How much does touring in Europe and the UK cost?

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Location
Midlands
Reading replies to the likes of “I’m thinking of touring – suggestions please” at least 50% will mention the relative costs of this, that or the other – comments of cost or implied cost viz a viz camping or B&B, the value of good stuff, the expedience of buying cheap, the relative costs of various European countries.

How much do you spend on cycle touring in Europe and the UK? – either camping or B&B – is there value in camping?

Ive always camped around - 650 nights in 20years and around 65000km – a fag packet style calculation would seem to indicate that the all in cost is about £50/day (element of initial capital costs and annual maintenance, travel to from and day to day costs)– sounds a lot when put like that – but makes a three week tour about £1200 – good value for a holiday
 
I recon on just under £20 a day on the road for food and camping/odd hotel room.
I also spend about £500 a year for the trike servicing plus kit upgrades/replacement.
It make my summer tours cost around about £3,000 each and I've done 5 so far ..... :ohmy:
 

HorTs

Über Member
Location
Portsmouth
I'd say there is certainly value in camping if you choose carefully. I've been a campsite that cost me £20 for my little 1 man tent, but also to a B&B that cost the same.

You should be able to get campsites regularly for £10 or under, then there's always wild camping.
 

MarkF

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
I only do short tours in the UK, I like hot sun, I find UK campsites (generally) well over priced for a single cyclist. In France, I camp, in Spain there is no point. To cycle across Spain I spent £25 a day, inc food & a good room each night (shared), 16 days cost me less than £600 inc flights!

I read (might have been on here) about a guy doing a similar North to South route and budgeting at £4 per day! :eek:
 
My 2 weeks with my husband last September roughly cost...
£10 per night camping, plus roughly £20 a day food... £30 * 14 = £420... Round that up to cover the odd night of free camping and the odd night where it cost more. £500. Add in £100 for various tourist attractions and a new rear tyre before we left plus a couple of inner tubes... £600 for 2 weeks for the 2 of us (just England).

My 8 nights solo in July last year cost much less because I was doing the food purchases and I paid for everything by cash. I took £200 cash, came home with (a little) change... That was England and Wales.
 

snorri

Legendary Member
I've never been able to calculate a cost per day. It's fairly easy to calculate how much has been spent between departure and arrival back home, but when I try to break it down.....I feel I have better things to do with my time.
Money gets spent on entertainment along the way, entry tickets to places of interest etc. rail and ferry fares.The weather can influence the number of nights I spend in tent, hostel or hotel. The cost of camping gear would be spread over how many days of camping? I choose to eat and drink out a lot more than I would at home, and spend more, but that is a part of the enjoyment of travel:smile:.
 

Bodhbh

Guru
When I went across from Zeebrugge to the Black Sea, I budgetted around 50 quid a day - which was about right. This is using campsites ~70% of the time and the rest split about even between B&B/hostels and wild camping, and allowing for at least 1 good sitdown meal a nigh and plenty of beers. In some countries it was more expensive (Holland), in others you could easily do that on half (Czech Republic, Hungary). I think you can do it much much cheaper, but then I'm *mostly* limited by time off from work, not cash.

From memory, my kit comes to nearly 3grand new - it least it did from the one time I bothered to list and insure it (waste of money imo). This is only with mid-range gear - grand on the bike, couple of hundred on the tent - but it all adds up. Adding up the bits in the tool kit alone was around 60 quid. I'm at work but I'll have to dig up the list - it may or may not be current. Again, I know you can do it much much cheaper.
 

steveindenmark

Legendary Member
There is so many variations and possibilities.

When I am by myself my accomodation never costs anything as I can throw my tent up anywhere. Even in countries where wild camping is not allowed. I usually have breakfast with me, lunch is often from Aldi or Lidl and I can splash out at Carrafours Deli for evening meal.

Alternatively. You can do what Jannie and I did last year and join a site called Helpx. We spent a week in Cornwall. All our accomodation was free in a great B&B near the sea along with all our food, coffee, cakes etc. Our only real expense was getting there.

In return we provided gardening duties from 9am to 12 each day. We love gardening and that is why we went. We had great accomodation and food and some great cycling. All for free.

Since New Year we have been invited to Scotland, Ireland, Bulgaria, Paris and an island of Sicily that I have no idea how to get to.

Not your normal cycle touring but a worthwhile alternative.....and cheap.
 

StuartG

slower but further
Location
SE London
France is cheap. I usually pay around 30/35 euros for a F1/B&B/Premierclasse room (half that if you are sharing). They are usually in the same park as a hypermarket so bread/cheese/pate/fruit/wine supper will give you plenty of change from 10 euro for supper. Or you can of course choose a bistro/restaurant to fit any budget. Apart from beers/coffee en route there is nothing else to pay apart from the ferry to get there. Why come back?
 

tournut

Active Member
Location
altrincham
I've never been able to calculate a cost per day. It's fairly easy to calculate how much has been spent between departure and arrival back home, but when I try to break it down.....I feel I have better things to do with my time.
Money gets spent on entertainment along the way, entry tickets to places of interest etc. rail and ferry fares.The weather can influence the number of nights I spend in tent, hostel or hotel. The cost of camping gear would be spread over how many days of camping? I choose to eat and drink out a lot more than I would at home, and spend more, but that is a part of the enjoyment of travel:smile:.
I agree with you
 

CopperBrompton

Bicycle: a means of transport between cake-stops
Location
London
I do credit-card touring, and reckon on an average of £100-120/day all-in, depending on the extravagance of the dinner/wine. (That includes ferry crossing there/back, B&B/hotel accommodation, etc.)
 

andym

Über Member
I've never been able to calculate a cost per day. It's fairly easy to calculate how much has been spent between departure and arrival back home, but when I try to break it down.....I feel I have better things to do with my time..

Erm... total amount spent divided by number of days away?
 

bigjim

Legendary Member
Location
Manchester. UK
I can't do a cost per day as tours are so different. Touring alone can be expensive as I avoid camping if possible. Last year we were getting great rooms in Portugal for £30 between us. In France or Germany I can pay up to €50 for a solo room. I always try and insist on a buffet breakfast so I can fill up. Lunch is usually Lidl or similar. Travelling alone, evening meal can be a local Pizza joint or I'm quite happy to eat and cook in my room. Camping I usually eat out.
One thing, when I go to Mallorca for a fixed base holiday in an all inclusive hotel, with bike hire it works out cheaper than touring. Crazy!
 

briantrumpet

Legendary Member
Location
Devon & Die
I'd go for the "up to £100 per day" all-in estimate for France, though I'll admit that I find it very hard to pass by a lunchtime restaurant, and then, blow me down, the same happens in the evening. I B&B it too, as I like to travel light. But that means I can do about 100 miles a day, fairly comfortably (apart from the flatulence from overeating).
 
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