Bike camping in the lochs of Scotland
Cycle tour from Loch Venachar. Photo: jbdodane/Alamy Where is the furthest you can cycle? After a short train ride across Loch Lomond, I cycled 100 miles across three lakes (Venachar, Earn and then Tay) in Scotland ending up in picturesque Pitlochry. Although I had problems with my bike, I didn’t pay anything as bike repair stations were scattered along the route. Wild camping is legal throughout Scotland so we didn’t pay anything for that either. The biggest expense was a few celebratory drinks at Pitlochry’s Old Mill Inn and then the train journey home. A word of warning: try to reserve a seat for your bike on trains in northern Scotland. The cheapest vacations include not paying for hotels, but the most free do not include car travel! Tim Moss Profile
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projection Tips from Guardian Travel readers Every week we ask our readers for travel recommendations. A selection of tips will appear online and may appear in print. To enter the latest competition, visit the reader tips homepage – Thanks for your response.
Polish Classic – Wroclaw
Small statues of goblins are everywhere in Wrocław. Photo: alexabelov/Getty Images A long weekend in Wrocław was my most enjoyable holiday to date – how could exploring a city full of tiny goblins not be? We had to cram three days worth of clothes into a small bag and our room was shaking from the morning trams, but it didn’t matter! The street art, beautiful architecture and green spaces made wandering around the (free) city a joy. Great, cheap food was easy to find, from freshly baked pastries to Polish classics. A trip to the flea market ordered souvenirs and we finished off our evenings with (dangerously) budget cocktails and local beer. Siobhan Maher
Easy pedal, Cotswolds
Cycling in Bibury, Gloucestershire Photo: Greg Balfour Evans/Alamy A cheap and cheerful Cotswolds cycling holiday was great for my family last summer, especially as the weather was so dry and hot. The distances between villages are long enough for a leisurely pedal, and youth hostels are a great option at around £25 a night for a dorm bed or a simple family room. No need to check news about gas costs, strikes or blocked highways. Picnics from local stores and farms allowed us to eat whatever we wanted for lunch without worrying about bills or service charges. Plus, we came back healthier and more energized than normal after a trip. Nick
Interrailing again after 50 years
Breakfast in Barcelona after the overnight train from Paris. Photo: Aliaksandr Mazurkevich/Alamy Fifty years after doing Europe on the cheap with Interrail as a student, I decided it was time to repeat the experience as a senior citizen last summer. Seven days in a month for over 60s is still a steal at just under £300. The trains are more comfortable than some of the 1980s rattlers, and you can still save money on hotels by taking exotic-sounding night trains like Vienna-Venice or Paris-Barcelona. The last one left at midnight and we were enjoying coffee and churros on La Rambla at 7am the next day without spending £70 on a hotel. Some ships are also included, making the Greek Islands possible! Bill
Lean Seychelles – yes, really
The bus station in Victoria, Mahe Island, Seychelles. Photo: Ruben Ramos/Alamy Seychelles is not a place known for budget holidays, but it is possible to be frugal. My top tip is to get around the main island, Mahé, by bus. It will cost you 12 rupees (73p), while a private chauffeur will set you back at least €150. They come every half hour but there are stops all over the small island. The beautiful beaches are free! sptc.sc/timetable Sarah Houston
Essex manners
Seafood on the beach, Mersea. Photograph: Ashok Saxena/Alamy We stayed on Mersea Island recently which was an absolute delight just a train ride away from London. Our week was filled with walking along uncrowded beaches full of pearly oyster shells and lovely lipstick colored beach huts, eating lobster on the beach for £20. There is even a vineyard to visit. Rosie
Exchange shop
My best advice would be to use homeexchange.com. We have a mutual exchange with a family in Galicia at the end of September, exchanging cars and all the comforts of a home away from home. You’ve done over 40 exchanges and vacations in San Francisco, Arkansas, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, France (various), Spain, and you’ll be spending a month in South Africa in November. Our replacements from New Zealand saved us for four extra weeks when they were stranded in the Covid outbreak. It’s a great community: try it out.Timothy Moynihan
Guest House in North Yorkshire
View of Hawes from Stags Fell, Wensleydale. Photo: johnbsnow/Getty Images YHA Hawes is a great place to stay no matter what size group you’re traveling with. The Yorkshire Dales location offers great views from the lounge and dining room, the small town is a few yards away, with pubs and shops. The friendly staff really make the stay complete. There are private en-suite rooms and shared rooms, all reasonably priced. yha.org.uk Louise
Winning Tip: Talk about a free stay in Spain
English conversation in Spain – for a free stay. Photo: Image Source/Alamy I’ll never forget spending a week in rural Spain, just chatting. I made lifelong friends, laughed until my face hurt, and immersed myself in Spanish culture, all for one cheap flight. Weekly English immersion programs across Spain are always looking for fluent English speakers of all ages and backgrounds. In exchange for your conversation, you will have your own room in a smart hotel and eat delicious Spanish food. Stay near the rugged Sierra Mágina National Park, home to vultures and eagles, or the hot springs of Jaraba, near Zaragoza. No teaching experience required, just a love of talking.volunteers.grupovaughan.com? thisispuebloingles.comCathy Robinson
