West Sussex Man’s Extreme Day Trip Group Gains Significant Following

A Facebook group, founded by a West Sussex resident, which focuses on extreme day trips originating from the UK, has attracted over 250,000 members. Michael Cracknell, a resident of Haywards Heath, has undertaken day trips to various locations such as Athens, Berlin, and Gibraltar, primarily to avoid expenses related to accommodation and to conserve annual leave days. Within his Facebook group, named “Extreme Day Trips,” participants exchange their travel experiences and advice for excursions both within the United Kingdom and internationally. Cracknell stated: “People these days, especially now, are on quite tight budgets and they want to do something, they want to take the kids out somewhere different, somewhere unique.” Mr. Cracknell, who facilitates group day trips, noted that a prior excursion to Athens cost a total of £149, whereas a train fare from Gatwick to Edinburgh on the same day amounted to £189. He further elaborated: “You can just get on a plane and and go somewhere hot or [with] mountains or ancient ruins like the Acropolis or the Coliseum of Rome.” The online community also permits submissions concerning overnight trips, acknowledging that same-day returns are not feasible from certain airports. Furthermore, a two-day trip is permissible if a participant’s reaction to the concept is “that’s ridiculous.” Speaking to BBC Radio Sussex, Mr. Cracknell revealed that his enthusiasm originated from a day trip to Zurich, Switzerland, in 2001. Switzerland has since become one of his preferred destinations, with him having visited the country over 20 times in 2024.