 and Bude (£143), were a close second and third. Away from the coast, holidaymakers have been stung by high costs too – £30 for six hours' parking on the shores of Lake Windermere, and over £300 on a day trip to Alton Towers are just some of the receipts circulating online. It would appear that the cheap and cheerful British summer holiday is a thing of the past – even if, rumour has it, the staycation bubble is about to burst . Below, our experts air their frugal frustrations and lift the lid on some of the most eye-watering prices catching holidaymakers out this summer, before offering their tips on making budgets go further. A boat trip, a pizza lunch, a lakeside stroll and a treat of cakes or ice cream. Nothing fancy, just a simple day out in Bowness-on-Windermere. But how much will these simple pleasures cost you? Add the price of parking and you'll be lucky to have change out of £130. Thinking of buying a souvenir from the World of Beatrix Potter? The cheapest soft toy I could find on a recent visit was £15. And if the kids clamour to visit the attraction – charming but it doesn't take long – that's another £28 for two adults and two children. Afterwards, a (very ordinary) americano at the Fizzy Tarté café-bar, across the road from the souvenir shop, will cost almost £4, while their cocktails are more expensive than at the nearby Michelin-starred Gilpin Hotel. Grasmere, 10 miles to the north and home to Wordsworth, tells a similar story. It's a small village, so demand will always exceed supply, but burger (Swedish, admittedly) and chips (sorry, fries) at Mathilde's lovely Scandi-designed café comes in at){kind=link}
From Cornwall to the Cotswolds, we reveal the steep prices surprising tourists and advise on how to make budgets go further this summer
If you’ve been on holiday in the UK this summer you’ll have noticed something. No, not the dreadful weather, but the strain on your purse strings.
In a recent survey by Cheaprooms.co.uk, Sidmouth in Devon was named the most expensive seaside resort in the UK – costing £154, on average, for a night’s stay. Two of Cornwall’s most popular holiday destinations, St Ives (£147) and Bude (£143), were a close second and third. Away from the coast, holidaymakers have been stung by high costs too – £30 for six hours’ parking on the shores of Lake Windermere, and over £300 on a day trip to Alton Towers are just some of the receipts circulating online.
It would appear that the cheap and cheerful British summer holiday is a thing of the past – even if, rumour has it, the staycation bubble is about to burst. Below, our experts air their frugal frustrations and lift the lid on some of the most eye-watering prices catching holidaymakers out this summer, before offering their tips on making budgets go further.
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