The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
BIG LITTLE JOURNEYS
DRIFT AROUND
Worcestershire
Comprising various canals and a stretch of the River Severn, the 21-mile-long Droitwich Ring makes a wonderful waterway weekender, with no backtracking required. Cruise clockwise from the handsome city of Worcester, navigating the circuit’s 33 locks and swing bridges, shadowing the River Salwarpe and passing plenty of bankside pubs, peaceful countryside and pretty villages.
A three-night Droitwich Ring trip ( for up to four people) costs from £749 plus £50 fuel deposit (0808 302 6288; abcboathire.com).
SEE STARS Northumberland
Hire a Land Rover Defender with a rooftop tent and you can pretend you’re off on a grand expedition without leaving the country. Based near the North York Moors, the 4x4s are within easy long-weekend reach of the Lakes and Dales. Or, with three days, adventurers could try a 250-mile loop via Northumberland’s hills and coast, using the roof tent to gaze at some of England’s best dark skies.
A three-night Defender Camping rental costs from £375 (hostunusual. co.uk).
CHUG ABOUT IN STYLE
North Wales
Combine mountain drama, seaside scenes, steam train nostalgia and Italianesque flair on a rail romp around glorious Gwynedd. Travel first-class on steam services from Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog and Caernarfon, enjoying views of castles and craggy peaks. Then bed down in eccentric Portmeirion each night, for a dash of Amalfi-style on the Welsh coast.
A three-night self-guided Welsh
Steam Railway Experience costs from £645pp including B&B accommodation (0141 260 9260; mckinlaykidd.com).
POOTLE ALONG THE THAMES,
Oxfordshire/Berkshire
Keep your distance on a slow-paced self-drive mini-cruise along the Thames (no prior boating experience required). Pick up a comfortable craft from the rural village of Benson to explore the river’s quieter end: head
west to spend a few days gliding to Oxford’s dreaming spires and back; navigate east to to reach Henley, the home of British rowing.
A four-night Thames cruise aboard the Capri (sleeps three) costs from £719
(023 9280 9124; leboat.co.uk).
CRUISE BRITANNIA Liverpool to Scotland
Get a quick cruise fix this summer aboard the stylish Borealis, which is bound for Skye, the Small Isles, Fingal’s Cave and Loch Fyne. Experts from marine wildlife charity Orca will be on hand to give spotting tips (dolphins, porpoises and whales might be seen), as well as hosting talks and offering passengers the chance to contribute to conservation research.
A four-night Scenic British Isles cruise costs from £549pp full-board, including
£75pp on-board spend; July 8 2021 (0800 0355 242; fredolsencruises. com).
EMBRACE THE CAMPER VAN
TREND Countrywide
Camper van sales have surged as Britons prepare to embrace staycations. But before you invest, try renting one first – a really cool one. Quirky Campers has an eclectic fleet of unique vans (plus it plants trees to offset the carbon for every mile you drive). Perhaps pick up blue-white-chic Rocky from Bristol (sleeps two) for a quick escape to the North Devon coast.
A three-night Rocky rental costs from £370 (0330 133 1121; quirkycampers.com).
TAKE A REGAL ROAD-TRIP
Scotland
Cram a cornucopia of castles into one classic drive. Armed with a Historic Scotland Explorer Pass, set off from Edinburgh to tick off pretty St Andrews, striking Stirling, mountaintucked Balmoral, cliff-perched Dunnottar, Shakespeare-inspiring Glamis, rose-pink Craigievar, ruined loch-side Urquhart and more, stopping to sample a few single malts en route.
A three-night self-guided Scotland Castles Trail trip costs from £275pp including B&B accommodation and Historic Scotland Explorer Pass
(0141 530 4028; macsadventure.com).