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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is this the camping trip from hell.

212 replies

Redgreenfroggy · 27/08/2024 20:30

Just want to start by saying we camp 2 or 3 times a year and have loved it. Don’t know if we have been really lucky with campsites.
yep there has been the odd annoyance but on the whole great.

Arrived at a campsite yesterday and the family in the tent next door just seem to yell at each other all the time. If they are not yelling at each other they are yelling at the dog. The adults are constantly swearing at each other and the two little girls just seem to scream

To make it the 2 girls aged about 5 kept running in our tent laughing and running out again. At one point when DH and DS had bobbed to the campsite shop and I was looking for something in the car I looked back at the tent to see both girls coming out of our tent with one of my sons board games. I stopped them and said they should not take things that dont belong to them and to stop coming in our tent. All I got in return was them both sticking their tongue out at me.

When my DH came back he went over and had a word but they parents could not seem to grasp while we didn’t want their little darlings on our tent and said they would only be borrowing the board game.

Woke up this morning at 6 to the girls running around our tent screaming and shouting for my son to wake up. My son is 12 and wants nothing to do with them. Luckily it stared raining so they went back to their tent.

Later this afternoon came back to the campsite after a day out and not only has a new family pitched their tent right up next to ours so we could literally reach out and touch their tent from standing inside ours, they have pitched over were the car is meant to go.

all the tents are pitched so there is a tent and then a car on the right hand side but they have 2 cars and have just taken up their pitch and half of ours. I did point out this to them but I just got a shrug of the shoulders.

We did mention to the owners of the campsite this had happened and they did say they would have a word if we really wanted them too but could we just put our car by reception. We got the feeling they did not want any confrontation. So our car is now by reception. Not a huge deal but still a bit inconvenient.

i am now in our tent listening to an argument from the family next door. The kids screaming and the dog going bat shit barking. Plus the ones that are right up next to us the bloke keeps hacking at the time.
So you get that massive hack noise as if he is trying to bring something up. The women with him had a cackle laugh that would put Amanda Holden and Alisha Dixon to shame.

My DH has gone out to get ear plugs

OP posts:
cardibach · 27/08/2024 21:16

SaltAndVinegar2 · 27/08/2024 21:14

I genuinely love camping and find it much better than being a building, unless it's a ski holiday in a nice chalet for example. There's nothing better than beautiful outdoor space, sunshine all day, being with friends. I have a good thick mattress which is just as comfy as my bed at home, cosy sleeping bag, take my own pillow, plenty of blankets. When I was growing up I used to sleep in a tent in my parents garden all summer

Why does staying in a building mean you can’t be in a beautiful space and all day sunshine or with friends? A mattress on the floor is not as comfortable as a bed, that’s a fact - particularly since my mattress would fill the car in its own. Plus it’s at floor level so getting out of it isn’t fun. Then you have to walk bloody miles for a wee and share showers with a load of strangers.

time2changeCharlieBrown · 27/08/2024 21:16

Gosh that sounds awful
can you be moved or is there anywhere else you can try?

KimKardashiansLostEarring · 27/08/2024 21:16

I don’t know why anyone ever thought camping would be anything other than hell. I rather like walls.

Heedthaball · 27/08/2024 21:16

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supernannyjane1 · 27/08/2024 21:16

This is precisely why we bought a caravan.....

CultOfRamen · 27/08/2024 21:16

You do know you can pack a tent up an move it some where else right?

AgileGreenSeal · 27/08/2024 21:15

I’d be breaking camp asap and getting outta there. It sounds horrendous.

KimFan · 27/08/2024 21:14

cardibach · 27/08/2024 20:32

Camping is shit. It’s even shitter with bad neighbours, but in a hotel they’d be less of an issue , so it boils back down to camping being shit.

This. How anyone can find camping enjoyable is unfathomable to me. Seeing as you are already on your holiday now, and depending on how much you paid to pitch there/if it would make a significant negative impact on your holiday finances to move, I’d do some research and go elsewhere.

SaltAndVinegar2 · 27/08/2024 21:14

cardibach · 27/08/2024 21:10

I don’t believe anyone has amazing holidays camping I’m afraid. Amazing considering it’s camping, yes. But amazing compared with staying in a building? Not a chance. I have camped where buildings aren’t an option (back of beyond in a South Africa for eg) but the camping is always a bit shit and uncomfortable.

I genuinely love camping and find it much better than being a building, unless it's a ski holiday in a nice chalet for example. There's nothing better than beautiful outdoor space, sunshine all day, being with friends. I have a good thick mattress which is just as comfy as my bed at home, cosy sleeping bag, take my own pillow, plenty of blankets. When I was growing up I used to sleep in a tent in my parents garden all summer

florenceandthemac · 27/08/2024 21:14

Please name the campsite so we can all avoid it

MonsteraMama · 27/08/2024 21:14

Maybe you could "borrow" all their tent pegs on your way out tomorrow since they seem to think stealing from strangers is so acceptable 👀

(In all seriousness though I'd be sure to leave a completely honest review of the site management, what an absolute wet lettuce not dealing with people being inconsiderate and rude)

pinkroses79 · 27/08/2024 21:13

It sounds horrendous. We’ve only had nice experiences of camping, although the night there was a thunderstorm and gale that broke the tent was a bit stressful! Luckily that was our last night. In your case I would make a really strong complaint and point out the fire regulations too. I would also park my car in their way.

MelainesLaugh · 27/08/2024 21:13

When I used to go I had a combination padlock on my tent. Not brilliant security wise but it did stop annoying little kids wandering in.

I’d be so annoyed at be selfishness

Mumistiredzzzz · 27/08/2024 21:12

I feel sorry for the kids next door to you to be honest, they're stuck with the shit parents.

AuCo44 · 27/08/2024 21:12

This is why we have a campervan. We're insulated against the noise and we can lock the door. We can also drive away if the site is shite. I've never stayed on a campsite where the tents are pitched so close together though. I'm sure that's against fire regulations.

OhshutupBarry · 27/08/2024 21:11

Cattery · 27/08/2024 21:05

Yeh. I’d rather shove a cactus up my arse

Stop the press...People like different things shocker!!

SaltAndVinegar2 · 27/08/2024 21:11

The family sound like a nightmare but the campsite is also badly run. Good campsites have strict rules about spacing and noise. If there was any space on the campsite I would ask to move to a different pitch. If they don't allow it say you are leaving and ask for a refund. If there is theft call the police.

cardibach · 27/08/2024 21:10

I don’t believe anyone has amazing holidays camping I’m afraid. Amazing considering it’s camping, yes. But amazing compared with staying in a building? Not a chance. I have camped where buildings aren’t an option (back of beyond in a South Africa for eg) but the camping is always a bit shit and uncomfortable.

Redgreenfroggy · 27/08/2024 21:10

Omg now they are playing pepper pig at full
volume. Time for the eye mask and ear plugs.

Ds is out for the count, really early for him but I am glad he is.

OP posts:
Anjo2011 · 27/08/2024 21:10

The words camping and holiday do not belong in the same sentence. Can you ask to move to a different pitch? Or go elsewhere ? Or pack up and go home?

SpanielPaws · 27/08/2024 21:09

There are no sound defences when you're camping.... it's like a form of slow and gradual torture that you get the pleasure of paying for.

Redgreenfroggy · 27/08/2024 21:08

As I said we have had amazing holidays before camping. We did mention to the owners about the girls coming in our tent and waking us up in the morning on purpose. Again he did not seem to want any confrontation.

OP posts:
Starlingexpress · 27/08/2024 21:08

This is just one of a list of reasons why I don’t camp.

Doyouthinktheyknow · 27/08/2024 21:07

I stopped camp'ing because of a similar awful experience!

There just isn’t enough insulation in a tent for noisy sites! Like you we used to choose carefully but still got it wrong from time to time!

Glad you are leaving, life really is too short!

You couldn’t pay me to camp now, I would rather have a shorter holiday or no holiday!

Cattery · 27/08/2024 21:05

cardibach · 27/08/2024 20:32

Camping is shit. It’s even shitter with bad neighbours, but in a hotel they’d be less of an issue , so it boils back down to camping being shit.

Yeh. I’d rather shove a cactus up my arse

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