How To Budget Travel In The English Countryside And Spend Nothing
We would all like to get out more, do some interesting things, and get adventurous. However, it seems like everything costs more and more these days. So, what can you do when you want to travel and explore but aren’t loaded with cash? Budget travel in the English countryside, of course! From the scenic views of Scotland to the natural beauty of Norfolk, Hampshire and Herefordshire, there are many amazing places to explore on a budget.
That’s right! A no-spend day out can be a wonderful way to travel more often without breaking the bank.
But of course, everything costs money, right? Wrong! There is plenty you can do without spending a single penny.
Here’s my guide on budget UK travel and how to spend a day in the English countryside and spend nothing.
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
Table of Contents
- Pack A Picnic
- Plan A Walk
- Take Your Bike
- Go Birdwatching
- Do Photography
- Go Wild Swimming
- Visit Free Historic Sites
- Go Geocaching
- Engage in Wild Arts and Crafts
- Go Foraging
- Attend Free Local Events
- Enjoy your budget visit to the English countryside
Pack A Picnic
One of the biggest spends when traveling is often on food and drink. So, be prepared and pack everything you’ll need before you go when doing your budget travel in the English countryside. Plus, there’s no better way to relax in the countryside than to sit and enjoy a picnic, whether you’re camping, glamping, or just out for the day enjoying the wildlife.
Simply pack some food from whatever you have at home. This could be sandwiches, salad, fruit, crisps – whatever you like to eat. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, you can simply take along what you might eat if you were staying at home.
Don’t forget to take some drinks too! Make sure to take water, always. You can pack some pop or juice as a treat too.
If you know you’re the kind of person who likes to pop into a cafe for a coffee or tea, then make sure to take this along too. Hot drinks in a flask stay hot for a surprisingly long time – and it saves you from having to trek into town and find a cafe.
You can even pack some biscuits or cake to enjoy too.
Plan A Walk
Going for a walk can be a great free way to enjoy budget travel in the English countryside. This way you can enjoy the outdoors as well as see the local area and learn more about the place.
If you’re not much of a walker, then don’t worry. You don’t have to climb Mount Snowdon or anything like that. Simply look into some gentle and easy walks in the area and stroll along at your own place.
Locations like the Cotswolds and the Forest of Dean are some of the best places you can visit for easy and accessible walks.
Of course, if you are a more experienced walker, then maybe you’d like to think about some popular walks that might challenge you. Have a think about Eryri (Snowdonia), the Peak District, or the Lake District. Scotland is also home to some incredible walking trails, like those in the Cairngorms National Park.
Take Your Bike
If you already own a bike, then taking your bike out on a trip to the countryside can be a wonderful idea for a day out.
This way you will be able to travel further over a shorter period of time, meaning if you are sightseeing or you want to visit multiple places, then you will be able to get there more easily.
Additionally, going for a bike ride can be either a relaxing or exhilarating experience, depending on where you do it. You could take a cycle down one of the many designated paths across the UK, or you could go for a more challenging ride in a national park.
Overall, cycling in the countryside can be a great experience that allows you to explore the area from a different angle.
Go Birdwatching
Birdwatching often has the reputation of being quite boring, as well as being a hobby solely for enthusiasts of a certain demographic.
Not only that, but you might feel you need to swot up on your bird knowledge before you head out and see what you can see.
I’m here to tell you that this isn’t the case at all! You might be surprised at how exciting and interesting birdwatching can be, how much you know already, and how much you can learn just by heading outside. It’s a great way to appreciate the wildlife and natural beauty all around you.
There has also been an initiative in recent years to open up birdwatching to a wider demographic. For example, Flock Together aims to open birdwatching up to people of colour – a group traditionally excluded from these kinds of activities.
Really, all you need to do to go birdwatching is to head outside and keep your eyes and ears open. If you like, you can buy a pair of binoculars and a bird guidebook. These can certainly help the experience to feel more exciting and intentional.
However, you don’t need to spend any money at all to go birdwatching. All you need to do is head out and see which birds you can see. Notice their appearance and the sounds they make. See if you can name any of them.
You can also identify any birds that aren’t so familiar to you by using the RSPB Bird Identifier for free online. You’ll be surprised how easily you remember them – and how often you will spot them in the future.
Do Photography
Another great activity to do for budget travel in the English countryside is to do some photography. Of course, if you have a camera, then it can be a great idea to take it along.
However, in this day and age, all you really need is to take your phone. As long as you have some sort of tool to take photos, then you’re good to go.
Before you set off, have a thing about what kind of things you might like to photograph. This might dictate where you go, and what you keep an eye out for when you go out.
Maybe you’d like to photograph landscape and views, or flowers, or insects, or historical sites, or bodies of water, or trees. Maybe you can even make a bucket list to see how many different things you can capture during your travels.
This can be an exciting way to get creative, explore the places you visit, and create some great memories to look back on.
Go Wild Swimming
Wild swimming is another adventurous and exciting way to enjoy some time in the countryside. Cold water swimming has many health benefits for both physical and mental health. There are many great lakes to swim in across the UK, from the lake district waterfalls to the open water swimming spots in Scotland.
For a beginner, this is best done in the summer, and can be a wonderful way to cool off after going for a walk.
The first thing to check is to ensure where you plan to go and swim is safe. You want to make sure it’s somewhere people swim regularly, that there are no strong currents and that the temperature is safe. Some popular wild swimming locations include Loch Lomond, Portobello Beach near Edinburgh, the River Dart in Devon, and Achmelvich Beach in the Scottish Highlands.
Make sure you are prepared too! Bring a towel and a change of clothes, including something warm to wrap up in afterward. A wetsuit is a great idea if you have one but for most places in summer, a swimming costume works just fine. Also, think about bringing some type of swimming shoe or sandal to protect your feet.
If you want to find some of the best and safest places for wild swimming, check out the Wild Swimming Guide To Britain. This will give you some beautiful places to swim whilst ensuring they are safe, easy and give you tips on the location too.
Visit Free Historic Sites
Many of the UK’s historic sites are pay-to-enter only. This includes places like large castles, old houses, and very famous sites like Stonehenge.
However, there are also many places you can visit that are free to explore and can be just as impressive if not more so than the pay-to-enter locations. This is the perfect way to budget travel in the English countryside, from the scenic views of Scotland to the natural beauty of Norfolk, Hampshire and Herefordshire.
The first of these is religious sites. Churches and cathedrals are often free and open to the public, while also making great places to explore. Often, they also have information on local history making them one of the top places to visit when you go somewhere new.
Ancient monuments are also often free to visit. Stone circles, ancient walls, and long barrows are scattered all over the UK and make for interesting and beautiful places to go and visit entirely for free.
Also, have a look into castle and abbey ruins in the area. Whilst you may have to pay to visit many of these, there are also a number that are entirely free to visit. Smaller ruins such as towers and smaller castles have a higher chance of being free than smaller ones.
Historic monuments are a great and affordable way to visit beautiful places whilst also leaning about the country and the local area, and shouldn’t be missed on a visit to the countryside.
Go Geocaching
Geocaching is a unique and fun way to budget travel in the English countryside and great fun for all the family. It’s also a great way to explore scenic wild swimming spots across the UK, from lakes to swim in like Loch Lomond to waterfalls in the Lake District.
For those who aren’t in the know, Geocaching is essentially a worldwide treasure hunt. Across the world, there are hidden containers in various locations, and all you need to do is find them.
Simply download the Geocaching app, follow the directions and clues, and enjoy your day exploring the countryside and hunting for treasure.
This can be a great way to explore different areas of the countryside whilst also doing something unique and exciting, either on your own or with family and friends. You might even discover some hidden wild swimming locations in Kent or fresh water swimming spots near you.
Find out more about Geocaching by visiting the website here.
Engage in Wild Arts and Crafts
Wild arts and crafts is a fun way to engage with the nature around you. This activity is simply making arts and crafts by using the materials naturally provided by the environment.
This activity can help you to become more connected to nature, enhance your creativity, and help you find unique ways to enjoy your surroundings. It’s a great activity to pair with camping or glamping in the countryside, immersing yourself in the wildlife.
Here are some examples of wild arts and crafts you can try:
- Leaf Rubbings: Collect various leaves of different shapes and sizes. Place a leaf under a sheet of paper and rub a crayon or pencil over it to create beautiful leaf rubbings.
- Pine Cone Bird Feeders: Attach a piece of string to a pine cone, spread peanut butter or vegetable shortening on it, and then roll it in birdseed. Hang it from a tree branch to create a simple bird feeder.
- Nature Collage: Collect interesting natural items like leaves, twigs, and flowers. Arrange them on a piece of cardboard or paper to create a unique nature collage.
- Bark Art: Use a stick or small piece of wood as a canvas. Use natural dyes from crushed berries or mud to create paintings or drawings on the bark.
- Rock Painting: Find smooth, flat rocks and paint them with colorful designs, inspirational messages, or simple pictures. You can also create rock cairns or sculptures.
- Twig Sculptures: Collect twigs and sticks of different lengths and use them to build small sculptures or simple structures like teepees, fences, or miniature log cabins.
- Wildflower Pressing: Collect wildflowers and press them between the pages of a heavy book to preserve them. Once dried, you can use them for decorative purposes or in greeting cards.
- Natural Dyeing: Use various plants, flowers, and berries to create natural dyes. You can dye fabric, paper, or even eggs using these dyes.
- Pine Needle Basketry: If you have access to long pine needles, you can create small baskets or coiled containers by weaving them together.
- Forest Weaving: Use long, flexible vines or grasses to weave small mats, coasters, or decorative items.
- Stick Mobiles: Collect sticks and twigs of various lengths, then hang them from a larger stick or branch to create a rustic mobile.
- Stone Mosaics: Arrange colorful pebbles or small stones into intricate patterns or pictures to create stone mosaics.
- Grass Dolls: Create dolls or figures using grass, reeds, or other pliable plants. You can give them natural materials for clothing and accessories.
- Birch Bark Containers: If you have access to birch trees, you can create small containers, like baskets or pouches, using thin strips of birch bark.
- Wild Herb Sachets: Collect aromatic herbs like lavender, mint, or thyme and make sachets by sewing them into small fabric pouches. These sachets can be used to scent your clothes or linens.
Remember to be mindful of the environment and only collect materials in a sustainable and respectful manner.
Make sure to research the products you use when engaging with berries or herbs to make sure they’re safe.
Additionally, ensure that your creative activities comply with any local regulations or guidelines for collecting natural materials in the countryside.
Go Foraging
Foraging is another great way to spend time and get creative in the countryside. If you’ve done some of the arts and crafts activities, then you may have done some foraging already for things like herbs.
Foraging is where you find things in the natural landscape and use them for things like eating, making tea or using them for various other activities such as making cordial, jam, or various crafts.
This is a great way to make the post of nature’s free gifts and engage in the treasures of the environment around you. It’s also a fun activity to pair with wild swimming holidays in the UK – forage for some wild berries or herbs, then cool off with a dip in a scenic loch or lake.
Some of the best things to forage in the countryside are:
- Blackberries
- Rosehips
- Sorrel
- Dandelions
- Stinging Nettles (yes, really!)
- Elderflower/Elderberries
- Wild garlic
- And much, much more!
Remember to always be sure you’ve correctly identified your item before picking and eating it!
Foraging is a great way to explore your natural environment and create something delicious at the end! Remember to take plastic bags for picking, and always research the item you intend to forage before you do it.
For instance, rosehips have spines inside so need pitting, and dandelions can cause incontinence if consumed in high quantities, so it’s always best to know as much about the item you’re intending to eat beforehand.
If you want to know more about foraging, check out The Foragers Calendar. This book has items you can forage when to forage them, how to identify them, and recipes for cooking them.
Attend Free Local Events
It might surprise you how many free events take place across England and the rest of the UK. From festivals to shows to arts events, to competitions, and even more, there is a free event going on somewhere in the UK almost constantly.
A great place to start if you’re looking for free events is at www.free-events.co.uk. This website keeps a list of free events across the UK over the entire year.
If you’re looking to visit somewhere specific and want to see what events they have on, it can be worth checking out the websites for the local church, the council, and even the town’s Facebook page if they have one. Often, free concerts, walks, arts projects, and more will be listed in these locations.
It is quite surprising how many amazing events you can attend across the year without having to pay anything at all. You might even find some outdoor swimming events in Glasgow or wild swimming meetups in Edinburgh.
Enjoy your budget visit to the English countryside
As you can see, there are so many ways to have an amazing day out in the countryside without spending any money at all.
All you need is a bit of planning, organisation, and creativity, and you can have a wonderful day out. Whether you’re wild swimming in Ambleside, camping at a wild swimming campsite, or staying in a shepherd’s hut or self-catered cottage, there are endless opportunities for budget-friendly adventures.
The wonderful thing about the countryside is that you are enjoying what nature has already provided and is there for anyone to enjoy, no matter what. From the health benefits of cold water swimming to the mental health boost of immersing yourself in natural beauty, a trip to the countryside is good for the soul.
So grab your wetsuit and head to Portobello Beach, explore the Cairngorms National Park, discover the Isle of Mull, or take a dip in the River Tay. Visit the Outer Hebrides, Castle Stalker, Achmelvich Beach, Loch Morlich, or the Isle of Iona. The options for wild swimming spots and outdoor swimming adventures are endless.
Just remember to follow safety precautions, especially when open water swimming in Scotland or other chilly locales. But with a bit of preparation, you’ll be ready to dive into the UK’s most scenic swimming spots.
So, get out there and get exploring!
Thank you so much for reading and I hope to see you back here again soon.
Ta-ta for now!
