Packed, pricey, and pushed to the limit: The UK's Covid-19 staycation disaster

Littered beaches, wild campers wreaking havoc on delicate ecosystems, overstretched Coastguards issuing warnings, and sky-high accommodation prices. What was meant to be a perfect British summer has instead become a staycation nightmare for many.

Shut out from affordable international trips due to quarantine rules, UK holidaymakers were urged by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to rediscover their own, sometimes overlooked, local getaways when lockdown restrictions lifted in July.

Britons were also allowed to travel abroad, as long as they headed to countries on the 'safe' list, exempt from quarantine on their return.

However, with Spain, a favorite of 18 million British tourists annually, suddenly removed from the safe list due to a virus resurgence, and France, another popular spot, also being dropped this weekend, demand for domestic vacations has surged.

A study by the hotel group The Cairn Collection revealed a 532% surge in searches for trips to Scotland, while Cornwall, ever a favorite destination, saw a 325% increase in searches compared to last year.

Prime Minister Johnson, who is reportedly planning a two-week vacation in Scotland, has urged the public to explore the UK’s 'exceptional, magnificent, and unrivaled' destinations instead of traveling abroad.

The result has been traffic jams, emergency situations on popular coastal routes, an increase in travel fraud, and skyrocketing accommodation prices.

Leave no trace

Even before the height of summer, warning signs of trouble were evident.

When the last weekend of June brought a 30°C (86°F) heatwave to the UK, around half a million people flocked to Dorset, a coastal area in southern England, as lockdown restrictions began to ease.

In Bournemouth, a popular resort town in Dorset, emergency services declared a major incident. The local council issued a record 558 parking fines, while 33 tons of waste, including human waste and used diapers, were collected from the coast.

Further along the coast, in the bustling city of Brighton, similarly overwhelmed by large crowds leaving mountains of trash behind, concerned locals took matters into their own hands to address the growing problem.

'I finally reached my breaking point seeing the overflowing bins and litter,' says Coral Evans. She has launched a group, Leave No Trace Brighton, that uses Instagram to rally locals for near-daily beach cleanups.

'Brighton has long struggled with beachgoers leaving behind rubbish, but by the end of June, the seafront had become a magnet for those emerging from lockdown,' she explains. 'As the crowds gathered, the amount of trash on the beach grew dramatically.'

On June 27, the council’s cleaning crew collected 11 tons of waste from the stretch of beach between the two piers, a distance of approximately half a mile.

'On any sunny day, beach waste is an ongoing issue,' says Evans.

Thanks to its close proximity to London, Brighton attracts around 12 million people who are just an hour away from its iconic beach.

However, on weekends throughout July and August, the city’s council had to issue advisories urging anyone not already in the city to avoid traveling there.

'With thousands of visitors flocking to the beach every day, and only a small team of environmental officers, they’re truly struggling to keep up,' she explains.

Soaring prices

As demand for staycations soared, scammers seized the opportunity to exploit those seeking a local getaway.

In June, UK Finance, the country’s banking association, issued a warning about fraudulent listings for motorhomes and caravans targeting unsuspecting vacationers. Fake PayPal accounts were used to trick consumers into parting with their money.

More frequent complaints, however, centered around the shortage of available accommodations and the steep rise in prices.

Business consultant Lizzie Benton had planned a family vacation to Norfolk, a peaceful area in eastern England known for its quiet, unspoiled beaches.

'When we tried to book an Airbnb, many places were already fully booked until October,' she says.

'We checked hotels next, only to find they were either sold out or had hiked their prices. One place we stayed at last year had increased its rates by over £50 per person.'

It’s not just those booking vacations this year who have been hit by price hikes.

Jason Parker and his family had been shielding until early August, so they couldn’t leave their home until then.

'Due to distrust and what we've seen in the news, we canceled all our holidays this year. However, the cottage we had planned to stay in has raised its price from £480 to £950 for the same week next year!'

There’s growing concern about last-minute travelers hoping to snag a cheap deal and find plenty of availability.

'We're urging people to book accommodation before arriving,' says Malcolm Bell, CEO of Visit Cornwall. 'We're not saying we're fully booked, but you need to secure your stay.'

'Wild camping'

While demand for self-catering lodgings and hotels has surged, camping has become an even bigger trend.

More affordable and potentially safer amid the ongoing pandemic, camping has seen tent sales soar by 126%, according to price comparison site Price Spy. However, this surge in popularity has left many official campsites fully booked for the summer, pushing some to try 'wild camping.'

In the Lake District, a national park in northwestern England, authorities spoke with 200 wild campers one night in late June, including 20 people partying atop Catbells, one of the area’s most beloved peaks.

One park ranger revealed he had to relocate campers who had pitched their tents in a dry reservoir on the night a storm was expected. As with beaches, campers had left behind trash, and some had even dismantled wooden fences for firewood.

'Wild camping is allowed in Scotland and some parts of Dartmoor National Park, but in other areas, you must get permission from the landowner,' says Phoebe Smith, author of 'Extreme Sleeps: Adventures of a Wild Camper.'

'It’s accepted in higher elevations of national parks and by coastlines and rivers, as long as you follow the guidelines,' she explains. 'That means arriving late, leaving early, packing out all your rubbish, and being considerate of others.'

Smith argues that the scenes of camping throughout the summer in the Lake District and parts of Cornwall don’t qualify as wild camping, which involves carrying minimal gear and heading to remote areas. Instead, it’s people setting up large tents by roadsides, using stoves and disposable barbecues, and leaving everything behind, often causing environmental harm.

'What we’ve witnessed is essentially illegal waste dumping, but with camping gear,' she explains.

Stuart Burgess, from Forestry England, the government body overseeing woodland management, has handled cases of illegal camping in Kielder Forest in northern England. He outlined several similar challenges his organization has faced this summer.

'We’ve seen damage to forests and individual trees, including digging for campfires and toilets, as well as uncontrolled fires caused by campfires or barbecues,' he says.

'Pollution and harm to wildlife result from litter, abandoned equipment, and people openly relieving themselves. Irresponsible alcohol and drug use can exacerbate the problem, especially when people drive vehicles through the forest. It also creates anxiety and disruption for nearby rural communities,' he adds.

Smith believes that at the root of these issues lies a lack of clear communication from political leaders.

'The government encourages people to visit these places and spend money, telling them it’s their duty to help the economy, but they’re doing so without any guidance,' she says.

'Instead of criticizing people, we should empower them and explain why certain types of camping are harmful, why we need to protect these locations, and why it’s better to pack light and venture far off the beaten path. There are so many mixed messages—people are restless and eager to get out, but the government needs to provide clear instructions on how to do it responsibly,' she adds.

Managing large crowds

The communities Burgess refers to, particularly in popular tourist destinations, are understandably concerned about the surge in visitors and the potential spike in Covid-19 cases.

This concern is especially pronounced in Cornwall, which has seen an influx of visitors since lockdown restrictions were eased.

'We have the third lowest Covid rate in the country,' says Malcolm Bell of Visit Cornwall. 'That actually makes locals more anxious,' he adds, referring to the fear of rising infection rates.

While Bell notes that visitor numbers are down by about 30,000 compared to a typical year, there are still roughly 150,000 tourists in Cornwall on any given day, on top of the local population of 530,000, many of whom haven’t left for holidays.

'The sudden surge has been a bit of a shock,' Bell says. 'During lockdown, it was so quiet. Normally, numbers build gradually from March through May. But this year, we went from zero to ninety in no time.'

Bell explains that with social distancing measures in place, many places can feel more crowded as both visitors and locals try to keep their distance.

The places where it’s still possible to find some peace and quiet

Despite the crowds, there are still hidden gems across the UK where you can find a quiet, peaceful retreat—even in Cornwall.

'We have around 400 beaches, but only about 10 of them are well-known,' says Bell. 'Now is definitely not the time, especially on weekends, to head to those hotspots. Save those Instagram photos for next year. We keep emphasizing the sheer number of beaches. If you’re willing to walk 15 minutes downhill, you’ll find plenty of space.'

Bell is also promoting Cornwall as a winter destination. He expresses concern that many are rushing to take a vacation before a possible second national lockdown, a possibility that the UK government has downplayed despite daily new cases remaining close to 1,000.

Cornwall will be much quieter during the colder months, Bell points out, meaning there will be more room to spread out and better prices to enjoy.

Tour operators are now promoting more remote UK destinations as alternatives to far-flung, exotic locations. Much Better Adventures, typically known for trips to the Carpathian Mountains in Romania and adventurous hikes in the Moroccan Atlas, has shifted its focus to smaller, socially distant excursions within the UK.

'Of all our remote UK adventure holidays, the ones in Wales and the Scottish Highlands and Islands are currently the most popular,' says founder Sam Bruce.

'The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in Wales is perfect for hiking, kayaking, and wild camping. Scotland's numerous lochs and glens offer similar opportunities, and if you're really looking to escape, few experiences are more remote than a weekend on an uninhabited Scottish island,' says Green.

There’s also a growing trend toward more localized, low-carbon holidays, with innovative travel methods like bike-packing gaining popularity. This involves attaching a small tent and camping gear to a bike and exploring the nearby countryside—ideal for younger, active individuals who prefer avoiding traffic jams or crowded trains to the south coast.

'Bike-packing lets adventurers discover hidden locations and avoid the crowds, all while staying active and carrying everything they need,' explains Luke Green from Red Original, an outdoor gear company. Green notes a rise in interest, with many taking long bike trips around the peaceful lanes of the Isle of Wight following an increase in bike sales during the lockdown.

'It’s becoming more accessible as the gear is much more compact—tents now fit neatly into small backpacks, and other items have multiple functions, so you don’t need to carry a lot,' says Green.

'Many people don’t have the space or the budget to buy a ton of specialized gear, so they seek versatile products, like a bike pouch that doubles as a waterproof case for phones, keys, and wallets, which can be fully submerged in a meter of water without getting damaged,' Green adds.

While these activities may be considered niche, they demonstrate that it's possible to escape the crowds without the need for a flight and the risk of 14 days in self-isolation upon returning to the UK.

However, one thing is clear—visiting the south coast of the UK or its more popular national parks is unlikely to provide the type of escape many people are seeking after months of confinement and boredom at home.