To think camping is absolutely bollocks

[FuckYrBellTent]

It's crap isn't it?

Everyone else has fancy tents you can stand up in, we have a squished up, leaky four man. There's a puddle in the middle of it. It's rained non stop. My head is aching. I had an argument with DH over putting up the tent. Everyone has a sore back. Nobody can dry out. The kids (7 and 10) tag teamed us by needing the loo all night and wanting one of us to come with them. We are meant to be here for one more night. Aibu to go home early?

We used to enjoy camping, but I think our tent days have reached a natural conclusion. It's shit unless it's blistering sun. If we wanted to be stuck indoors with whining kids we could do it in the comfort of our own home, with ready access to toilets and kettles. It always ends up raining and it's really properly lashing so not even the type you can go out in anyway

We are poor and this is the only type of holiday we can afford, but I really don't think it's worth it

Camping is great but you are right...you do need the right kit.

An inflating tent saved our marriage.
Once the beds and the cooking are right everything else is manageable.

I love camping BUT camping in on stop rain is soul destroying.

Tips for next use - with kids you need a nice big tent with two sleeping compartments AND a living space AND awning.

Take comfortable things to sleep on! Your back shouldn't hurt.

Camping without children, great fun. Camping with children, not so much. Unless they are someone else's.

I adore DSD, before anyone starts on the step mother thing, but put her in a tent and she moans and whinges.

We have a giant luxury tent, her own room, blow up mattresses, electric hook up for the flaming hair straightener the lot, and she still moans.

(She may have been at that awkward teenager stage last time we camped)

Well the big attraction (for me) is that its cheap, and i like the bits were my kids bugger off and play with other kids. But yes, if i could afford hotels I'd camp less.

But, but, but... it CAN be nice! We got a second hand family tent with two bedrooms and a camping toilet for emergency night poos and it becomes civilised. In the current situation, however, cut your losses, pack up , go to the nearest place that sells large hot chocolates all round and raise a family cup to next time in the sunshine.

I love camping but I have a 4 night maximum stay policy.

I don't think you need all the trappings, but you do need some good kit - a trangia, a decent chair and a non leaking tent.

Have recently discovered Youth Hostels for cheap as chips hols - awesome locations, family en suite rooms, decent self catering kitchens. You can get a rooms for £39 per night....

I last went camping at 9. I'm 51 next week. Go figure my view. My minimum standard is a decent static caravan with flush loos and showers.

No, no, no! I've been camping four times and each time it was fucking horrible (in four different ways). Go home. Never camp again.

Get a camper van! Or at least that what we'd do if we could afford it. Instead we invested in a bigger tent with separate sleeping compartments, a decent blow up mattress and instead of sleeping bags we take our duvet and that has made the biggest difference to comfort. A four man tent is tiny for a family of four to be comfortable in - if you can get at least a six man tent. And I agree with the pp -get a portable toilet for emergency night time use.

You recoup the money gradually, it does work out cheaper than hotels in the long term. Plus campsites are usually full of kids so they keep each other entertained.

We've got full sets of waterproofs so just head out in the rain anyway.

exWife and King .

I rather enjoy staying in a nice caravan - that's as back to nature as I can handle, really. Just for a weekend, mind.

If you have a camping toilet doesn't someone have to empty it? Where do you put the toilet within your tent? It all sounds horrific .

Look for second hand tents on eBay or FB groups?

Is Eurocamp cheap?

It depends on the child. I grew up in about as much M/C comfort as my own dc enjoy, if not more, but my brothers and I still loved cramming into a tiny open sailing dinghy with only the boom tent between us and the elements.

As a young adult I lived in a very basic tent for months on end whilst working and absolutely loved it: half-hearing in my sleep how the ducks flew over my head towards the river, feeling the growing warmth of the morning.

Imagine ds might also have taken to it, but the presence of his disabled and chronically anxious sister did not exactly allow for any enjoyment. Would love to take it up again when she moves out.

We are camping as I write...but we have a campervan so different kettle of fish.

You need a dry tent, with space for stuff. Not too big though as that takes forever to put up. We have an inflatable drive away awning that is amazing, under 10 minutes to put up.

Other than that comfy sleep is the key. Make sure you have decent beds. And a campsite with shorter grass!

A decent BBQ and/or stove, we have a kind of posh meths burner which is fab. And be prepared to eat out.

Yanbu. Camping is the devil's work as another PP said.
I honestly don't think there are enough negative adjectives in the dictionary to describe it.

We are going camping for the first time together on Monday. Two nights. Dh has been tons, he goes wild camping on his own. I've never been.
We have blow up mattresses, new four man tent, chairs, stove, kettle. If it's dry it will be good, but forecast rain all weekend and my wellies have broken.

Go home op, sounds miserable. I'm dreading it Tbh!

YANBU.

YANBU, not my idea of fun. Go home!

DD1 loves it and is off camping for 8 days with friends. Lots of camping experts on here, tell me what bed to buy her. Or is a sleeping mat & sleeping bag enough?

Camping while poor is the pits.

My DM refused to ever go camping so we went Youth Hostelling instead.

However grim they were, it was still better than camping.

YABU and I completely agree with ghosty and we love camping due to the following:

• We have a huge tent - expensive but worth it when this is your main holiday
• We have electric - no boiling pans of water for a morning cuppa
• We take ages setting up our pitch, we're there for a while so want it comfortable
• And we always go with friends (for the weekend or for two weeks)

However we've had leaky tents in the past and it is absolutely no fun so for that YANBU and I'd head home a day early.

Have a day out today and head home tonight. Your own comfy bead is waiting for you...

we love camping, and yes it can be very hard work for the parents but you have to put the effort in to make it exciting and fun for kids. Mine loved board games by torch light until well into their teens, and dealing with puddles and floods was part of the fun.

No we never had any fancy camping equipment, we have never had a car, so always was only what ever we could carry by public transport.

Lots of campsites reserve the lowest prices and the best areas for people who don't have a car.

I am confused that you are on the internet whilst camping though! sort of defeats the object of leaving electronics and such like behind! Are you on an ipad or something? Are you charging it up? where are you keeping it dry?

bed not bead!

And no to a sleeping bag, take a duvet - so much comfier and warmer!

Camping is great .....but not in a leaky small tent- I dont think you need a huge tent but I have to be able to stand up - you don't have to spend a fortune and it is much cheaper over time we have camped with ds since he was a babe as thats all we could afford -
something like this would be fine - your dc should be able to help put teh tent up - we find it easier/less argumentative for me and ds or dh and ds to put the tent up and the other adult do unpack other stuff!and have cold beer ready (in fact a cold beer first then putting teh tent up can be good!)
something like this ...
www.argos.co.uk/product/4811886?cmpid=GS001&_$ja=tsid:59156|cid:189949525|agid:18091974325|tid:pla-168978338245|crid:77627773765|nw:g|rnd:17367310992095148825|dvc:c|adp:1o10&gclid=CKqB7tH9itUCFSQW0woddcoO2Q
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