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

Yep it's proper bollocks. That's why I have a caravan.

I camp a lot and it's really not that expensive to get all the stuff to do it in comfort.
The absolute must is a tent with a living area you can stand up in, I got mine second hand but hardly used for £80 supposed to sleep 5 but fits 2 adults and 2 kids comfortably. We have self inflating Mats that are quite thick and decent sleeping bags which I got New Years ago and did cost quite a bit but have really paid for themselves. The rest cooker, cooker stand, tables, chairs, pots etc etc all second hand and really cheap. We take cards with us and a tablet with a couple of movies pre loaded in case of losing the will to live rain and I don't get electric but do take battery packs and in car chargers. I usually camp with just Ds and I so don't have the worry of occupying multiple kids which must add to the stress of things but also means there's no one to argue with whilst putting up the tent 😁.
A couple of years ago we drove through France and camped a different place every night and took a small tent which was difficult in that the space was so limited and when it rained we were just stuck on our beds fed up and there was no place for me to get some chill out space. Taking a bigger tent would have been exhausting on my own but probably would have eased relations and stress a lot.

Camping is the devil's work. Our ancestors invented houses for a very good reason.
This

We have had tents, trailer tents, numerous vans and a caravan. There are certain criteria we designed this van around, number 1 being a huge bed. Both kids normally end up in with us at some point so this is important, and DH is nearly 6'5"...so it has to be big! So this van has a super king bed in it, with proper mattress and our duvet from home. The kids have their own bunks but climb down in the night.

That and blinds to keep it dark so we can sleep. we tend to go for a few weeks at a time and that doesn't work if no-one sleeps. That's the worst thing about tents, the lack of darkness.

I'm only reading this thread because of some of the hilarious comments. 😆

We love camping, but I am definitely a fair weather camper. We've had a few wet weeks and now I stick to weekends booked last minute after I've seen the forecast.

Weeing in the hedge? Ewwwww YABU!!

Camping in constant rain is shit. Camping with crappy gear is shit. That doesn't mean camping is shit.

It always astonishes me when people say that for the price of a decent tent and equipment you can stay in a hotel though. That would only make sense if you had to buy a new tent and new equipment for every trip!!! We have a fab (and not very expensive - Go Outdoors own brand) tent. It has served us well for a decade and is still going strong. It has a carpet, and a central living area which is practically big enough to run around in, never mind stand up.

I come from a non-camping family and never spent the night in a tent until I was 36, reluctantly persuaded by outdoorsy dh. I loved it and still do 10 years later. A bit of rain is bearable, but I won't camp if it's cold.

Yeah just go home

I'd rather stay home than camp anywhere

I love camping, mostly.
When you've had enough, you've had enough and in my case I start humming this...
m.youtube.com/watch?v=P-r2BARj6Oo

I hate camping with a passion. Tried it several times when the kids were really little and it was like cold soggy torture. Now we have a touring caravan and it's blissful. You get all the freedom of beautiful campsites that cost virtually nothing, but you have a warm dry proper bed to sleep in, a flushing toilet, oven, fridge etc etc. Nothing could persuade me to spend a night in a freezing cold tent now.

sorry if i missed it but why do people dislike bell tents or bell tent users?

YANBU

We camped for a few years when DCs were small but only in France. Had a few experiences of camping in the rain but on the whole the weather was much better.

We finally stopped taking a tent when we realised that a pitch with EHU was almost as expensive as renting a mobile home!

Still love campsites but only if we have solid walls and roof.

If you save £35 a month starting now you'll have enough to go big yurt tenting next summer for a few days.

Wood burner, fully furnished interior, proper showers, other canopies that house a games tent, communal kitchen, craft sessions.

The kids won't need supervision to get to the loos as it's all lit walkways at night.

It's comfy and waterproof but still gives you a proper outdoor experience.

If it gets to wet for you, get in the car and take the kids to local indoor attractions. Museums for example may sound dull but you'd be amazed how fascinated kids your age will actually be once there.

I've just googled the first luxury yurt camping that came up which is in Dorset, but they're all over the country.

www.canopyandstars.co.uk/britain/england/dorset/crafty-camping/coracle-the-yurt#search_type=keyword&search_text=dorset&

I love camping, but sometimes there are occasions where it's better to abort mission and head home.

Having enough space is a must. Being able to stand, move and keep wet and dry stuff separate is critical to being comfortable. Sleeping comfortably is also an essential. We favour the self inflating mats, and with a young family, co-sleeping on the floor with a large blanket on top is the best method for us at present. Having a warm enough sleeping bag/ duvet/ blankets is also essential for comfort. Years ago in late autumn in the Lake District, a hard frost made for a long cold night. Next day, I bought a fleece sleeping bag liner and enjoyed a toasty night despite it getting down to -6ºC.

Even when wild camping on a mountain with only what you can carry, the priority is a warm dry set of clothes and bedding for the tent. Putting wet clothes back on in the morning is grim, but you soon warm up, and it's tolerable from having been warm and dry to begin with.

The campsite makes a big difference, just between short, wet grass and long wet grass. The length of walk to the toilet block, any indoor facilities. Laundry rooms are great for a family as you can put things into a dryer to warm back up.

Camping equipment is a long term investment. The set up to upgrade to family camping (huge tent, cook stand, tables and chairs, roof box) plus the actual trip to France was not a cheap holiday in its own right, but the holidays and weekends away since then have been much cheaper. Our Brownie pack has kitted up mostly off eBay on second hand equipment.

I love it as a family holiday though. The DCs have space to play indoors and out, so it's better for down time than sharing a hotel room. They love the novelty of taking the washing up down to the washing up room etc. Cooking is more of a family action because we are all in the same space. It's also a great break from technology.

YANBU to be uncomfortable on this trip and head home. YABU to write off all camping

Frankly, if you're looking forward to being back in your own home, I'd call that a successful holiday.

Smitff "Frankly, if you're looking forward to being back in your own home, I'd call that a successful holiday."

looking forward is one thing. But actually can't wait to get home - I call that a total waste of money!

I love camping and would quite happily stay for several weeks. But I have a very large tent with a large enclosed porch (the size of many 4-man tents), and an equally large living area. I couldn't stand it if we were in a cramped damp space in the rain.

Just for fun, see how much a local Airbnb would cost.

Same location, still self catering, but with electric lights and a door made of wood. Heaven and probably still crazy cheap.

We love camping. We have a trailer tent with double beds, electricity etc and a porta-potty plus gas cooker and sink with water hook up. Cost me 325 quid. Just done 2 weeks on Orkney and it was amazing. We have sunburn, it was scorching. Previously done Skye in it as well. You need the right kit. An awning is a good start. Get a trailer tent second hand off gumtree, you won't look back.

Only ever been a few times staying over in a tent - without all the proper camping equipment it can be a challenge and this was the case in South Wales once - wet kids, wet feet, not fun at all. You end up living out of the car. My dh loves it all, loves sleeping outside etc.
i am not keen - caravans are a bit better, even if they tend to be cramped.most people i know have tried it and bought all the stuff, but after a few years it soon drops off, even buying towing caravans and so on then selling it all on when the novelty wears off.

See it's all very well saying that we need X,y and z, but where do we put it? We have one car and it's not a people carrier. It was full as it was. We've most of the necessary equipment but even if we had extra money for the luxury touches, we have nowhere to put it. Or store it over winter, come to that. I mean, if we had £500 spare to buy extra stuff we wouldn't be sitting in a wet field. We'd be in a hotel with a swimming pool

Our tent is relatively new, and it does have separate bedrooms but you can't stand up - it's the four man business from Halfords, so ok maybe a bit shit, but I expected better. Mind you it has rained solidly for about 18 hours. And that's heavy rain.

I'm not a complete wilting flower either, so it's not that we are soft and indulged. We are an outdoorsy family, we live rurally, I used to be a Scout leader and I am a keen hillwalker and will happily get up at 5am to climb a mountain in the rain. We have all the weather proof clothes, wellies etc, the fact remains that you can't get damp children in and out of a small tent over a period of days without the tent itself becoming damp.

And to the PP asking how I was posting online- mobile data on my phone? Which I had switched off for the last few days and switched back on to have a cathartic moan. So sue me

And yes we've all been very worthy. We took the kids out for a walk in the rain. We banned all technology. We played board game after sodding board game. DD read two Harry Potters and they wrote one of those story continuation things on notepads we bought them. I'm sure the kids will look back and have great memories, but Jesus I'm destroyed, there's only so many board games you can play,especially when dodging the indoor puddles.

Anyway, we are home now, I'm about to have a lovely shower and DH has gone to get a chippy, I'm beyond delighted to be home and next time it's a static caravan or something. Honestly we could have saved our money and taken the DC out to the cinema instead, they never get to do that usually as it's so expensive. Ah well, you live and learn

We have a 4 man tent bought from a local fayre 3 years ago brand-new £5! We use it in the garden for the DC and kids. We went camping in our 8 person tent a few years ago I'll never camp again at a site unless it's the middle of nowhere, with friends with kids, a heat wave and with our little tent because it's awesome we have big car though. I'm a fan of wild camping though taking DD1 and my Deerhound with his own backpack in October but we will be hiking in the middle of nowhere and fully prepared for the weather

I find Airbnb dirt cheap when BIL got married abroad we looked at the camping site pre-built tents and it worked out 100€ more for the Airbnb for 5 days in a huge apartment a kitchen, bedroom, balcony, bathroom, living room, dining room and in the old part of town so no walking or taxis when we went out. Was the best holiday we had nothing to do with leaving the kids behind

the DC and their friends

Yeah, to be fair we have a people carrier with a huge boot and a trailer and we still have to squeeze everything in when we go away for a fortnight camping. Saying that, whatever room you have, you will fill with stuff.

This year we really didn't need to buy anything for a summer holiday but we've so far got new chairs, extra table and various "essentials" every camper needs... tablecloth, more bunting, cutlery holder, laundry basket...

"I'm not a complete wilting flower either, so it's not that we are soft and indulged. We are an outdoorsy family, we live rurally, I used to be a Scout leader and I am a keen hillwalker and will happily get up at 5am to climb a mountain in the rain."

Yy me too but I am soft and indulged when it comes to my creature comforts now. I wouldn't contemplate a family camping trip without heaters and a hairdryer to dry stuff off with. I'll quite happily wild camp with the basics for a trek but if it's a family holiday, hook-up is essential. Ahhh heat. Ahhh light. Ahhh entertainment.