While holidays abroad are back on the cards this summer, many people are still choosing to staycation in the UK – with motorhomes offering freedom, the chance to explore plenty of new campsites and the option to take pets along for the ride, too.
SoGlos spoke to M5 Motorhome Hire to find out why the UK is so well-suited to self-drive holidays, which destinations are proving the most popular this summer and what new vehicles are available to hire.
About the expert – Marc Warner, M5 Motorhome Hire
Based in Cheltenham and serving the whole of Gloucestershire and beyond, M5 Motorhome Hire provides motorhomes and VW campervans for affordable adventures, even promising to provide any assistance necessary while customers are away.
Founder, Marc Warner, established the motorhome and campervan rental business after gaining plenty of experience in the automotive industry as a director of Warners Motor Group and is passionate about exploring the great outdoors.
For more information, visit m5leisure.co.uk.
Aside from avoiding the quarantine period when travelling overseas, what are some of the advantages of holidaying in the UK this year?
There are heaps of fabulous places in the UK to holiday; renting a motorhome or campervan gives you the freedom to head out onto the open road, travelling to wherever your heart desires, whenever the feeling takes you.
As well as being cheaper than holidaying abroad, without the ongoing restrictions over travel, the UK offers some incredible destinations – the Lake District, Scotland, the Peak District, Devon, Cornwall and the Yorkshire Dales, to name but a few.
This summer looks set to offer a bumper selection of new campsites with fantastic facilities, too.
Can you park up and sleep anywhere you like or do you need to book a campsite?
It‘s always best to plan ahead and decide where you want to stay before you embark on your trip – some of the most popular campsites get fully booked months in advance.
There are also some incredible places to spend nights for free in your campers around the UK. You can find these spots on motorhome apps, along with accessible motorhome parking and free camper parking spots for day trips and visits.
What facilities should people look for when choosing a campsite?
The key things to consider when choosing a site are: Where can you walk to? Is there a river or lake nearby that you can swim, kayak or fish in? What wildlife might be spotted? Can I have a fire? Where’s the nearest pub?
Simple campsites can be just as good, if not better than some of the larger more popular destinations.
Which areas are proving most popular destinations for staycations in 2022 so far?
Wales is incredibly popular and can be quieter than Devon and Cornwall; Scotland remains a fantastic road trip with breath-taking scenery and the popular NC500 Route. Or if you want somewhere closer to home, try the Forest of Dean or the Cotswolds.
If you’ve got a dog, can you take them with you in an M5 motorhome?
A dog-friendly road trip is the perfect way to explore the UK in the company of your family pet. Just let us know that you want to take your pet away with you and we’ll ensure a suitable motorhome is ready and waiting.
Some of our motorhomes are kept as pet free for those customers who prefer this.
You added 20 more vehicles to your fleet during the pandemic. What did you go for?
With the increase in popularity of road trips and staycations, we have continued to grow the fleet to become one of the largest rental fleets in the south west.
Although we love our motorhomes, we are seeing an incredible demand for our brand-new VW campervans, which are super cool.
Have you seen more people investing in their own motorhomes, as well?
Over the last few years, there has been a huge increase in motorhome and campervan ownership. The problem currently is a lack of supply of new and used vehicles, due to supply chain issues and the continuing pandemic.
For anyone considering buying one, we encourage you to take one of our hire vehicles for a trip and ‘try before you buy’!
For more information about M5 Motorhome Hire, visit m5leisure.co.uk.
