Holiday in the Sun

Why there’s never been a better time to take a staycation.

- ELLEN MANNING

As I write this, the prospect of any kind of holiday seems a far-distant dream. For those of us with buses used to driving off into the sunset at a moment’s notice, staying at home can feel a bit alien, even if we all agree it’s for the best at the moment. That said, lockdown doesn’t stop us from making plans. With Europe right on our doorstep, it’s tempting to dream of road trips across the continent to far-flung destinations. For the past three years, we’ve made a beeline for some of these in our bus, seeking out stunning scenery in the Alps and Pyrenees, vineyards in Tuscany, the forests of Germany and long, white beaches of France’s Atlantic coast to name but a few.

Yet our fondest trips haven’t always been across the Channel. Since we bought our camper we’ve seen more of the UK than either of us had before. From the Highlands of Scotland right down to the romantic coves of Cornwall. We’ve eaten oysters in Whitstable, walked trails in the Peak District, lounged in a hot tub at a campsite in west Wales and strolled round chocolate box villages in the Cotswolds.