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Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

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Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

Camping

Do you all have glowing childhood memories of camping as a child?

36 replies

handlemecarefully · 09/08/2006 21:06

I ask really because my parents didn't take me camping (so I don't have rosy memories of my own), and whilst I reasonably enjoy camping as an adult - I am motivated to go more because I think it's fun for the children and I want them to look back on it fondly as something fun they did during their formative years.

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JessaFreedomFighter · 09/08/2006 21:11

yes, had great time, do not however have rosy memories of having to always piss in a bucket cos we never went to campsites with toilets, and having stale, warm milk on cornflakes cos no fridge, or even a cool box, just a washing up bowl filled with water!!!

LIZS · 09/08/2006 21:14

I didn't go until after about 10 and then only long weekends in private grounds and Guide camps. Memories of chilly mornings , everything damp with dew, stewed tea, poor sleep, no toilet facilities close by.... the outdoorsy lifestyle and long evenings chatting were fun though . Perhaps I started too late to really enjoy it as dh took ds to a school overnight camp and he loved it.

Gillian76 · 09/08/2006 21:16

I am trying to convinve my DH on these grounds, hmc!

We went for a one-night trip on Monday and the children really enjoyed it

UrsulatheSeawitch · 09/08/2006 21:17

We didn't go camping but I have very fond damp-grass-smelling memories of back-garden camping (under a clothes horse with a sheet over it mostly )

My kids have done it a lot however (thanks to DH) and lovelovelove it still. Mind you we don't have a garden, it's the only time they've had loads of space, might have something to do with it I suppose.

handlemecarefully · 09/08/2006 21:18

Mine certainly seem to have had fun so far......so I hope it will give them lasting memories

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Kittypickle · 09/08/2006 21:20

Yes, very rosy memories as does my brother. Camping holidays were the only time we got on for about 18 years !! I am going to do it with mine but am going to be a wimp and wait for DS to be 4 or 5.

crunchie · 09/08/2006 21:21

I jave fond memories and my kids love it. We started when they were 4 and 2 and they always vote for a camping holiday even above Eurodisney

Surfermum · 09/08/2006 21:21

I didn't go under canvas with my parents, but I look back on my guide camps with great fondness. Proper camping it was then too. None of these namby pamby inflatable mattresses and hook up.

Kittypickle · 09/08/2006 21:23

I have no intention of doing "proper camping" Surfermum when there are namby pamby airbeds available

handlemecarefully · 09/08/2006 21:25

Blimey sufermum - wot did you sleep on...the floor (said in reverential awed tones)

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handlemecarefully · 09/08/2006 21:27

I do tend to think that I am being 'well 'ard' just deigning to use the shower block after ny verrucae afflicted fellow campers have been in them in their scores

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Gillian76 · 09/08/2006 21:28

My memory of guide camp is tainted by the tent like blue camp dresses. Did you have them?

gladbag · 09/08/2006 21:32

I have very fond memories of dozens of camping trips in the 70s in Wales, Cornwall and beyond......Although the one where my dad made us children lie on the mud flaps of the tent at 3am to stop it being blown away in a force 10 gale isn't one of them. Or the time we pesky children thought it would be funny to swap all the labels on the tins of food and glue them on wrongly, and then were made to eat baked beans with custard on toast. Or the time when my dad filled the water tank with wine on the way back from France, to escape duties, and then we had nothing to wash with, or the time it rained so hard and for so long that our toilet tent was washed away, never to be seen again and we ended up in a B&B without a dry non-muddy belonging among 5 of us....
It was all remarkably character-building, and my family can reminisce for hours, so was obviously worth it.

handlemecarefully · 09/08/2006 21:37

So far our camping experiences haven't been quite so eventful gladbag!

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Skribble · 09/08/2006 21:48

Mid 70s, big campsite with Butlins type entertainment.

There was a kids club in the evenings that you went to in your PJs, the leaders brought in bags of chips about 9pm then tried there best to get us to go to sleep until parents picked us up about midnight. Furnished with park benches.

Dressing up competitions at the end of the week, mum was always great at improvising as she never remembered to take anything to make costumes with great picture of me and my brother. I was a mermaid with a tail made from binbags, brother was incredible hulk with a pair of torn PJ's and head to toe green paint, don't know where she got the paint from. I was the holiday princess one year .

Big park with a helter skelter, mum would put a hang a tea towel on the tent when it was time to come in for tea.

After the age of about 6 we started Youth Hosteling and my uncle inherited the tent.

expatinscotland · 09/08/2006 21:49

No. I have terrific memories of some lovely self-catering cottages, however , and hotel rooms.

Surfermum · 09/08/2006 21:54

We had sleeping bags on a groundsheet HMC! It wasn't even one big groundsheet, we each had one and had to piece them together to cover the whole tent floor. In the morning you had to roll your sleeping bag up inside the groundsheet and tie it up like a parcel with some rope.

Then the "bedding roll" was put on the bedding roll stand. The bedding roll stand had been made on the first day by lashing 4 sticks together with string.

I can't remember having a pillow but I do remember some great midnight feasts and sitting up with torches and telling ghost stories.

Of course nowadays, it's inflatable mattresses, pillows and duvets (a frilly one to boot) and a mid-night trip to dd's potty for a wee as the old bladder doesn't hold. But I still haven't caved in and got hook up.

acnebride · 09/08/2006 22:05

Guide camp was hell on earth for 2.5 days 20 yrs ago, my last night under canvas in this country.

We're going camping in 10 days and i've demanded airbeds, toilet blocks and strategic withdrawal if i hate it.

i'm somehow still expecting ds to love it... and am v excited myself.

handlemecarefully · 09/08/2006 22:07

Yes I have a problem with hook up too. Not quite authentic enough....

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Surfermum · 09/08/2006 22:15

I just got back from a 10 day trip to Cornwall. I did have trouble keeping my wine chilled so that could be a deciding factor.

handlemecarefully · 09/08/2006 22:20

I'm really wet - I only do 3 nights maximum!

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Xena · 09/08/2006 22:22

Yes proper tent too canvas a frame, dark green, no showers no hot water and a toilet tent full of spiders....... and we loved it

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crunchie · 09/08/2006 22:32

HMC electric hook up means cold white wine

I have always done the coolbox thng, but this year bought a fridge and electric. It is fab. It is still camping, but with added benefits

crunchie · 09/08/2006 22:32

HMC electric hook up means cold white wine

I have always done the coolbox thng, but this year bought a fridge and electric. It is fab. It is still camping, but with added benefits

TinyGang · 09/08/2006 22:38

I'm in exactly the same situation as you hmc.

I didn't go as a child - dh did though and has happy memories. We have just started this summer. The children seem to love it.

I'm trying really hard not to be too Margo Leadbetter about it all. Of course it's great to see them having a wonderful time, but I struggle with nature it has to be said. I'm more of a 'room service' sort of girl!

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