Penhill farm, Devon

Best holidays for people and the planet

With summer on the way and the end of Covid restrictions in sight, holidays beckon.  But how can we get the most from our time off whilst being kind to the environment?

The first step is to be clear about what you’re looking for: Relaxation, social time, time in nature or discovering new parts of the world?  This helps plan a holiday that’s going to hit the spot.

If you’re looking for R&R, the stress of air travel might not be the best start and end to your break.  And if you want to discover new parts of the world, train and ferry journeys are brilliant at getting you into the right frame of mind for exploring.

Two of my favourite holidays

5 days on the Cornish coast path

This was one of the most thrilling holidays of my life, but why?  Well, the journey was quick and easy, a two-hour drive by electric car, so my first day was mostly holiday, not travel.  Sleeping in my bivvy bag gave me over 20 hours a day doing what I wanted, which was time in nature (I stopped for a big pub meal every day).  Being in my own country I didn’t worry about getting lost, ripped off or challenging logistics.  And despite a mix of weather I often discussed with other holidaymakers how Cornwall’s beaches are some of the best in the world!

Train and ferry to Majorca

I felt like my holiday started as soon as I sat down on the Eurostar.  Over lunch in Paris I  listened to a piano player at Leon station and enjoyed French patisseries.  Dinner in Barcelona was 10 hours later and after a good sleep on the ferry I arrived in Mallorca at 7 am, having saved a night’s hotel bill, and ready to explore.  After a lovely holiday walking, meeting new friends and speaking at an eco-conference, one of the greatest highlights was seeing a sperm whale from the ferry home!  Looking back the journey was a highlight of the holiday, and also made me feel much more grounded when I was there.  If you fly your holiday starts when you step off the plane, but by train your holiday starts the moment you step on the train! Find fantastic train advice at www.seat61.com.

Travel often emits the most CO2 on holiday.  Here are some examples:

Staycations

UK holidays can be more satisfying, give jobs to fellow citizens and are often best for the environment.  If you’re drawn to go abroad, international trains are fast, relaxing and part of the experience.  And it cheers me to remember that people travel from all over the world to visit the UK as we have so much beauty here!

Last day for the eco-bike prize draw

Take the footprint survey and optional action today for many regional eco prizes including a brand new e-bike at https://carbonsavvy.uk/lifestyle-spring-clean/

Happy holiday planning,

Mukti and the Carbon Savvy team