Sustainable Holidaying with England’s Coast

Take your green habits with you on holiday, and see the UK's magnificent coastline in a sustainable way with England’s Coast

With environmental practices very much part of our daily living, conscientious travellers aspiring for a greener holiday experience are not only ditching flights and international travel but also trying to make more meaningful and sustainable choices when holidaying.  Englandscoast.com is very much encouraging visitors to look at greener options, and with its clever tool offering visitors the chance to browse over 2,000 coastal businesses – including accommodation providers, attraction operators, transport companies and restaurants -, planning an eco-friendly holiday this year has never been easier in this 2023 Year of the Coast.

Car Free Holiday in the Isle of Wight

Leave the car at home and embrace public transport this year. Explore the Isle of Wight – which has a Green Tourism Award and opt for a car-free break. Not only does it help the environment, but it will help you discover the island’s hidden footpaths, providing a more memorable experience of local life. A valuable list of travel planners can help you navigate around the island easily without a car, be it on a bike or bus. 

Visit Isle of Wight provides handy transport tips on how to arrive at the island, with ferry and train timetables. Accommodation comes in the form of fun eco-lodges at Tapnell Farm – Yarmouth, as well as beautiful Safari Tents, Cabins, Modulogs, Pods and Domes - all nestled away in beautiful surroundings.  Meanwhile, Isle of Wight Beach Homes, have charming glamping yurts, made with recycled materials, that are perfect for family breaks. All properties have a short walk down a private path to picturesque Priory Bay.

Green Tourism in Dorset

On the mainland, Visit-Dorset is championing green tourism with a range of ideas, from transport, accommodation, activities and much more. Providing  visitors with tips on how to adopt greener holidaying habits when visiting Dorset, the informative website offers ideas and locations on where to hire electric bikes - perfect for cycling along the South West Coast Path, to walking along the Jurassic Coast. 

In terms of accommodation, Dorset has an extensive selection of options - England Coast - Corfe Castle Camping is surrounded by Blue Flag beaches and rolling hills – a lovely site to get up close and personal with nature, whilst Englands Coast - South Lytchett Manor Caravan-& Camping-Park has glamping pods insulated from recycled bottles and local materials, and an eco-friendly children’s playground, onsite café serving homemade bread and local produce and free cycle hire when booked through England’s Coast!

Affordable Green Holidays in Essex

(Essex Coast from Thorpe Bay to Southend-on-Sea)

Visit Essex - Pack light and travel by train! 30 Things To Do, Spot And Discover On The Essex Coast makes creating a green and affordable holiday itinerary easy for the family this year. Lee Wick Farm has 20 comfortable glamping pods and two lovely cottages on the Essex/Suffolk border near the beautiful and rugged coast. Located  near numerous interesting and historic towns such as Wivenhoe, Dedham, Brightlingsea and Britain’s oldest recorded town of Colchester – it’s the perfect location to relax and unwind.

Walk and Cycle North York Moors National Park

(Robin Hood Bay)

Further north on the coast, the North York Moors National Park has a good network of rail and bus services, North York Moors Travel serves many of the towns and pretty villages, ensuring travellers can get around the pretty coastline  both quickly and easily. A stunning county offering a plethora of things to do and see, from the Dark Skies - northyorkmoors, to the amazing wildlife options along the coastline - North York Moors Wildlife-on-the-coast.  If you want to add volunteerism to your green holiday, visit North York Moors - Volunteering. For accommodation, Partridge Nest Farm offers spacious camping pods, just five miles from the stunning North East Yorkshire coastline. Total peace and a real haven for wildlife, the area is a walker’s paradise and boasts spectacular scenery, with some fantastic walking and cycling routes.

Explore West Sussex by Bike

The South Downs Way in West Sussex is perfect for getting around by e-bike: Southern eBike Rentals | Experience West Sussex has plenty of options and recommendations on how to explore on two wheels.. While Housedean Farm Campsite with its camping pods and shepherd’s huts, located on a working farm in the South Downs National Park is perfect for walkers and cyclists and a great base  that is easily accessible by bus from Brighton and Lewes. In terms of activities, Experience West Sussex - A Sailors Guide To West Sussex has lots of fun options, from a beginners guide to kite surfing and kayaking - Experience West Sussex, to an Expert Guide To Rockpooling.  

Eco-Friendly White Cliffs Country Holidays

White Cliffs Country in Dover is keen to see its visitors adopt eco-friendly choices and is working with sustainable businesses to make a planet-friendly break an easy option.  Well-connected public transport links, with London just one hour away, make it very accessible. A county that’s embraced sustainable travel, visitors will find several electric vehicle charging points in Dover’s car parks, as well as on-street locations. Plus, twenty miles of coastline including pebbly bays, the seaside towns of Deal and Dover and quaint villages such as Capel-le-Ferne and St-Margaret's-at-Cliffe overlooking the sea, are all accessible by cycle routes that weave along the shore as well as stunning clifftop walks. There are several places to hire bikes from and an e-bike scheme  -  Click2Cycle – that offers visitors the option of collecting a bike at one point and leaving it at another  – all they need to do is download an app.

The striking shoreline of this unique destination where coast meets countryside and ancient meets modern is charming, yet in places bustling. Pitch your tent at Fallow Fields Camping, or trade up to a fully furnished bell tent complete with furry blankets and hot water bottles. Come here for bushcraft, yoga, pizza nights, there’s even a big kids games tent for grown-ups!

Although we’re still a long way off the carbon-neutral holiday, making small changes can really help us make a difference and with England’s Coast extensive network of coastal eco-friendly businesses, visitors not only get to see the beautiful coastline, but can rest assured, they are reducing their carbon footprint and significantly reducing stress to the environment and England’s beautiful coastline.

All images from Canva