{"id":17883,"date":"2022-08-04T12:55:35","date_gmt":"2022-08-04T10:55:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/?post_type=purple_issue&p=17883"},"modified":"2022-08-04T12:55:35","modified_gmt":"2022-08-04T10:55:35","slug":"money-saving-tips-for-countryside-explorers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/2022\/08\/04\/money-saving-tips-for-countryside-explorers\/","title":{"rendered":"Money-saving tips for countryside explorers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As the cost of living rises, travel writers Julie Brominicks and Dixe Wills offer their top tips on how to enjoy outdoor holidays without breaking the bank<\/p>\n\n

1. THE PERKS OF VOLUNTEERING <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
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Whatever your passion \u2013 be it steam trains, birds or folk festivals \u2013 volunteering gets you in free and is usually enriching. A man I met on one canal told me volunteering for the Canal and River Trust had saved his life by giving him purpose and the tranquillity of water. WWOOFing (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) is a great way to access rural life. Check your local Wildlife Trust or RSPB reserve for cheap or free walks or events. <\/p>\n\n

JB <\/p>\n\n

2. SEARCH OUT BARGAIN KIT <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
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Grandma Gatewood hiked the Appalachian Trail in canvas shoes and slept under a shower curtain, while Guardian <\/em>Country Diarist Harry Griffin started rock climbing using his mum\u2019s washing line. I cannot, from my privileged ablebodied position, advise recklessness \u2013 good boots on hazardous terrain, for example, can save your skin \u2013 but not all kit is essential. While quick-drying clothes are important, I often prefer old and threadbare to pricey technical textiles. And while some brands make kit that really lasts, others do not. Look for bargains on eBay and in charity shops. <\/span><\/p>\n\n

JB<\/span><\/p>\n\n

3. BIRDING ON A BUDGET<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
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Many of the UK\u2019s bird observatories present the chance to see cracking avian life and offer very economical accommodation, too. Located in picturesque coastal sites, the observatories have dorms or private rooms, usually with a kitchen so you can cook. They\u2019re all going cheep. <\/p>\n\n

DW <\/p>\n\n

4. CHEAPER CAMPING <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
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Real wild camping is a noble pursuit in Scotland, is NOT illegal in England and Wales, provided you have the landowner\u2019s permission, and is free. If you need facilities, a campsite can be cheap \u2013 if you choose carefully, bring your own fire fuel and food, and avoid costly hotspots. If you are on foot, check for backpacker rates. <\/span>See pitchup.com<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n

DW<\/p>\n\n

5. CAMPING BY BIKE <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
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With fuel prices sky high, there\u2019s never been a better time to cycle. Throw a tent in your pannier, take your bike on a train and you\u2019re off on an adventure that won\u2019t cost the Earth. UK Campsite has thousands of sites from which to choose; ukcampsite.co.uk<\/a>. Or join the Camping and Caravanning Club for \u00a345 for discounts on its 1,300 sites; campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n

DW <\/p>\n\n

6. TRAIN TRAVEL HACKS<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
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Head for a split-ticketing website, such as Tickety Split (ticketysplit. trainsplit.com<\/a>), and it will work out the cheapest combination of tickets for your journey and then book them for you. National Rail\u2019s \u2018Cheap Fare Finder\u2019 lives up to its name; nationalrail.co.uk<\/a>. Advance tickets offer huge savings, while rover tickets are fantastic for exploring an area in a day or longer; railrover.org<\/a>. A host of National Rail railcards is available for various age groups and for friends\/ families travelling together. <\/p>\n\n

DW <\/p>\n\n

7. HOSTELS AND BOTHIES<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
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For a little more luxury than camping, try hostelling. The Independent Hostel Association has over 400 places; independenthostels.co.uk<\/a>. The YHA, <\/span>yha.org.uk<\/a>, and Hostelling Scotland, hostellingscotland.org.uk<\/a>, run over 200, while the Mountain Bothies Association has around 100 huts, free to use for an annual fee; mountainbothies.org.uk<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n

DW<\/p>\n\n

8. LOVE THE BUS <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
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Rural buses are still here, despite neglect, and the further you travel, the more economical they become. Most offer rover tickets for unlimited travel within one day, \u2018parent and child\u2019 fares or books of tickets for multiple journeys. But do plan rigorously. Start online with <\/span>traveline.info<\/a> (0871 200 2233), but check service provider timetables too, and ring their office if in doubt. Research exactly where to wait and where to get off \u2013 the driver may be new. <\/p>\n\n

JB<\/p>\n\n

9. ENJOY SIMPLE, FREE PLEASURES <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
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Perhaps we all have memories of simpler golden days, or remember someone who would pedal off into the countryside for hours with just a sandwich. Now we are snarled up in traffic, conspicuous consumption and digital ambush, those experiences are difficult. But gone forever? Maybe not. Rockpooling and birdwatching remain free, as is whiling away time beneath a tree. When I see kids absorbed in crabbing off a pier and people bivouacking under an old tarp it makes me smile \u2013 they\u2019re creating the good old days to come. <\/p>\n\n

DW <\/p>\n\n

Photos: Alamy, Getty<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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