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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

holiday dilemma...

157 replies

sandythesquirrel · 03/02/2016 17:27

DH has decided we 'must' go on a holiday at either Easter or Summer. We don't even have much budget for one - so he wants to do it on a shoestring budget. DH always has a travel bug so I am not surprised he is itching to go anywhere. DS travels well but has started saying he doesn't want to go anywhere - he would rather just stay at home.

Every holiday we have ever been on has been in a 5 star hotel. (usually a city or lake/mountain - we just don't like beaches). Our idea of roughing it is a 3 star hotel with no room service or pool. We have never done camping or caravan or even a self catering apartment. Holidays have always been about luxury and indulgence. This last two years money has been very tight after moving house - so there just isn't much budget.

DH has a 'bright' idea of renting a cottage somewhere in Cornwall or Scotland from airbnb and saving money by making our own meals. He is just itching to go somewhere. It is just not my idea of fun - plus I will end up doing all the planning and thinking of every food item we might need. I would rather have one night in a spa hotel! When I jokingly suggested (actually he thought it was a joke - I was being serious) that he take ds on his own and I can have a week off at home reading books - the look on his face was so pitiful I felt sorry for him when he said 'how is that a family holiday?'.

AIBU to think what is the point of going on a holiday if it involves a 7-10 hour drive and then I still have to get everyone's breakfast and/or other meals. Also, I know with money being tight, we will be limited with what we do and that will frustrate us.

I really don't know whether to go along with it or put my foot down especially as ds is so indifferent.

OP posts:
Bunbaker · 04/02/2016 14:25

"BTW there is nowhere in mainland UK that is 7 hours from both Scotland and Cornwall."

That is utter, utter bollocks. It took us over 9 hours to drive from near Barnsley to Padstow one year. You clearly haven't taken traffic conditions into account. Also, no-one drives that kind of distance without a stop at some point.

OneMagnumisneverenough · 04/02/2016 14:25

I know someone who lives about an hour west of London and he still had to allow 4-5 hours to get to Cornwall and would set of in the middle of the night to cut down the time (less traffic).

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es · 04/02/2016 14:32

I think Yorkshire is s great holiday choice, my DH resists on weather grounds but I'd happily spend a lot more time there (and did in the days before I met him!).

BikeRunSki · 04/02/2016 14:33

So s plan could be to stay in Haworth, see the Bronte sights; day out at YSP and National Coal Mining Museum (both free but parking steep at YSP); how old is DS - if under 10 ish he'd probably enjoy Eureka in Halifax. Then a trip to the Yorkshire Dales - Lord of walking from bumbling along to Mountaineering, tea shops, paddley streams, steam railway, Skipton Castle. Keighley and Worth Steam Railway near Haworth too. Saltaire World Heritage Village and the lovely Roberts Park nearish too.

Beware, there was significant flood damage in the general area in December, so some places may not be fully functional. Those that are will really appreciate your business!

Soapmaker34 · 04/02/2016 14:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BarbaraofSeville · 04/02/2016 14:39

I would offer you a house swap OP - I live less than an hour from Bronte country and about an hour and a half from the East Coast, so most of Yorkshire is day trip accessible, but sadly my house would need Kim, Aggie and Marie Kondo in for about a month beforehand to make it anywhere near five star Grin

But seriously, look into house swapping - the money saved on accommodation will mean more money for nice food and days out.

OneMagnumisneverenough · 04/02/2016 14:39

As an alternative, you could see if there are any premier inn deals going say in Newcastle or something and use that as a base?- kids eat free breakfast and it's a buffet so could set you up for the day and could be a cheap option? Still do trips out to the seaside/forest etc too.

venusinscorpio · 04/02/2016 14:44

Camping is my limit. I can see it might be fun for one night, but no more!

venusinscorpio · 04/02/2016 14:47

Yes, I agree cheap hotel and cheap medals out might be less expensive than a cottage in some places, especially for 5 days. The cottage is more about having your own space and the freedom of doing what you like. It's not necessarily a cheap option.

venusinscorpio · 04/02/2016 14:47

Meals not medals!

NickiFury · 04/02/2016 15:28

I don't think you sound spoilt, snobby whatever though I knew there'd be some that said it. Why do we all have to like camping, self catering or roughing it or risk having those labels put on us? You like what you like and that's fine. Personally I just like new places so don't mind doing it on a budget.

BarbarianMum · 04/02/2016 15:34

OP I suggest you go camping for a week, preferably in the rain and do all your cooking on an inadequate little stove. After that, 5 days in a cottage will sound bloody marvellous, I assure you - your holiday-o-meter will be well and truly reset Wink

Serious, good on you for giving it a go. You may like it and, if not, the next 5 star holiday will feel great.

BarbarianMum · 04/02/2016 15:36

"BTW there is nowhere in mainland UK that is 7 hours from both Scotland and Cornwall."

Really? Try it from Sheffield on swap over Saturday sometime!

BarbaraofSeville · 04/02/2016 15:39

I don't know if AirBnB has live availability data, but I put the Monday to Friday before Easter in and came up with loads of places from about £250 for 4 nights in West Yorkshire like Bronte Country.

Or this one looks lovely too.

Kr1stina · 04/02/2016 15:56

"BTW there is nowhere in mainland UK that is 7 hours from both Scotland and Cornwall." That is utter, utter bollocks. It took us over 9 hours to drive from near Barnsley to Padstow one year. You clearly haven't taken traffic conditions into account. Also, no-one drives that kind of distance without a stop at some point

Ahem you can get from Barnsley to Glasgow in 4 hours according to google maps. Last time I check Glasgow was well into Scotland .

Google says that it takes just under 7 hours to drive from Norwich to Peebles.

And no you are right, I have not taken traffic conditions for all roads in the UK on 365 days of the year into account . Not have I allowed 50 toilet stops for your toilet training 2 year old or to walk the 2 greyhounds you keep in the back of the car. Nor to stop off and visit your granny on the way . I thought you would have the ability to add that in yourself . Geez

I didn't say that everywhere in the UK Is within 7 hours of Scotland AND 7 hours of Cornwall . But most places on the Uk are within a 7 hour drive of one of them. Which is what the OP was actually posting about - she didn't want to do a 7-10 hour drive to go on holiday to one of them . I was assuming she wasn't planning to go to both.

Kr1stina · 04/02/2016 15:58

House swapping is a great idea

BarbarianMum · 04/02/2016 16:01

Google maps say all sort of over-optimistic things. I've done Sheffield to Glasgow in 5 hours (once, at night). Other times it takes 6 or so (on one notable occasion it took 8 Sad - and there is an awful lot of Scotland north of Glasgow (ie the best bits).

venusinscorpio · 04/02/2016 16:06

If you don't know the OP's circumstances as to why it would take her 7 hours, as on many occasions it would, why did you nit pick her saying this? Of course factors other than distance are relevant. She didn't claim she was basing this on a straight drive without any breaks in optimum traffic conditions, so why would you start from that assumption?

Kr1stina · 04/02/2016 16:08

Indeed there is a lot of Scotland north of Glasgow . And there is a lot of Europe south of Cornwall . And a lot of America west of Cornwall . But that wasn't my point.

And yes traffic conditions do vary . As do weather conditions .

Sigh

< hits head on desk >

OurBlanche · 04/02/2016 16:12

Kristina, having driven from Norwich to both Peebles and St Ives I can tell you that short of empty roads, empty bladder and a fairly fast car, you really can't do it in less than 7 hours.

Many places in coastal Wales and East Anglia would be 7+ hours from each, even with an empty bladder and a fast car. If you have never lived off a not quite B road, within a maze of B roads, miles from the nearest A road, it is really hard to imagine how long it takes to get to the nearest motorway.

BarbaraofSeville · 04/02/2016 16:13

Given that the OP is travelling in the school holidays and has a child of unspecified age that will presumably need the toilet on occasion during the journey as might the adults in the car too, I think any journey to Scotland or the West Country for a fairly short break will be tortuously long, and probably well over 7 hours unless they set off at stupid o'clock.

Hence their sensible decision to go somewhere closer, which could still be a long journey depending on where 'just outside London' actually is and the traffic conditions on the day.

venusinscorpio · 04/02/2016 16:20

There's no reason to assume the OP would necessarily be doing it in a fast car with an empty bladder. Therefore Kristina doesn't really have anything useful to offer in terms of whether there are in fact many places which will mean a 7 hours drive from home. So her nitpicking is a bit uncalled for.

OurBlanche · 04/02/2016 16:22

But it did provide an amusing aside Smile

venusinscorpio · 04/02/2016 16:24

It did indeed!

Kr1stina · 04/02/2016 16:30

You are absolutely right , the OP lives far too far from any where nice and she should stay at home .

HTH