The summer holidays are upon us, which means it is time to escape the drudgery of daily life and head on a family holiday. Naturally, with the cost of living rising rapidly, holidays can be difficult to afford for single parents living on one income. However, by making some adjustments to your lifestyle and saving smartly throughout the year, many single parents can afford to save up for a holiday in the UK or abroad. And with so many options for every budget, you will undoubtedly find one for you: From staycations and road trips in the UK to beach holidays and single parent ski holidays abroad.

In this article, we will explore the best destinations for a UK road trip. And if you are worried about fuel costs or the environment, we have a solution for you too. Here are our ideas for responsible and sustainable road trips in the UK:

How to travel responsibly by car

There are many ways of saving on your carbon footprint and expensive fuel when deciding to drive on holiday. To start with, it is a good idea to service your vehicle before you leave. The right tyre pressure and traction can make your car run more efficiently. You will also save on fuel if you drive smoothly, i.e., at a steady pace braking less and avoiding high speeds. Keep the air conditioning down, or if you have it running, ensure the windows are closed or you will literally be throwing money out of the window. If you have a lot of luggage or, even worse, a roof rack, this will also add to energy consumption due to weight and poor aerodynamics, so don’t take too many unnecessary items and take the roof rack off if you do not need it.

Another way you can travel responsibly and reduce the cost of your holiday is by driving an electric car, which will practically scrap the fuel expenses and the carbon footprint. With this in mind, we have compiled a series of exciting British road trips for our single parents with some tips for electric car owners.

The carbon friendly solution: fully electric cars

If you are worried about the environment and keen to reduce your carbon footprint when travelling, getting rid of your old petrol or diesel-fuelled banger and purchasing a fully electric vehicle (EV) is the way to go. This will not only be the most sustainable form of travelling the country, but also save you a lot of money throughout the rest of the year. With electric cars being relatively new on the market, there are few second-hand cars on sale, and you may find that purchasing a new fully electric car is simply outside your budget. A great alternative to buying right out is hiring an electric vehicle for your road trip, or even better, leasing one through a company such as ElectriX.

Charging your electric car

Electric vehicles (EVs) usually have two charging options: Standard charging via an electric socket in your home or your rental properties or charging stations at your local supermarket, town centre, or service station (often signposted as Pod Points) and rapid charging at a special charging station. The main difference is the amount of time it takes to charge your vehicle. To calculate EV charging time, you need to take into account battery size, speed of the charging point, and the charge needed. You could say that a typical electric car battery takes some 8 hours to charge from empty to full if a standard household socket is used, so this is best done overnight when electricity is at its cheapest and you don’t need to hang around waiting. If you don’t have an electric socket in your garage, you could install a Hypervolt smart charger.

Rapid charging on the other hand can give you a full charge (and several hundred miles) in around 40 minutes. Public fast charging stations are becoming more and more common, and the satnav of your electric vehicle will show you stations throughout your journey. GeniePoint, Osprey and EV Power charging stations are usually rapid charge stations and so are Tesla Supercharger stations, but you can only use the latter if you drive a Tesla vehicle. Tesla destination station on the other hand, which are not rapid charging, can be used by other EV’s as well if you have an adapter.

Road trip ideas in the UK

The Cotswolds

The Cotswolds is renowned for its stunning hills, and peaceful villages with its medieval honey-coloured cottages – the perfect place to relax with your kids. There are plenty of family friendly hotels and activities that will be of interest to both adults and children giving everyone a break from their hectic digital world.

You can travel the Cotswolds doing a full circular road trip starting in Bibury, passing through Upper Slaughter, Stow-on-the-Wold, Chipping Campden, Winchcombe, and Stroud before doing a full circle to Cirencester. You will pass plenty of charging stations in Burford, Bibury, Chipping Campden, Cheltenham, and Cirencester. Many hotels, such as The Bear in Rodborough near Stroud, with its quaint rooms and lovely garden, offer a charging point for their guests, so choose your accommodation wisely.

Yorkshire Dales

Yorkshire is a beautiful county and is home to the Yorkshire Dales, which are strewn with waterfalls, abbey ruins, quaint villages, and picturesque scenery. If you are a Harry Potter fan, you need to make sure that Malham makes your destination list, as scenes from the Deathly Hallows Part 1 were filmed there. While you are there, you can explore the cove and learn about the rock formations inside the walkable cave. Then, you can travel on to Hawes and Ripon to explore the historical cathedral. When you get to Ripon, you can take it easy and treat your EV to some much-needed juice, which will see you through another day of exploration. Overall, you will find plenty of charging stations from a Tesla Destination charger near Kettlesing to a variety of standard and rapid charging stations dotted around the southern part of the Yorkshire Dales.

Jurassic Coast

With a name like the Jurassic Coast, you already know it is going to be a journey to remember. The 95-mile stretch of coast between Swanage and Exmouth is easily one of the most picturesque in the UK. The Jurassic Coast’s name comes from the types of rocks found along the route and is one of the most important landscapes when it comes to reptile fossils. You could travel the Jurassic coastline in a weeklong road trip, driving short stretches and stopping at beautiful beaches and picture-postcard villages along the way. It’s a fantastic road trip destination and a great way to spend a family holiday in the South West of England. There are countless charging stations along the route.

Norfolk Coast

Norfolk lies to the East of England and is known as being home to a healthy ecosystem including interesting wildlife and stunning beaches. Norfolk’s coastline is just under ninety miles long, but forty-five miles of that are beaches – and quite stunning wide and sandy ones too: just take Cromer, East and West Runton (sand and shingle), Mundesley, Sheringham and Sea Palling – all of which are blue flag beaches. The Norfolk coast is great for a weekend road trip and can be done in a weekend. You will find countless charging stations (Pods, Tesla destination, Genie Point, BP pulse, etc.) both along Norfolk’s coast and further inland.

The Lake District

The Lake District is named just so because of the abundance of its lakes and tarns (small lakes). These and its rivers offer a natural habitat for diverse wildlife including many species of fish, such as vendace, schelly, charr, and crayfish. The Lake District’s beautiful countryside boasts ancient woodlands, farmlands, lakes, and valleys. Due to the lack of public transport, having your own car is the best way to explore the national park. There are several road trips you could do: It will take max. 3 days to do the North Lakes, the South Lakes, or Lake Windermere and Coniston Loop. Alternatively, you could do the lot in a week stopping at Lake Windermere, Glenridding, Keswick, Scafell Pike, and Coniston Water. Although natural beauty is the Lake District’s forte, you will also find delicious food and adequate accommodation throughout the region. Why not take the kids to visit the village of Kendal taking a tour of the factory complete with a sampling of Kendal mint cake? Then, when the car is calling out for energy, you can stay at Wasdale B&B to rest up – you can enjoy views of Scafell Pike from here. Other charging points can be found dotted around the lakes, including a Tesla destination chargers and Pod Point charging stations.

Snowdonia

Snowdonia is the place to be for EV car owners looking to discover North Wales with kids. Covering more than 2000 km², the national park encompasses lakes, forests, and stunning stretches of the coast – not to mention the highest mountain in Wales. If you want to take in different views of the peak, you should journey along the circular route through Bethesda, Capel Curig, and Beddgelert. You won’t need to worry about running out of steam in Snowdonia National Park if you are staying at the Sygun Fawr Country House. Other charging points including Genie, InstaVolt, Tesla and Clenergy and Osprey can be found along the main roads around the national park.

North Coast 500

We could not finish our list of responsible single parent road trips without mentioning Scotland! The country’s natural beauty and the famous Highlands boast stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, quaint fishing villages, rugged mountain peaks, and countless hidden gems. Whilst many of the above routes can be done in a few days, the North Coast 500 is, as the name implies, a 512-mile trail. The route will take you from Inverness all the way to Easter Ross, Caithness, Sutherland, and Wester Ross. You could, of course shorten your road trip and cover just a stretch of the trail, and you will still experience breath-taking views and fun adventures. Beware that you will find far fewer, if any, rapid charging points north of Inverness at present, but thankfully the ChargePlace Scotland network and many accommodation owners provide charging points. Make sure you check that your B&B has the right charging socket for your vehicle. We stayed at the Old Drynie House B&B in the Kilmuir area, which provides EV charge points for guests.

South-West Coastal 300

If historical castles and lower lands are more your style, you can explore the southern coast of Scotland, which is home to a 300-mile trail of natural beauty. When it comes to charging your vehicle, Scotland provides one of the best networks in the country, thanks to the ChargePlace Scotland network. Further, you will find many hotels along the route offering charging free of charge to guests.

You don’t need to spend a fortune to have an amazing staycation this summer. There are plenty of fun destinations to visit in the UK, and there are numerous charging points to enable you to travel with a super low carbon footprint. Whether you already own an electric car complete with EV charging station in your home, or are considering getting an electric vehicle before your next holiday, remember that you are doing your bit for the environment. Not only that, but you will save money on your next family road trip (more and more charging stations are free) and for the rest of the year. With very little planning, you can go on a responsible single parent road trip with your kids without worrying much about finding the next charging station.

About the Author:

Single Parents on Holiday offer group holidays for single parent families in the UK and abroad, as well as solo holidays for single parent empty nesters, such as singles holidays for the over 50s.

If you enjoyed reading our post, why not subscribe to our Single Parent Travel blog or check out some of our other posts:

• Top Tips for Safe Driving on Holiday with Kids
• 10 Essential Travel Items for Your Next Holiday With Kids
• Top Auto Accessories for a Long Road Trip
• Single Parent Holidays in the UK: From Castles to Coastline

The post Travelling Responsibly: UK Road Trip Ideas for Single Parents appeared first on SINGLE PARENTS ON HOLIDAY LTD.

8 ways to have more sustainable holidays..

Travel has come under heightened scrutiny for its carbon footprint over the years. Whilst transportation is one of four major contributors, tourism accounts for ‘only’ 8% of the world’s CO2 emissions. This figure is made up of transport, accommodation, construction (airports, resorts, roads, etc.), food/drink consumption, and even shopping souvenirs.

After several natural disasters and a pandemic, we all had plenty of time to think about our habits and what we can change to make the world a better place. But we also yearn to travel again – just how is the question. Here are some ideas how you can reduce your carbon footprint on your next family holiday or solo trip:

1. Go Green for short-distance travel

If you are travelling short distance, choosing not to fly will greatly reduce your carbon footprint. Trains and coaches are among the lowest-emitting, most efficient forms of transport and taking the Eurostar from London to Paris rather than flying will cut your CO2 footprint by a massive 90%. Taking the train or coach for short distance travel is a particularly good choice when you travel solo, but you might be surprised to hear that even sharing a ride in a full car will decrease your carbon footprint by up to 80%.

Yet travelling by train often works out approximately 50% more expensive than a plane ticket according to Which and is not always practical for single parents travelling with several young children. In addition, 29% of trains in the UK are still purely diesel powered, with many more being hybrids, so trains in the UK are less green than many of their electric or battery powered European counterparts. On a positive note, there are plans to phase out the UK’s diesel-powered engines by 2040.

In the meantime, if you have a hybrid, or even better an electric car, you are in luck. As long as your car is running on electricity, its tailpipe emissions will be zero, making driving on holiday the most responsible form of travel.

2. Book direct flights to reduce your carbon footprint

Sometimes flying is the only option. Whether it is distance, cost, time, safety, or convenience – if as plane ticket is the only feasible possibility, avoid stopovers because flying direct requires less fuel: A stopover can add a few hundred miles to your trip. In addition, planes give off more emissions on take-off and even landing compared to cruising through the air. But the biggest impact is the energy efficiency of the plane and the number of passenger seats filled. If the plane is only half full, this doubles your carbon footprint, and unfortunately this is not something you have any control over.

3. Choose economy seats

The same principle applies as above – if you can fit more people onto the plane with space saving economy seats, those booked in economy will have a lower CO2 footprint than those flying business class or even first class. Business class will effectively double your emissions. So, let’s not even think what flying in a private jet would do to your carbon footprint…

4. Find a green airline

Do your research and choose airlines concerned with sustainability and a long-term carbon reduction strategy. Some airlines are working on the use of renewable biofuels and improving energy efficiency both in the air and on the ground, others invest in more energy efficient aircraft, buy carbon offsets (and offer customers to do the same when purchasing their flight), or recycle or remove single-use products on flights and some are working on all fronts simultaneously. Clearly, some are working a lot harder at fighting climate change than others, reducing their emissions despite rising passenger numbers. If you choose one of those green airlines, your carbon footprint will be a lot lower than flying with a conventional airline.

5. Don’t travel solo

This may be easier said than done when you don’t have a partner and/or your kids are grown up. But choosing to travel with a friend or even better a group will instantly reduce your carbon footprint. Sharing a rental car or airport transfer, for example, will be much better for the environment than driving solo or taking taxis by yourself. If your friends or kids are unable to join you on holiday, you can always book a singles holidays for the over 50s reducing your CO2 footprint on outings, airport transfers, etc. Travelling with others makes for more sustainable holidays.

6. Travel light

Whether you travel by car, plane, coach or train, heavy luggage will increase your carbon footprint. Heavy loads mean higher fuel consumption, particularly on flights. Delta found that if every flight passenger packed one pair of shoes less, the environmental impact from reduced fuel consumption would equate to taking 10,500 cars off the road for a year. A lightweight suitcase will also instantly reduce weight, as would travelling with hand luggage only. Toiletries often make up a significant percentage of your luggage allowance. Refill only the amount you need into smaller reusable containers. Only bring clothes you are sure you will wear and rent heavy equipment locally – and support the local industry.

7. Choose eco-friendly accommodation

For a greener stay, choose hotels that focus on sustainability. Hotels will advertise their green credentials, so it shouldn’t be hard to find them. An eco-friendly hotel is essentially a business that aims to minimise its carbon footprint and that of their staff by reducing waste, using sustainable local produce and non-toxic natural cleaning products and materials, saving water, and offering options to offset CO2 footprint.

The family owned IBEROSTAR group has already replaced single-use plastics in their hotels and is aiming to be waste free by 2025 and carbon neutral by 2030. IBEROSTAR’s wave of change programme includes planting and restoring mangroves and other forests and plants in its coastal destinations, increasing efficiency, using renewable energy, eliminating waste, sourcing 100% responsible seafood and much more. But sustainable tourism can start at any level. The Cottages at Blackadon Farm on the edge of Dartmoor National Park received a silver award from Visit Devon for being an ethical, responsible, and sustainable holiday business after only one year of operating. The holiday accommodation has its own spring water supply, electric car changing points, solar panels, and glass tubes that heat water during the summer. The owners work with local trades people and businesses and have introduced bees to encourage pollination on Dartmoor, and the lawns are mowed by the resident miniature donkeys.

8. Reduce food waste

This is something British tourists are notoriously bad at. No other nation wastes as much food, and this shows in the behaviour of not just British tourists in all-inclusive resorts. Whilst it might be tempting and all too easy to load your plate with lots of different foods, think of the waste you produce and the carbon footprint of the food itself when you help yourself to oversized portions. Forests are cleared to grow crops and graze cows. Then there is the packaging, transport, and refrigeration of the food you are consuming. Go for seconds rather than loading your plate with foods that will go to waste. Or ask for a doggy bag if you eat out and cannot finish your meal. Many hotels are looking for ways to reduce waste, but tourists must take act more responsibly, too.

Hopefully, our introduction into how you can reduce your carbon footprint when travelling will help you make eco-friendlier choices when booking and enjoying your next holiday. At Single Parents on Holiday choosing eco-friendly accommodation and making our single parent family holidays and our singles holidays for the over 50 more sustainable is a topic close to our hearts as you will see when you browse our holiday programme.

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