Camping Ettiquette

[MaryPoppinsPenguins]

I’m camping this weekend, two tents, two children, two dogs.

This is the first time we’ve each brought our dogs and searched for a long time and through lots of reviews until we found this place... spoke to the owner who said he only takes a certain amount of bookings to make sure you’re all a bit seperate and no one bothers anyone else.

Last night it was amazing... it’s almost like you’re camping totally alone. I can see a group of tents in the distance and the top of another through the trees but it does feel very secluded.

When we arrived the owner was at the gate and told us to drive and find an empty space. I assume he says this to everyone..

Today a new family arrive, and park and pitch up right next to us. And I mean Right next to us. Some of their ropes even cross over with my friends tent. Their table and chairs are right in the siteline of ours, I can even hear their drink open!

To make it worse, their kids seem terrified of dogs. Our dogs aren’t on leads and have been running around ‘our camp’ really happy. Now we’ve had to get the crate out.

AIBU? I’m kind of pissed off. I wish I’d brought hungry hippos or some really loud scream inducing game but unfortunately playing cards and magiclip dolls are all I have..!

I think people must be right. Maybe it’s ‘their’ spot.

Yeah, they don’t own the land. The campsite owner does.

Yeah, I think it's 'their' spot, they're being beyond weird now with walking through and dropping a can.

Can you rearrange the furniture to make some sort of barrier? Blocking their way through?

Ugh 😑

You need to set up some cans on wire around your camp

Wow just seen the update, not nice people. You might need to enlist the owners help to get them to move aswell as or instead of you asking...

Do your dogs bark on command?

Giggle with your friend loudly and say ‘oh god, I hope DH doesn’t get as pissed as the last camping trip when he pissed in next door’s tent! That was so funny!’

I reckon if someone drops a can of beer on someone else's pitch, the beer then becomes the property of the people camped on that pitch. Sort of like squatter's rights, only different.

If she does it again, grab it and quaff it.

WTF!

You need to have a word with them. If that doesn't go well involve the owner.

And absolutely let the poor dogs out!

If the dogs freedom is a condition of them behaving I would be careful using them as a “tool” because if they complain then you may be asked to keep them on a lead.

Even if it is where they normally go - tough! We used to go to a caravan site and “our pitch” was next to where my grandparents had their van based, but if someone else was in that pitch we just went elsewhere it’s the joy of camping it’s pretty flexible!

lakielady I am HOWLING at your posts 😂

This doesn’t put me in the best light... but this morning when they parked I tried SO hard to get my dog to bark. Doorbell sound on my phone, knocking on the table, whispering ‘squirrel!’... nothing worked. I’ve neber wanted him to bark so badly!

Really, stop with the passive-aggressive stuff and have a quiet word with the site owner.

Oh, I’d just move tbh. Sod that.

Lol, OP, dogs are so contrary, aren't they? Mine can bark for England when she's in the mood, and I can shut her up, but I'm buggered if I can get her to bark on command.

Actually, she doesn't bark when we're camping, unless we're there for a few days. It's as though the tent doesn't count as her territory until we've been there for 3 or 4 days. And she only barks in the motorhome if someone comes and knocks on the door.

They are probably from Lincolnshire. Every time I park my car in an almost empty car park anywhere in Lincolnshire, a tosser parks right up against my car, even though we are surrounded by empty spaces.

Ask them, OP. ‘Excuse me, but are you twats from Grantham or Sutton-on-Sea?’

I'm outraged on your behalf, having just come back from a similar looking site I can confirm those people have broken the golden rule of the camping code. Let's hope they haven't got loads of mates joining them later....

Keep a close eye on your dogs with their kids - they might tell the owner that your dogs were threatening their kids and then you'd be the one to have to move.

However, I'd be imagining myself walking by their tent, tripping over a guy rope and ending up falling onto their tent, crushing it in the process.

Play the sound of a dog barking, on your phone.

They walked through your camp and dropped a beer can, and you were not going to say anything? I wouldnt have put up with that and said something. If your anxious then speak to the owner .

I would have been totally sure this was a windup, but OP's pictures are too ordinary (so I believe you). OMG! What is wrong with some people? They must be thinking like city dwellers expecting hordes to arrive soon so need to crowd in. Will they definitely leave tomorrow?

Why is the woman littering.. I mean, who does this. Who camps on top of someone and then litters on your bit. I would be embarrassed enough that someone had to lock their dogs up because of my children! Some people just don’t care that they affect other people.

Oh OP I am incensed on your behalf - I'd be pissed off as well

Me and my gang of camping mums group our tents together so we can watch the kids, eat together etc - it's so intrusive to have some random tent pitched right on top of you

make sure you all snore loudly

If the dogs won't bark can't you bark instead? You'd have to go in the tent obviously or you will look very silly!

Actually, buy some stink bombs and break them into a container and hide it at the edge of your ‘area’. Pity about your dogs bad stomach. When they move, you can simply lift the container and get rid of it.

Play a recording of an angry dog growling, when the children are nearby. Yes, I’m evil.

Buy a disposable barbecue and light it as soon as they sit down. Cook something really smelly on it. Kippers?