Holiday in the UK & Europe without flying – by train, ferry and more…

If you are looking to take a no-fly holiday this year the UTracks team at the London office chooses nine of the best trips that are easy to get to without having to take a plane…

Belgium Beer Cycle

Belgium is so easy to reach by train and the new Belgium Beer Cycle is one of the most fun new trips for 2020. The focus is on local breweries and traditional beer practices, including a visit to Europe’s largest beer brewery museum and sampling ‘Trappist beer’ made by abbey-dwelling monks.
      

Seine Valley Bike and Barge

Joining in Paris, follow the river that flows through the middle of the French capital and into the Seine Valley. A region rich in royal history, the Seine Valley has been the inspiration of artists for centuries. You can also visit the magnificent Fontainebleau Chateau and dine on regional specialities such as ‘boeuf bourguinon’ and ‘coq au vin’.
 

Cross the English Lake District on Foot

National Parks UK says: “Rugged yet beautiful. An awe-inspiring landscape of high fells, deep glacial lakes and quaint rural villages.” Celebrated by the poetry of Wordsworth and the stories of Beatrix Potter and Arthur Ransome, the Lake District is the first National Park in the UK to be awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. In between quaint market towns, the Cumbria Way leads past the peaceful depths of Coniston Water and Derwentwater lakes, as well as the superb Tarn Hows, set in picturesque wooded hills. Get there by train, bus or car.

Holland Family Barge & Bike

A trip perfect for families looking for their first cycling, no-fly holiday: the flat cycle ways and pretty canals of Holland offer some of the most enchanting and safe cycling opportunities in Europe. Aboard your hotel barge and in the company of other families, the pace is relaxed ensuring that all members of the family are able to fully participate in the day’s cycle.
 

Lochs & Bens of Scotland

Enjoy majestic mountain peaks, shimmering lochs and pretty glens… Take Scotland’s backroads and country paths, explore peaceful villages and rural towns, take a forest walk and visit one of the many castles and ancient monuments found along the way. The Lochs & Bens trip focuses on Perthshire, known as Scotland’s ‘big county’ because of the wide variety of landscapes that can be found here.
 

Bilbao to Santander (Camino Norte)

Taking the ferry may not be the fastest way to reach Spain but it is one of the most sustainable ways to travel. Port cities such as Bilbao and Santander are connected with direct ferry links to the south of England and the walk between the two takes you along dramatic coastline and mountain paths.
   

Provence Bike & Boat

Sun-drenched and quintessentially French, Provence is high on the wish list of so many travellers. Eurostar’s direct service to Avignon offers a great alternative to reach the south of France and have a holiday without flying. On this trip you travel by boat down the Rhône from Avignon, along picturesque Provençal villages and on to the wilderness of the Camargue, where wild horses roam.
 

Swiss Chocolate Cycle

If you love chocolate you cannot go wrong with a holiday in Switzerland! On this loop cycle from Zurich, one of the best connected cities in Europe by train, you will learn the secrets of Swiss chocolate production, visiting two chocolate factories and even creating your own bar.
 

A Taste of the Wicklow Way

The Wicklow Way attracts walkers from across the world eager to explore one of the greenest parts of the ‘Emerald Isle’. It is Ireland’s oldest waymarked trail and winds through the Wicklow Mountains, considered by many one of the country’s most spectacular upland areas. It is easily accessible from Dublin, making it a favourite walk for locals and visitors alike.  

Dublin is just a short ferry hop away so you can continue your no-fly holiday through Ireland taking in other spectacular parts such as the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula.