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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think camping is absolutely bollocks

290 replies

FuckYrBellTent · 15/07/2017 09:53

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

OP posts:
MsHooliesCardigan · 15/07/2017 10:39

I have never ever understood the allure of camping. For me, the point of a holiday is to have a bit of luxury e.g. not to have to cook or wash up. Spending a week living in a flimsy plastic structure with no toilet, running water or electricity is my personal idea of hell.

DontBuyANewMumCashmere · 15/07/2017 10:39
Confused It's like moaning about how driving a car is shit just because you have a shitty car with a wheel missing and no doors!

I know you don't have loads of spare money but if you enjoy the theory of camping then why not start putting little bits aside and find bits and bobs on Gumtree when you can, invest in a bigger tent and then it is all manageable. Fwiw we have a big stand up tent, stove, kettle kitchen area, seats table etc and we really like it. It's taken me a few years to get the equipment but it is doable.

Hope you can come to enjoy it again sometime Smile

drinkingtea · 15/07/2017 10:44

Now we (DH and I) are old we only tent camp for single nights. It's still good that way. We have 2 cheap 4 man tents - DH and 2 DS's in one, DD and I in the other. Air mattresses for adults, roll mats for kids.

For one night it's an adventure, for longer it's not much fun when you're no longer a supple, hardy late teen/ early 20s (and then it was only fun with much wine).

LEMtheoriginal · 15/07/2017 10:44

WE have spent the best part of £1k on camping equipment. WE spent approximately £400 initially and have added to things.

It means we can go on holiday . We simply couldn't afford it before.

A week in a tent in summer holiday in wa les. Lovely quiet site next to a river. £200 for two adults one 12y dd. Two dogs.

A Week in a basic haven style holiday park complete with drunks arcades and dirty swimming pool in excess of £1000 . It's a no brainer for us.

We have had four peak time holidays for less than we paid for all our gear.

Holidays in the rain are shit whether you are stuck in a tent or luxury hotel. Get appropriate rain gear and go and explore!!

You do need good kit though. Our tent was less than £300 We can sit and lay board games stare at screens If it's raining.

profpoopsnagle · 15/07/2017 10:45

Love camping! But we do have the fancy tent with decent beds and a loo for night wees blah blah which helps as well as copious wine.

But it's compulsory to have an argument putting a tent up, whatever sort you have. The trip hasn't officially started until this is done. DH and I look forward to it now- I try to have the axe nearer to me just in case though.

LEMtheoriginal · 15/07/2017 10:45

Sorry I don't have an over inflated ego just a new phone WE!!!

elevenclips · 15/07/2017 10:45

I don't understand camping. One of my most memorable nights (for all the wrong reasons) was spent sleeping in a field of sheep shit.

If you want to camp comfortably the kit is expensive. Which defeats the point of camping being cheap Confused.

After the sheep shit camp, I refused ever to camp again. Ever ever. Even when we didn't go on holiday at all for 5 years.

Glumglowworm · 15/07/2017 10:47

Not being able to get warm and dry is horrible, yanbu to cut your losses and go home

I had never camped til I became a Guide leader in my late 20s (fortunately for all concerned we have another leader who is a very experienced camper), and I surprised myself by enjoying it. I do a long week (8 or 9 days) at a jamboree every summer now as staff. I only have very basic stuff myself but as staff i can access electricity and staff catering and somewhere dry to sit away from my tent. Plus I only have myself to keep occupied!

I love seeing the huge contraptions other people have though, and all the kit fascinates me, it's so clever!

drinkingtea · 15/07/2017 10:48

We also check out local indoor and outdoor stuff to do before booking, and don't stay in the tent except to sleep. We would postpone if constant rain was forcast.

Glumglowworm · 15/07/2017 10:50

When I go with my Guides I get the luxury of a big tent I can stand up in and not have to carefully crawl out of... but there's no way I could carry it by myself on the train

BishopBrennansArse · 15/07/2017 10:52

Camping is great if you have the proper kit and EHU.
We started the cheap way with Halfords stuff. As it gradually all broke we replaced it as we went over the last ten years and now have a set up that is comfy and is completely ready in under 2 hours.
We also bob over the channel nowadays. Weather a bit more reliable. If you're prepared to travel at weird hours it's quite cheap.

Lightlovelife · 15/07/2017 10:52

I love camping, but as others have said, you need the right tent. It has to be big enough to stand up in, have a separate living area, and ideally separate bedrooms too. Our best tent was a Gelert Horizon 8. Good living area with four bedrooms, one each for the (adult) children, one for us and one for storage.
For a family of four you need at least a 5 berth, but the bigger the better. In the Horizon 8 we coped with torrential rain in Devon and still had a great time.
Waxing lyrical but we don't camp any more because when he hit 60 DH declared our camping days were done.Sad

rebelnotaslave · 15/07/2017 10:54

It's not camping, like pp said it's that you aren't prepared with equipment. A leaky tent it no fun, you need one you can stand up in. Wellies for night toilet trips or a portable toilet.

It might be expensive to buy initially (we've just bought an inflatable tent) but it pays for itself. Our summer holiday will cost £100. And we do weekends away from Easter to October. No way we could visit the beautiful places we do if we had to pay hotels/hostels etc.

TwatteryFlowers · 15/07/2017 10:54

I hate camping with a passion! Caravan holidays are cheap enough and are very similar to camping but the walls are stable and don't leak, there is gas and electric for heating as well as hot and cold running water and you have your own toilet and shower. Not quite the same as staying in a hotel but, ime, nicer than a cold, leaky tent in the middle of a field with a load of other people 'enjoying' their holiday.

Notsosureanymoors · 15/07/2017 10:55

Do a caravan holiday via sun 9.50 holidays! About £100 max generally for 3 nights and Haven imparticular are really lovely sites. You can bring your own food, most activities are free and it makes for a decent "camping" style holiday!

BathshebaKnickerStickers · 15/07/2017 10:56

I am not one of life's natural campers but we go camping all the time..

Where on earth ARE you that you have been sending your kids to wee in a hedge - are you not on a proper site..?? If you aren't seasoned campers go to a proper site with proper facilities - I have the most nervous 10 year old around but on a proper lit campsite so can take herself to the loo.

ANd plan days out - if its raining you don't HAVE to stay stuck in a 4 man tent...get in the car and go somewhere..!

chocolateworshipper · 15/07/2017 10:56

YADNBU - camping is the devil's work

megletthesecond · 15/07/2017 10:58

Yanbu. The only way to make it bearable is to spend silly money on a huge tent plus equipment. And possibly a roof box.

By the time you've spent all that you may as well stay in a solid lodge.

We did it once, for one night three years ago. As a lp it was hell on earth. . I'm happier not having holidays than camping.

FlaviaAlbia · 15/07/2017 10:59

@nocampinghere look at self inflating mats, decathlon is really reasonable for decent gear. Also, make sure you check the temperature range on the sleeping bag and don't be optimistic when you pick!

Co1onelblimp · 15/07/2017 10:59

I think your experience of camping sounds awful TBH, but I agree if you could do a bit of an upgrade on your camping equipment, at the very least you can be more comfortable when the weather is not great.

We did our fair share of camping over the years, but had a really decent tent good quality beds, outside portoloo. It makes such a difference.oh and wine. You need lots of it Smile

We now have a small camper van, and have plans to upgrade to a motor home in a few years when our morguage us paid off.
I'd probably go home early if I were you.

Springersrock · 15/07/2017 10:59

I always quite like idea of camping, sitting in a chair with a good book and a glass of wine while the kids play together nicely.

Then it comes to packing up pretty much your entire house, it rains, the kids want to play with me rather than each other, having to walk to the loo and I hate using a shower that is still wet from the previous person.

Tw1nsetAndPearls · 15/07/2017 11:01

Camping in the rain is fun for nobody

One of my favourite camping days ever was spent lounging in my air bed listening to the rain hit the tent as I had a day of reading bliss.

nocampinghere · 15/07/2017 11:03

FlaviaAlbia thank you

drinkingtea · 15/07/2017 11:03

Does all the self inflating stuff need batteries or to be plugged in?

SuperBeagle · 15/07/2017 11:05

I cannot understand the appeal of camping somewhere like the UK. The weather is so unpredictable and is more likely to be rainy and miserable than not.

I'm in Australia. We go camping in summer. It's perfect. But the difference is that the weather is predictable, and it's beautiful.