by Alice Scarsi
Britons rediscover their sense of adventure in their 50s with a majority wanting to explore the UK in a caravan or motorhome
Results of a new survey have revealed the age at which British people seek to rediscover their sense of adventure is 52½.
Freedom to Go, an initiative launched in January 2015 by the National Caravan Council (NCC), The Caravan Club and The Camping and Caravanning Club that promotes the lifestyle benefits of going on holiday in a leisure vehicle, has revealed the figures following a study conducted with 2,000 Brits aged between 40 and 60 years old.
The results clearly indicate that those in their fifties are in search of less of a relaxed, calmer lifestyle following being freed from the responsibilities of parenthood and the worries of economic instability. Instead, people within this age bracket are most likely to regain their identity and begin to explore new interests and passions.
Over half of those interviewed (54 per cent) said that lack of money was the main reason for not pursuing their interests before this age, with 40 per cent indicated that putting their children first was precedent in previous decades. These reasons were followed by the commitment to work and the difficulty taking long breaks as a result – a problem shared by 24 per cent of respondents.
The study also revealed that a third of ‘freed’ Brits would prefer to spend their spare time discovering new areas of the UK – in particular the coasts – whilst 21 per cent would like to spend more time discovering nature. Surprisingly – or not as the case may be – spending time with children and grandchildren comes at a lowly fourth place, and seems to be the main desire of just 20 per cent of those interviewed.
One interesting statistic revealed by the Freedom to Go survey was that nearly 60 per cent of Brits love the idea of using a caravan or motorhome to tour and explore new areas of the United Kingdom. This statistic is encouraging for the promoters of Freedom to Go, as Jennifer Summers, spokesperson for Freedom to Go, reveals: “It’s fascinating to see how attitudes to hitting 50 have changed. The stereotype of a ‘slow down, slippers on’ generation couldn’t be further from the truth. This study shows that for Brits in their fifties, hitting the road and gaining new experiences is becoming the norm. And why not – after the relative stress of our 30s and 40s, we’ve earned the chance to take a Grown Up Gap Year, or more weekends exploring the beauty of Britain.”
What do you think? Does life begin at 50?
