Do you fancy doing something different for your holiday? Although it can be a nice thought to fly off to the sun and relax for a week or two on the beach or by the pool some people prefer the thought of being more on the move, exploring the coast or countryside.

An increasingly popular choice is to hire a narrow boat. They’re well equipped with home conveniences and create a relaxing holiday as you dawdle along, stopping where you like, with pubs and canal villages/towns en route. The boat is easily manageable and you have a feeling of being close to nature with all sorts of wildlife and the scents of the countryside. You do however travel very slowly so you won’t see much variety in surroundings, and if the weather’s bad you can feel a bit stuck.

Another option is to take a walking holiday. If you prefer something organized you can book with a company that will provide you with maps, routes, accommodation, transfer your luggage between overnight stops. You can choose to start and finish when and where you like so there’s a lot of flexibility and you can explore stunning countryside. Or you could choose something more tailor made with everything arranged for you. You might of course simply prefer to plan the whole thing yourself which gives you even more flexibility.

If you like the sea you might consider a sailing holiday. If you’re adept at sailing you can charter a boat yourself, plan your own itinerary and go at your own pace, exploring coastlines or islands. You can stop where you like, mooring up overnight in a harbour or dropping anchor offshore, it’s up to you. Or hire a boat with a skipper who’ll do the whole thing for you or let you participate in the sailing if you want to learn.

One of the most flexible of holidays however is hiring a camper van. You really do have freedom to go where you fancy and stay as long as you like, and in the UK you can travel easily and fit in a huge variety of countryside in a matter of days. There’s even more flexibility if you take bikes on the rack at the back – you can stop outside busy towns and cycle in to avoid traffic congestion, or use them to explore bridleways or other areas inaccessible to vehicles. Campervans are comfortable and reliable and if the weather turns you have a cosy place to sit and read or watch TV – a mini home on wheels!

With a variety of camper van rental options available from www.motorhome-city.co.uk online, Keith Barrett believes that there is a great opportunity for many people to create truly flexible travel itineraries.