Express & Star

The great holiday debate: So near, so far. . .

It’s the time of year when you should be taking some well deserved annual leave. So do you pack your bags and head off to a far flung destination overseas or do you stay on home soil and enjoy what’s on your doorstep? Woman debates the issue. . .

Published
Pack up your troubles

Lisa Williams is all for leaving on a jet plane. . .

Thinking of a holiday conjures up images of escaping work, home and all the trappings that come with them. It means shaking off the stress and routine, jetting off hundreds of miles away to somewhere unfamiliar. It’s the thrill of travelling to a far flung place to have an adventure that makes the lure of a holiday so exciting.

Staying in this country, as beautiful as it is, doesn’t really scream great escape. For a start, if good weather is what you’re seeking for your break away, there’s no guarantee you’ll get it here. One day it can be hotter than Spain, then the next thick grey clouds or pouring rain fill the sky. Sigh. This makes it hard to feel cheery and relaxed, which is surely the point of going on holiday?

So, for blue sky, sunshine days, going further afield is the only option.

Surely a holiday should mean switching off and unwinding so you can spend some quality time with your other half, family and friends?

Even though technology makes it almost impossible to switch off (literally) completely, at least being on foreign shores means it’s that tiny bit harder to be contactable. Being in a new place means it’s easy to be distracted by interesting and cultural things so the temptation to tap your phone checking for texts or emails and scrolling through social media is cast aside.

Another appealing aspect of heading abroad is tasting new food and drink. Sampling all the local cuisine and experiencing new flavours is all part of the fun. Drinking cocktails on a Brit beach isn’t bad but there’s something dreamy about doing it on foreign shores, watching a pretty pink sunset spill into an azure ocean stretching endlessly into the horizon. Blissful.

A holiday can also mean learning new things such as the history of the place. Staying in Britain doesn’t mean you won’t learn anything but the chances are you were taught some snippets of history or geography at school. Going overseas is more of an eye-opener, the chance to learn about a new and interesting culture and see breathtaking things that you may have only read about or seen in pictures.

The worst thing is that these days staying in this country can be just as expensive as jetting off on a plane to a beautiful sun soaked island so it’s just a matter of how you’d rather spend your well-earned pennies.

And of course there’s the experience of the airport or ferry or driving which while it can be boring, frustrating and tiring can also be part of the trip.

Staycations are a good thing for exploring our great nation and saving travelling time but going away is what it’s all about for me.

Kirsten Rawlins fancies staying close to home. . .

Everyone loves a good holiday – and more often than not they feel like a necessity to keep yourself sane in an increasingly fastpaced, stressful world. But you don’t need to leave the country to get away, as we have a whole array of attractions and places to visit on our doorstep; let alone all over the UK.

Located centrally in the country, we Midlanders are very lucky. We are just a stone’s throw from lots of beautiful locations, such as Leamington Spa, Bishop’s Castle, Stratford-upon-Avon and Wales.

These places lend themselves to holidays for almost anyone – with a butterfly farm and Shakespeare attractions at Stratford making it ideal for families or history buffs; while Bishop’s Castle boasts one of the country’s oldest breweries The Three Tuns, founded back in 1642.

We even have the option of seaside breaks (though admittedly not always the weather to go with it) and coastal towns such as Barmouth, Aberdyfi and Aberystwyth provide stunning sights.

Unlike many other countries of our size, we also have plenty of theme parks, with Alton Towers and Drayton Manor being right on our doorstep.

Seaside towns such as Blackpool, Brighton, Skegness and Southport are also great for family vacations (or hen dos).

The UK has many beautiful cities in which to have a sight-seeing adventure. London is of course a main one with so many attractions that you could spend a whole week going around the city and still not see everything. Other destinations great for exploring include Buxton, Chester, Hull, Oxford, Bath, Devon and Torquay.

There are also natural attractions to visit, such as Pistyll Rhaeadr (a waterfall in Powys), the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales. Many of these destinations also have camping facilities nearby – some of the most stunning actually being just up the road in Wales.

And while it’s nice to just sit back and relax, you could get involved in some physical activities while holidaying in the UK too – such as climbing Snowdon, Bounce Below at Ffestiniog in Wales, Go Ape at Cannock Chase, the Snowdome at Telford, Waterworld at Stoke-on-Trent and indoor skydiving at iFly at Milton Keynes’ Xscape.

Sometimes a break from your routine is just what you need, so spend the money you would have on flights and treat yourself to an extra special staycation.