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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Camping - A lot of hard work?

101 replies

laughinggnome · 08/01/2012 15:38

So we are looking at cheap holidays - newspaper deals, weekends away that sort of thing. Then I thought "Ooooh camping - just need to buy at tent and Bobs your uncle!".

But nooooo - theres airbeds and cooking stuff and crockery and cutlery and clothes and electricity hook up gizmo stuff and then clothes and then washing up bowls and duvets/ sleeping bags and apparantly - get this - Tents don`t even come with a toilet!

Sounds like a lot of hard work for a minibreak!

AIBU? Or am I missing something?

OP posts:
5Foot5 · 08/01/2012 17:27

"Try boutique camping first in a yurt where everything is laid on. "

I would love to do this though strangely the rest of the family are not keen!

However, "glamping" is not a cheap holiday. We did a shortbreak at a Featherdown Farms a few years ago which was absolutely lovely and I would recommend it, though I don't suppose this counts as "proper" camping. It will no doubt be the nearest I will ever get DH to a tent though!

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 08/01/2012 17:27

Camping can be great fun!

We have had some fabulous trips. The sense peace and quiet, being able to let the dses run free range, sitting outside in the evening watching the world go by.....honestly, it can be amazing.

I think you do need a decent tent, decent sleeping mats and bags, the rest is just extra's you can do with or without. We do have a lot of stuff and take a toilet for night time wee's but lots of people don't.

W did our 2 week holiday in a tent last year and loved it. We won't be doing it again this year because we are heading to Wales and every ktime we go there it rains!! Camping can be a bit miserable in the rain, but I shallmiss the tent I think.

marriedinwhite · 08/01/2012 17:29

DH and I have never been camping - DH would, but I do not camp! Oddly of the DC, dd (the unsporty, gentle, quiet shy one) loves camping (guides) and talks wistfully of one day having a family camping holiday; whereas ds (the uber confident, roughty toughty, sport one) went with school and detested it; utterly and completely detested it. He came home, chucked his bags in the hall and went directly to the shower saying something like "I am never going camping again, never ever, that was the worst thing I have ever done in my life - it sucked. I think the f word might have been used too.

NorthernWreck · 08/01/2012 17:35

I took ds camping on a train when he was 4!(lunatic emoticon)
We didn't take cooking stuff though, as only one night. It was fun, but hard to get the tent up!

Not doing it again til I have a car...

The things about camping is, when I was a kid I loved it-and did it at least 3 times a year, sometimes for weeks at a time, but when you are an adult you have a lot more to do!

Once you get organised it can be lovely though. Sitting in the porch of a lamplit tent, bottle of wine, after a lot of fresh air etc.

My advice would be to find a site that is very basic, and very rural/quiet.
That way when you need a wee in the night you can just nip behind a bush instead of shlepping all the way to the shower blocks!

Also, it is not possible to get as cold as you can get while camping, so even in summer, take plenty warm fleeces and socks.

Have fun!

ViviPru · 08/01/2012 17:35

O share the wealth, Lost, got a link to the chair?

Original poster
laughinggnome · 08/01/2012 17:39

Wow - lots of lovely food for thought - maybe we should look at a one night stay and see how it goes. Am especially liking the idea of Fish & Chips for tea washed down with wine!

OP posts:
ViviPru · 08/01/2012 17:42

What, www.flickr.com/photos/missphirefly/4758055501/in/set-72157624289663339 like this? Ok ok, so that was as Fforest so not strictly camping....

gordyslovesheep · 08/01/2012 17:42

I love camping - I ate un packing, putting the tent up getting it all set up BUT once that is done it's brilliant - I have a massive tent with awning and it's bigger than most caravans, we are always warm and comfy

wine helps!

Jasper · 08/01/2012 17:46

don't do it.
It's hideous for anyone over the age of 11

TheScreamingfrog · 08/01/2012 17:55

Do it! We first took DD when she was only 4 weeks. She slept through it and I pretty much did too....

madhairday · 08/01/2012 18:06

I love camping.

It can be great fun but you need a laid back attitude and not to worry about mucky shoes/mess.

We have a huuuge trailer tent which makes it easier as it all folds up with everything in. Bit of a PITA to erect but once up it's fabulous, I am unable to sleep on the ground so it works well for me, and is easier to pull than a caravan.

The DC love it. They have so much freedom. It's also a sociable holiday if you go with friends - sitting outside the tent at night, bottle of wine, DC running around - it's lovely.

When it rains it is a bit rubbish though, but you get used to it and we take lots of indoor stuff - board games, books etc and it can be great, and of course you camp in places where there is loads to do for not too much money and you're sorted.

Pandemoniaa · 08/01/2012 18:10

Camping. It's like Marmite and I've always hated Marmite.

The years of getting soaked, trying to entertain small children in a teeny, tiny, potentially leaky space and the constant cold meant that it was many years before I went under canvas again.

However, we perform at a few festivals in the summer and I think I've cracked it. Me and best mates have a bell tent which we put rugs, ickle tables and general nice stuff in. Outside we have an awning and comfy chairs. I also have a camp bed which keeps you off the ground and away from the chill. 'tis lush. But absolutely not the cheap way of doing it.

So if I had small children again and was on a budget it'd be self-catering all the way.

SantasENormaSnob · 08/01/2012 18:20

I love it but tbh, we only go if the forecast is good.

We are off to France camping for our main holiday this year.

Whatmeworry · 08/01/2012 18:30

I think there is a best age ( prob 6 to 14), a best season ( warm, no rain), a best time (about a week - a weekend is a lot of faffing, 2 weeks is a long time) and a best place (other kids on tap). A wet long weekend in Wales is the pits :)

Overall camping sites on the continent are better than the UK facilities wise, and there is usually less rain. Airbeds are a godsend comfort wise.

Whatmeworry · 08/01/2012 18:32

And get a big tent, makes a huge difference!

jandymaccomesback · 08/01/2012 18:34

We love it. Once you've got all the kit you just keep reusing it, and you can take stuff from home, you don't have to have special "camping" washing up stuff etc. A big car helps though. Choose a campsite with good loos and showers. We look at the reviews on UK Campsites. Most campsites have washing up facilities too.
We started off camping in the back garden with DS before we progressed to proper camping.

MissBetsyTrotwood · 08/01/2012 18:37

If you surrender to the fact that most of your energy will be spent doing the basics of life, you will have a great time. DH and I refer to reaching this point of camping zen during the holiday as becoming 'campers'. It happens about half way through day 2.

Him - 'Are you a camper yet. I am.'
Me - 'Not yet. Pass the wine.'

Second the get a big tent vibe. We go on getting one for two people more than you are. So we are 4, so we have a 6 man tent.

ViviPru · 08/01/2012 18:38

arf @ Mr & Mrs Trotwood's day 1 exchange Smile

WebbysMotto · 08/01/2012 18:39

Had always fancied the idea of camping but never got round to it. When DD2 was 8 she nagged and nagged for us to go camping with another family. Absolutely hated every minute of it! The minimum I'd consider now would be a caravan as I couldn't stand having to trek to the toilet block whatever the weather or hour of day/night.

WhatIsPi · 08/01/2012 18:43

oh and investigate quiet sites - I absolutely cant stand ones with drunken teens in and lots of shouting.

Notinmykitchen · 08/01/2012 18:44

Camping is great, we go several times a year, just for a couple of nights at a time. Its great for the kids as they can have freedom they don't often get at home. You'd be amazed how much entertainment can be found in a field! It usually takes us about an hour to get the tent up, and everything sorted, after that it is very relaxing, children have fun all day, and wear themselves out, then in the evening DH and I open the wine, and sit and chat in the peace and quiet. I can't wait until the warmer weather so we can go again!

MissBetsyTrotwood · 08/01/2012 18:46

Grin ViviPru

And that is an excellent first camping experience. If it's in that castle place still, especially. Beautiful.

I also recommend the Green Man Festival for camping in a truly lovely spot.

BluddyMoFo · 08/01/2012 18:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

UniS · 08/01/2012 18:50

camping is as complicated as you make it.
I think our best camping holiday as a family was the one where EVERYTHING we took fitted onto one of the two adult bikes and we towed a child trailer with toddler son in. It was basic, but fun.

jandymaccomesback · 08/01/2012 18:52

We go into camping mode where everything is at a much more relaxed pace. I would second having as big a tent as you can. We used to have an 8 man with 4 bedrooms so the DC had a "room" each and we used the fourth bedroom for kit. We currently have a six man and it is great for three. If all four of us went we would end up leaving some stuff (like spare clothes) in the car. (Six man would be OK with DC up to about 10).