Back to Britain

With ever-smaller seats and carbon-munching engines, flights abroad are losing their appeal. For this year’s must-see destinations, you won’t even need your passport, says Jill Starley-GraingerAfter decades of yearning for the foreign, Brits are rediscovering the beauty of our own fair isles. The trendiest destinations are now just a train ride away, which is good news for the environment. ‘It’s striking that for almost 40 years the fashionable destinations for British people were abroad,’ says John Urry, Professor of Sociology at Lancaster University. ‘Now there are indications this is changing. Some places in the UK have become particularly attractive, partly because they aren’t overrun with people on package breaks or easyjet flights.’ If you need inspiration for UK-based holidays, here’s a round-up of how to switch a carbon-consuming foreign flight for a brilliant British break.LOVE: Mediterranean beachesTRY: CornwallCO2 emissions per person to Alicante by airplane: 630kgCO2 emissions per person to Lizard by train: 104kg; by car: 270kgSay adios to the Costa del Sol and lay your towel on the English Riviera. The Cornish seaside offers options for everyone, with big waves for extreme sports enthusiasts, secluded cays for those seeking solitude and plenty of safe, family-friendly stretches of sand. Luxury lovers should rent a cottage at the uber-green Trelowarren Estate, www.trelowarren.co.uk) on the unspoilt Lizard peninsula, which features rugged coastal paths, sheltered, calm-water beaches, gorgeous gardens and inland rivers and creeks. (SouthWest England Tourism:, www.visitsouthwest.co.uk)LOVE: African safarisTRY: Scottish countrysideCO2 emissions per person to Nairobi by airplane: 2,900kgCO2 emissions per person to Perth by train: 175kg; by car: 450kgFrom the enormous basking shark to the tiny Scottish wood ant, with pine martens, ptarmigan and porpoises in between, Scotland rightly calls itself Europe’s leading wildlife destination. Spot the big six (bottlenose dolphin, osprey, puffin, red deer, red squirrel, salmon) on walks, guided trips and at hides all over the countryside. Safari-loving families should try the Perthshire Multi-Activity Adventure, www.wildernessscotland.com), with guided wildlife walks, mountain biking, rock climbing, two-day canoe trip and a night on a wooded island in a lake. (Visit Scotland:, www.visitscotland.com/wildlife)LOVE: New Zealand sceneryTRY: Brecon Beacons, WalesCO2 emissions per person to Auckland by airplane: 7,800kgCO2 emissions per person to Brecon by train: 65kg; by car: 170kgThe New Zealand landscape was much lauded after its use in Lord of the Rings, but since the TARDIS landed in southern Wales, you needn’t look further than the beautiful Brecon Beacons for celebrated scenery. Nature-lovers can take in the rolling hills, spectacular waterfalls and vast cave networks of the mountains, then hop on the train to nearby Cardiff for Auckland-esque harbour views ¬- minus the agonising 24-hour flight. Spend your evenings in the northern Brecon Beacons at pretty Trericket Mill, where organic, locally grown and/or fair trade food is used for its delicious vegetarian meals, winning it a Green Dragon Environmental Standard Level 2 by the Welsh Assembly. (Visit Wales:, www.visitwales.co.ukLOVE: Asian spasTRY: Northern IrelandCO2 emissions per person to Phuket by airplane: 4,170kgCO2 emissions per person to Belfast by train and ferry: 200kg; by car and ferry: 475kgThe East may have started the pampering trend, but the West is catching up fast. More than 100 spas have opened across Ireland in the last five years, making it one of Europe’s hottest luxury destinations. Whether you just want a therapeutic massage after a day exploring the lush countryside or to be spoiled all weekend at a country retreat, you needn’t travel across the planet to do it. Northern Ireland’s newest luxury spa, Slieve Donard, www.hastingshotels.com), is run by ESPA, who also operate award-winning spas across Asia, so you can be sure of a world-class pampering experience. (Tourism Ireland:, www.discoverireland.com/gb)Note: CO2 emissions are per passenger for plane and train, and per car for car