By Emma Dodd
As the October half-term holidays draw closer and coronavirus restrictions become more convoluted, it can be confusing to work out what’s allowed and what’s not.
In terms of a family getaway in the caravan, it’s still possible to enjoy a staycation as long as you follow a few rules.
The two things to consider are the region you are travelling to and the location you are visiting from, as both will be a factor in what you can and can’t do.
Anyone living in an area with minimal local restrictions in place is free to travel to a caravan park within Great Britain that is also not under lockdown, as long as they follow the rule of six.
If this applies to you and you are planning on meeting up with another household, make sure you practice social distancing.
Anyone who has booked a half-term holiday for an area experiencing a local lockdown must only mix with members of their own household or support bubble.
This means no indoor socialising in each other’s caravans, pubs or restaurants.
If you are coming from an area in England that is under tighter restrictions then you are still allowed to travel, but these same rules apply.
When it comes to Scotland, the official guidance is not to visit the central belt, which stretches from Glasgow to Edinburgh, between October 10th and 25th.
Interestingly, this so-called circuit breaker lockdown will affect the majority of school children in Scotland, whose half-term runs from October 19th to 23rd and not England, where half-term is a week later.
Residents of this central belt have also been advised not to leave during this period, unless it is necessary and first minister Nicola Sturgeon does deem half-term breaks important.
She said: “We are not insisting that people cancel any half-term breaks they have planned.”
That means Glaswegians and Edinburghers can stay in a caravan but only with members from their own household.
Wales is much stricter in implementing its restrictions with areas under local lockdown being subject to a travel ban, meaning residents can’t leave for the half-term break, which will start on October 30th for most schools.
Visitors are also not permitted to travel to locked down areas of Wales, which was made clear when the largest caravan park in Europe sent holidaymakers home as soon as parts of south Wales went into lockdown.
Unlike the Scottish administration, the Welsh government has stated that holidays are not a reasonable justification to travel to and from restricted areas, putting an end to many caravan breaks.
Holidays to Northern Ireland are still permitted to anyone travelling from a non-restricted area with the exception of the county of Derry City and Strabane, which is locked down.
Northern Ireland’s current coronavirus policy states that only people within the same household or support bubble should mix indoors.
With the half-term holidays still a week or two away, depending on where you live, it’s important to keep an eye on the changing restrictions and how they might affect your caravan getaway.
