of the moment trips. Unfortunately, I’m realising how difficult this is to do, when you’re restricted to school holidays.
Ho hum, just another 10 years of it…

 

[Vagophile]

Getting away from me on the 15th May?

I might be trundling up to take my Grandchildren to the exhibition on the 14th/15th

What U upto then?

 

[GrannyJen]

What U upto then?

The railway group at Market Deeping have an exhibition in Stamford on 14th and 15th.

 

[GrannyJen]

I’ve marked this post as welcome. Only because there’s no love emoji.
Great to hear how much you’re loving the bike and putting it to good use.

It prompted the lightbulb moment.

Lockdown, Jo reminiscing about when we walked Lands End - John O'Groats twice, how now she will never be able to walk Lowestoft - St Davids. Then a thread on here with you, @Amarillo and many others extolling cycling and E-bikes: A glass of wine, a suggestion to Jo, a trip to a bike shop and there we go, what can't be walked can be cycled

 

[Azteccamper]

This sums it up pretty well. Who wants to chance their main holidays with the British weather system?
It really is a game of chance, probably why we’re one of the most travelled nations on the planet…

So far, I’ve hit France (ski trip) in the van, Portugal for 10 days, flight/hotel plus a couple of one nighters in the van at the coast in Devon.
Got May half term to consider, thinking of Holland via the van and exploring the bike paths.
Still need to sort a summer break, considering returning to Switzerland in the van and October half term either Scotland again in the van or somewhere abroad.
My problem for me, is I’m a terrible planner and prefer spur of the moment trips. Unfortunately, I’m realising how difficult this is to do, when you’re restricted to school holidays.
Ho hum, just another 10 years of it…

Can recommend the Netherlands with the van. Went there Easter 2019 for a 10 day break. Really enjoyed our cycling trips - cycled miles. Lovely coast and inland areas. Lovely people and places.