'Better than the Himalayas' ... the Duddon Valley on the south-west side of the Lake District. Photograph: Ashley Cooper/Corbis
We were walking down a riverbank, the water spilling over smooth rocks in deep fluted curves. The ground was decked with flowers and the sky was blue. It was early May and the air had that delicious coolness after a hot day. Somebody said, "This is like the Himalayas." Someone else said, "Actually it's better than the Himalayas." Everyone agreed that they were right. We were in the Duddon Valley on the south-west side of the Lake District.
I thought of that day when I read that 49% of British people would like to holiday in England, but don't because green holidays are too expensive here and the weather too awful. What utter tosh! Who are they kidding?
Let's start with the weather. Despite recent weeks, this is the mildest, most easygoing climate in the world. We do not suffer endlessly. At our campsite in the Duddon Valley, a veteran camper told me: "National forecasts for the Lakes are almost always wrong. I've sat here in broad sunshine, listening to a forecaster tell me it is pouring with rain." He grinned. "Okay, I'm not denying it does rain a bit, but I love rain."
That's the next thing. Is there any country in the world where people hate rain quite so much? I've seen people dance for joy when dark clouds appear. I've seen children rush outside to play when a downpour starts. But not in Britain. In the 17th century, the British went out in rain without a thought. It was only with the arrival of umbrellas and gentility that we learned to dislike getting wet. Try swimming in a river or lake when the heavens open. The silvered surface sizzles into life, frogs gaze at you from inches away, droplets roll off the flanks of ducks like beads of quicksilver, the whole world closes down and you become a small part of a microcosmic waterland. People spend years meditating to achieve the state you can reach in seconds. Go on, get wet. Regular dips in natural cool water reduce blood pressure, fatty tissue, stress, and susceptibility to heart attacks and strokes. After a couple of minutes you hardly notice that your toes are blue anyway.
Next is the bit about it being expensive to be green here. One survey quotes a holiday in Spain at £1,120 and a cottage in Devon at £1,650. Think about it. For a family of four in Spain, that is not a swanky holiday, but a cottage for that price? Check on the web: that is a veritable palace. Try holidaypad.net or underthethatch.co.uk/. Green accommodation is available and affordable.
The truth is that the travel industry has sold the British public a certain ideal of what a holiday is: a sandy beach far away across the globe that is lined with palm trees and washed by a warm blue sea. This stereotype is of relatively recent vintage, and despite its apparent inviolable status, is not immortal. Change could, and should, come. Wonderful holiday experiences are available without those elements, and increasing numbers of overseas visitors are not put off by our weather.
For example, if it's excitement you want, forget about tigers and bears and safaris. Try adder-watching. They are quick and deadly and they live near you. I saw a 75cm giant the other day. It was a moment of magic, and not 10 miles from the M18. Or if it's peace and beauty you are after, I recommend the Duddon - try Turner Hall campsite. It's better than the Himalayas.
