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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

I love camping. DH hates it. Anyone else feel my pain?

28 replies

oregonianabroad · 15/05/2009 20:35

I'd go by myself if I could get our tent up.

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oregonianabroad · 15/05/2009 20:36

and I think he conned me when we got married by pretending to be outdoorsy.

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oopsacoconut · 15/05/2009 20:38

I am so with you on this one! DH promised me a new tent when we sold the camper - He used the money for a 4 day stay in a 5 star hotel as he then admitted he hated camping!

Once DD is old enough we are going it alone.

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gigglewitch · 15/05/2009 20:39

I have the perfect solution

I leave 3yo dd and daddy at home, and me and the 2 boys go camping

We go caravaning as a family - there's no way I'd get him any nearer the outdoors than that lol.

We should do raving feminist style mners camping meetups. And I'm serious about the meet-ups, feminism optional

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oregonianabroad · 15/05/2009 20:40

oopsacoconut, at least we are not alone.

last time we went camping (Easter) he moaned so much about the cold, he could have heated the tent.

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oregonianabroad · 15/05/2009 20:42

My dses are too young to be any use at putting up tent. I would have bought much smaller tent if I had only known how he really felt!

Like the feminist camping idea, gigglewitch.

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gigglewitch · 15/05/2009 20:44

I found out in time - so bought a 3- man tent. With two small boys there are Rules - no stinky trainers in the bedroom bit and no trumping in my tent

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snickersnack · 15/05/2009 20:44

I feel your pain. We used to camp a lot as kids, and it was really fun. I'd love the dcs to experience that, but dh is very against it. I've nagged and nagged him and have finally got him to agree to give it a try.

I plan to break him in gently - we're going to Camp Bestival this year and staying in a pre-erected yurt type affair, then we might try Featherdown Farm next year. And then buy a cheap tent and do spontaneous "it's a sunny weekend, let's go" type trips. I think I'm never going to persuade him to devote an entire 2 week holiday to living under canvas.

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dustyteddy · 15/05/2009 20:44

My dh hates camping too. The closest I can get him to camping is in a mobile home, with all mod cons. So frustrating, as there are some beautiful parts of the UK I would like to visit that will cost a fortune unless we camp

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gigglewitch · 15/05/2009 20:45

what I want to know is - why is it all the fellas that are so choosy

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Mung · 16/05/2009 08:38

We had our first family trip on bank holiday weekend. DH was grumpy the whole time, talking about selling the tent and never doing it again. It was hard work to try and remain enthusiastic. When we got home he decided he did enjoy it and he is coming again next time. I just hope that it wasn't the fact that he was tucked up in his own bed, warm with all the mod cons that made him forget the things he didn't like about camping.

Can you go with friends Oregonian and leave DH at home? He'd be missing out!

Perhaps warmer weather camping might suit him better.

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oregonianabroad · 16/05/2009 08:41

We're going to try again in June, fingers crossed for warmer weather!! He says his absolute maximum number of nights is 2, however, it is 'too much hassle' to go to all the trouble 'just for 2 nights'!! argh.

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Mung · 16/05/2009 08:45

Poor you. I suppose he wants the caravan option instead!

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Littlepurpleprincess · 16/05/2009 08:45

DP hates camping, but he's coming anyway! and damn it, he WILL enjoy himself! We are going to Lady's Mile in Dawlish this summer. It's a big fancy campsite with all the facilities so I'm breaking him in gently.

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Mung · 16/05/2009 08:47

How are you going to make him love it? Thats what I was trying to do when we went, but it was so tiring. Sometimes you need a moan too, but I had to remain so positive and energetic, despite not sleeping well whilst he snored away!

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Orangesarenottheonlyfruit · 16/05/2009 17:45

Offer masses of booze and blow jobs! My Dh loooves camping now...

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LissyGlitter · 16/05/2009 17:50

I have this same problem. Luckily my parents love camping, so I just go with them!

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TsarChasm · 16/05/2009 17:58

Oh dear it's rather the other way around in our tent.

I am not a natural camper communing with nature tbh, but I have come round to it a teeny tiny bit over time.

Mainly really because the dc love it and it's pretty much the only way we can have a holiday.

Enough red wine in a mug and I'll put up with most things (and have come to think of it) But if anyone mentioned 'hotel' 'room service' or 'bath' I'd be off like a shot. Those words don't crop up much during a camping trips though I find.

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Mung · 17/05/2009 08:37

Oranges

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oregonianabroad · 17/05/2009 09:38

Tried that oranges -- maybe it was the shock & the hangover that put him off?!

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oregonianabroad · 17/05/2009 09:40

Mung, did you get a caravan in the end? Our cars limited our options too much (too light) and we can't afford to replace them, so that whole plan is on hold. I actually like being under canvas and see the whole thing as an adventure, although I can see that it would be warmer and a bit more contained if we were in a caravan.

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runnyhabbit · 17/05/2009 09:45

'tis the other way round here.

My parents took us camping so often when we were younger, and I think it has scarred me put me off for life

I like my creature comforts - hot water, haidryer, comfy bed. Dh, otoh, thinks it's an absolute neccessity that all children should go camping. We've kind of agreed that when ds2 is out of nappies, then we will do it togther. If the boys really like it, they can go more often, and I will have the house to myself

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Mung · 17/05/2009 19:59

Oregonian We decided that camping was cheaper and we could have relative comfort for a fraction of the price. The trouble is that we are struggling to fit all our gear into the car now and I keep thinking a van would be a good idea . I agree about it being more of an adventure under canvas and I also think its probably quicker to set up than faffing around with a caravan - although I think I may be trying to convince myself that camping is easier there!

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ilove · 17/05/2009 20:04

I'm with the husbands! I hate, loathe and detest camping! EVERY holiday as a child was spent in a grotty field in a freezing tent sleeping on lumpy ground, eating egg sandwiches with grit in...shudder.

Yes, tried it as an adult and hated it just as much. Give me a B&B or a hotel any day! I'll do a static caravan...if it is large, clean and WARM!

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poopscoop · 17/05/2009 20:05

during the summer hols when dh is at work, a group of us mums get together with our tents and dc and head to a local site for a couple of days. It is brilliant fun, girls have a drink in the evenings and the dc just please themselves too. It can be really cheap if you stay local, i.e pop home for any missing bits and pieces, or o feed the animals etc.

Then we have the family holiday seperately.

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Stinkermink · 17/05/2009 20:20

That sounds fab poopscoop! We always had camping holidays as children (as did my DH), but my family always went to France or Italy and his the UK so he is a little against the concept. But feels that it is something that all children should have as a memory. My main memories of camping were, never washing (except in the pool), running riot over the whole camp with other similar ferral children whilst my parents got sozzled from about 5pm. Also compulsory camping memories are tripping over guy ropes in the dark and spending at least one day tackling the ants, as pissed parents had gone to bed leaving elderly french sticks on the table .