Rhea Alton, husband Simon, dog Norman and friends Tom and Vickie Warren, all from Shrewsbury, have embarked on a mission to enjoy a ‘holiday on a shoestring’ around the UK in a motorhome. Rhea updates us on their trip at the end of day four.

We are all lazing around in the sunshine outside the motorhome at the Fairfields Farm campsite in Pevensey, near Eastbourne.

Today we donned walking boots and rucksacks and headed along the coast to Beachy Head, a trip which was tiring but fantastic. The sun broke through the clouds at midday and this afternoon has been a scorcher!

Tuna Napolitana at the campsite

The budget has also been significantly reduced since I last wrote. We had £215.37 left at lunchtime yesterday and now have £134.87.

We enjoyed fish and chips on the beach near the pier yesterday at a cost of £21.90, parked the motorhome in Eastbourne which cost £4.80 and paid a visit to a shop for lemonade, more milk, fruit, postcards a newspaper and scourers, costing £11.50.

Today we bought more milk from the campsite shop for a £1, paid £4.80 to park in Eastbourne again, bought ice-cream at Beachy Head costing £7.50 and then topped up the alcohol stocks for the rest of the holiday at a cost of £29.

Last night I cooked up a Tuna Napolitana and salad for everyone, using the initial shop goodies, and I made sandwiches for everyone to eat at lunchtime today. Tonight we will have curry or risotto – the decision has yet to be made.

Tom and Vickie at Beachy Head

The past couple of days has seen praise heaped on Rocky the motorhome – named by the staff at Horizon motorhomes. Simon likes the fact that he can have a cold beer wherever he is, Vickie likes the fact she can’t forget anything because we took the whole motorhome with us and that her friends who don’t like flying would be able to go all over the country and Tom has great ideas about camping in remote and distant Scottish highlands and still having access to a proper toilet, a hob and a fridge!

I was a believer in the motorhome from the start but I have to admit it is proving better than I imagined, although the weather is, of course, a big part of the overall greatness of this holiday, I cannot believe we have now had three days of sunshine.

And travelling around makes the week seem longer – we have already ridden along canals, enjoyed lunch with relatives, had a barbecue, sat and eaten fish and chips on the beach and walked along the coastline . . . it doesn’t feel like it’s only been three days.

We still have three days left and the budget is significantly reduced so we will have to tighten our belts a little but I think we are still on track. Obviously families will probably spend less on alcohol and more on the children – Eastbourne has a fantastic ‘Treasure Island’ family centre that we had to hold Simon back from so I imagine a trip there would be a must!