Going on Holiday in the UK - WHY?

[okgo]

Sticks. said:

If bathing in the sea is ow you define a good holiday that could explain the difference in opinions.

It’s just a part of what makes a holiday pleasant for me yes, but I don’t base holidays around it. We’re inland when in Provence next month. This assertion that the U.K. has things nowhere else has (beyond the obvious) is hilarious.

[anonymous-user]

We rented a house in Devon at the end of last month. It took over 7 hours each way to drive the 214 miles. Decent house to be fair, but expensive. It rained a lot.

Yesterday I flew into Pisa - 4pm flight, and was eating a delicious meal in Lucca at 8:30. The most expensive part of the trip is the Heathrow parking.

It's just simply not worth it.

[Leptons]

ecsrobin said:

okgo said:

The water is freezing. And it’s barely 19c in Central London, it’s 17c in Bournemouth. Stop talking balls, Bill.

The one talking balls is you. Just checked the Bournemouth webcam and can confirm the see is not frozen.

It’s fking freezing. Using the poster aboves 4 degrees difference rule I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and say that the water is currently 16 degrees c. That’s fking unpleasant in anything other than a wetsuit.

I’ll be in Turkey in circa 28 degrees water in 5 weeks time for not far off the cost of a UK holiday. I know what I’d rather be snorkelling in

[The Ferret]

okgo said:

Good for them, bathing in cold tap temp sewage not high on my half term wish list to be honest.

I think this perfectly sums up my thoughts on holidays in UK.

We used to manage it when the kids were a lot younger and they could be entertained with a bucket and spade for a few hours, all the time keeping an eye out for what was buried underneath the sand they were digging. Dog crap, fag ends, broken glass to name but a few. Then get shafted for some crap bit of fish and chips before heading back to our overpriced accommodation to watch the rain settle in for the night, deciding what to do with them the following day that wouldn't cost the earth and mean sitting in traffic for hours on end.

I can't face it now.

Yes its a chore getting to the US, and its expensive, but I'd rather holiday there once a year than have 3 or 4 mini breaks anywhere here. Somewhere the sun always shines, there is always something to do, the food is nearly always beyond the standard found here, the roads aren't full of potholes and mobile speed units, etc etc. Yes it has its rather obvious drawbacks too, but on balance there's a reason we've been going for a few years now and haven't holidayed in the UK since.

Each to their own of course, it would be a very boring world (and particularly overcrowded in certain places) if we all thought the same.

[skinnyman]

Two holidays for us this year. 1 week in Cornwall in Easter, and we've got 2 weeks in Menorca in the summer holidays. They're different holidays with different purposes.

Cornwall we go in Winter/Spring, fully expecting crap weather, infact some days it's quite welcome! We stay in a nice cottage with a wood burning stove, hot tub etc, so it's quite nice to take the dogs for a beach walk in the morning in the cold/misty weather, then a dip in the hot tub, then spend the afternoon watching the rain over the ocean whilst messing around with the fire and reading a book. I enjoy cooking too, so not too fussed about hospitality, I'm quite happy to cook in the cottage.

Then Menorca is more for the kids, private villa with a pool so they can do plenty of swimming. That holiday is more swimming, sea kayaking, snorkelling etc, and you 100% need the decent weather for a break like that.

But in the UK we've visited Devon, Cornwall, Lake District & the Cotswolds, and not once has the weather ruined a break for us.

[ATG]

simons123 said:

ATG said:

okgo said:

simons123 said:

That's nonsense though isnt it....where can you get decent food in the UK for a reasonable price? Minimum for a pub meal now is around £17 and that's usually just reheated, frozen crap.....in Spain you could eat fresh fish or Paella for the nearly half the price you would in the UK......not to mention a beer here is around £5-6 a pint....in Spain you would pay half that.

Exactly right.

My wife and I both had a dish at a place the other week in Southern Spain, beachside, turbot and prawns with potatoes etc it was £18 each.

You’d do amazingly to find turbot here for anywhere near that. And as you say, a beer was half that of the UK.

If you want to sit in the sun on a beach, and that's all you want to do, then ... strangely enough ... you'll get more reliable weather south of the UK. But quite a lot of people find that type of holiday very boring, hence why they choose to do something different. Horses for courses.

You dont have to just sit on the beach though if you go abroad so dont get your point.....take cornwall for example...it's very pretty but it's a nightmare to park, it's full of people everywhere, restaurants are a complete rip-off as is the price of beer.....what exactly is there to do in cornwall other then drive to different spots of cornwall stuck in traffic, trying to find somewhere to park (sounds like hell not a holiday), there is no swimming pools to relax around, the sea water is filthy.....in padstow for example there is a limited number of restaurants, all of which are a complete ripoff. Doesnt sound much of an holiday to me.

You keep describing the wonders of beach holidays abroad and the crapness of those in the UK. Look, about an inch above these very words I'm typing, and you'll find an example. If instead you're going on holiday to, say, look at an art gallery, go see some ancient buildings, drink since interesting booze, then you're not weather dependent and you can do that sort of thing pretty much anywhere INCLUDING in the UK. No one is saying you can't do that abroad. YOU are suggesting that you can't think of any reason to holiday in the UK, and yet ... !

[Leptons]

Antony Moxey said:

Probably just sit in the cottage staring at the walls because there's literally nothing to do if you can't sit on a beach all day.

Right, now chuck some Kids into the mix. Ones that want to go and build a sandcastle and swim in the sea, not dragged around a national trust place or Zoo like they do for the rest of the year.

So options are;

1) Sit in cottage staring at walls
2) Sit in pub
3) Soft play centre.



Listen, we get that own multiple holiday homes but you can’t keep telling us that Black is White.

Edited by Leptons on Wednesday 29th May 15:07

[Castrol for a knave]

Sticks. said:

blueg33 said:

Not enough of these are booking cottages at the moment.

Our bookings in AONB in North Devon are well down and my wife works for a large holiday cottage company and they see bookings are down across the board.

It's weird this year. Mine's been all but full since it finally got going in April. But of that, one short break rather than the usual 50% and not much booking ahead. (Sussex).

Re the OP, there are as many reasons to holiday in the UK as there are types of holiday - rural retreat, remote islands, city breaks, history tours, old towns, seaside, walking etc etc.

Food's pretty good local to me but I wouldn't say cheap.

There is a bit of a post covid hangover in the holiday market at present. allied to that, an oversupply in accommodation, partly brought on by AirBnB, which lowered the barriers to entry. A case of too much of the same thing, which just creates noise. Customers are overwhelmed by stock on ABnB, Hoseasons or whichever bookings platform they use (they're pretty much all owned by Hoseasons (Platinum PE) or Vitruvian anyway).

The branded operators, mostly lodge and caravan are doing ok but across all, one thing is apparent, bookings are much later - people are running their booking closer to the dates they want. This is probably a case of booking when they can afford it.

As to holiday in the UK. It just takes a bit of imagination. If what you really want is a pool someone to cook your meals and make your bed, then it's no wonder Centerparcs is such a success. If you want to find a quirky cottage, explore somewhere you don't know, put your waterproof kit on, sod it if the kids get wet - it'll be the making of them, then it's a brilliant place.

You could start here. Take your kids to an old watermill or lighthouse, a cottage on Lundy, or you could go some boring 4 star hotel on the Costas.........with paella.

https://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/

[MightyBadger]

simons123 said:

I have been away in the UK you know....devon, cornwall, wales....i know how much things cost here and i know you cannot get a decent meal in UK holiday spots like Padstow or Poole for anything less then £40 a head (thats not reheated, frozen crap).

What a load of b0ll0x

[theplayingmantis]

simons123 said:

You dont have to just sit on the beach though if you go abroad so dont get your point.....take cornwall for example...it's very pretty but it's a nightmare to park, it's full of people everywhere, restaurants are a complete rip-off as is the price of beer.....what exactly is there to do in cornwall other then drive to different spots of cornwall stuck in traffic, trying to find somewhere to park (sounds like hell not a holiday), there is no swimming pools to relax around, the sea water is filthy.....in padstow for example there is a limited number of restaurants, all of which are a complete ripoff. Doesnt sound much of an holiday to me.

Padstow has loads of restaurants. Some are crap yes. Some are very good to decent and not a complete rip off.the seafood, no 6, rojanos, potl/f, greens, rs cafe, petrocs, even old custom house, not to mention those across the water, and then add in all the average to crap ones and there's probably 20+ restaurants.

Padstow is a tourist hell hole most if the time now though full of northerners and chavs aimlessly wandering around. To an extent twas ever thus but far worse in last 15 yrs.

Some people have swimming pools in cornwall.

[bennno]

Our holiday lets in Pembrokeshire get booked year round, we've got incredible driving roads, scenery, wildlife, stunning beaches, gastro pubs and restaurants, micro breweries, lots of culture. Guess it all depends on what you want from a holiday.

One of our properties backs on to a millpond and has a direct view from the terrace of one of the most impressive castles in the uk - sleeping 6 it costs just £38 per head per night in peak summer holiday season and as little as £14.50 night outside of season....

[Castrol for a knave]

bennno said:

Our holiday lets in Pembrokeshire get booked year round, we've got incredible driving roads, scenery, wildlife, stunning beaches, gastro pubs and restaurants, micro breweries, lots of culture. Guess it all depends on what you want from a holiday.

One of our properties backs on to a millpond and has a direct view from the terrace of one of the most impressive castles in the uk - sleeping 6 it costs just £38 per head per night in peak summer holiday season and as little as £14.50 night outside of season....

He wants a pool, and paella.

That place sounds lovely. I thought Manorbier, as it's a stunning castle.

[juice]

This thread has gone full Belm

[ATG]

Ask and ye shall receive:

https://uk.bensoriginal.com/products/meal-solution...

[MightyBadger]

Killboy said:

7 hours each way to drive the 214 miles.

Holy moly no wonder why you don't want to go on holiday in the U.K.

Usually takes me under 5 hours to do about 280miles so assume you had to make lots of stops or travelled at the most congested times or it is just a slow terrible route?

[skinnyman]

We drove from Derby to Marazion in Cornwall last October, 310 miles, was raining when we planned to stop so carried on, did the whole journey in 1 stint, just over 5.5hrs

Usually we'll stop at Gloucester services though

[popeyewhite]

We do the occasional weekend hiking in the Lakes, but I feel UK holidays offer very poor VFM. And lets not mention the weather.

[djc206]

I’ve never been one for holidaying in the UK. It’s all a bit too familiar to qualify as a holiday in my book. During Covid when forced to, we holidayed in North Wales, the Lakes and Yorkshire. We had mixed fortunes with weather but overall the trips were really pleasant but I still come back to the being a bit too much like being at home. I can see that as I get a bit older and can be less bothered with airports and long haul flying that a week walking in the beautiful Welsh hills might become more desirable, just not yet.

[Boxster5]

I’m with OKGO on the UK.
The weather norm is generally crap - we live in NE England - I absolutely hate rain (always have) - makes my Tourets worse!!
Mind when it rains abroad, at least it’s warm rain and you know it’ll generally clear up in a couple of hours.
But you could be stuck somewhere like Crete or rural France and if it rained regularly you’d be driven up the wall as there’s not a lot to do (yes that’s a generalisation).
Foodwise, lots of UK food is processed rubbish (unless you pay the price) - pub grub is so predictable. Yes I know there are exceptions.
Give me freshly prepared French or Greek food any day - they invariably know how to present it beautifully too.
Here’s a comparison - UK Greggs versus any French boulangerie/patisserie - the UK is a joke. Beautifully presented bakery goods that are a work of art and we put up with the rubbish that Greggs serve.

[Olivera]

popeyewhite said:

We do the occasional weekend hiking in the Lakes, but I feel UK holidays offer very poor VFM.

I enjoy holidaying in the UK, but if there's anything to gripe about it's the increasing cost, particularly post Covid. Shopping around used to get you a nice hotel room at £100 per night, now it can be double that or more. A week in a cottage or even caravan can easily be £1k+, more than your own villa with a pool in Cyprus.