If you want a truly "green" holiday then, unfortunately, you can't really get away from the fact that you probably shouldn't fly, and especially don't fly long haul. A single round trip to New York will produce around 4 tonnes of carbon dioxide, completely cancelling out any savings that you manage to make in other parts of your life. If you really can't resist the temptation to fly, then the shorter the trip the better. A round trip to Paris or Amsterdam generates half a tonne of Carbon Dioxide.
So where should you go on holiday or for that short break? You have two main choices. The first is to opt for somewhere in the UK where you can drive or take the train. The second is to travel to Europe by train or car.
Plus there are some hotels and cottages in the UK which have extra strong environmental credentials, because of the way they operate and have been built.
Below are some links to companies that offer holidays in the UK, or travel in Europe by rail or car. As you can see there is a lot of choice and everyone should find something that suits them.
If you have further ideas of your own, please do contribute to one of our forums.
| English Country Cottages: On this site you can choose from more than 2500 properties of all shapes and sizes. Whether you want to holiday in a cottage or a castle, by the sea or up a leafy lane, from Cornwall to Caithness, you'll find something to please you in this selection of cottages to rent. |
| Haven offer a fantastic range of UK fun-filled family holidays and have 35 great Parks in some of your favourite locations throughout England, Scotland and Wales. Haven offer all the facilities you need for your UK holiday and lots to entertain you throughout the day and evening. All the Parks offer you and the family everything you need from superb pool complexes and sports areas, to children's clubs and non-stop entertainment plus a choice of places to eat at your leisure, including licensed inns and restaurants. Haven offer a wide choice of quality family holiday accommodation including luxury holiday homes, chalets, lodges and apartments. To find out more follow this link |
| Legoland: At LEGOLAND® Windsor the entertainment is certainly hands-on. Children aged 2-12 can take to the road, soar through the skies and sail the seas in complete safety. With over 50 interactive rides, live shows, building workshops, driving schools and attractions, all set in 150 acres of beautiful parkland, LEGOLAND® Windsor is a unique family theme park. LEGOLAND® ranks in the top 5 UK attractions with millions of visitors each year. Follow this linkto find more details . |
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| Euro rail Leave the car at home! Rail Europe are the UK’s leading supplier of rail travel into France and Europe, whether a short break in Paris or a fortnight in Venice. You can start your journey with Eurostar, the number one choice for direct travel into Paris, Brussels, Lille, Avignon, Disneyland Resort Paris and the French Alps, or travel on local trains when already at your destination. Rail Europe expand the options within Europe and provide connections with the SNCF range of products, including high speed rail, so you can travel with TGV in France, Elipsos to Spain, Thalys to Benelux, Artesia to Italy & Lyria to take you to Switzerland.
They are also the official UK website selling the InterRail pass, which gives extensive travel across up to 30 countries. Whether a global pass or as single country pass, standard class or first class, there's an InterRail pass to suit everyone. Follow this link to find more details. |
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| Here are some great UK holidays from WarnerBreaks.co.uk Targetted at adults, Warner breaks offer inclusive half-board UK short breaks at stunning locations, with a wide range of activities, good food and live entertainment every night. The price of a break includes accommodation, breakfast and dinner everyday, a variety of leisure activities and nightly live entertainment. Follow this link to find more details. |
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| Hoseasons Holidays: With over 12,000 places to stay in coastal and countryside settings throughout Britain, Ireland and Europe, Hoseasons is the leading self-catering specialist. From secluded lodges to family holiday parks with plenty to do and from thatched cottages to boating holidays - even luxury villas. Follow this link to find more details. |
| Recommended and inspected holiday cottages in the West Country: Helpful Holidays offer over 500 of the finest self-catering holiday cottages and holiday homes in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset. Since 1982 they’ve been based in Chagford, in the Dartmoor National Park, and earned an enviable reputation for integrity, friendliness and the quality of their holiday cottages. Their straight forward descriptions will help you find a cottage that's right for you and additional information is always available over the phone from their helpful inspection team. Follow this link to find more details. |
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| Train tickets from Trainline gives you direct access to an extensive choice of train journeys without the usual queues and hassles associated with buying a train ticket! and a wide range of delivery options so you can book up to 2 hours before travel. Booking with Trainline means that you could save on average 63% compare to buying a train ticket on the day at the station. Follow this link to find more details. |
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