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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think camping is f*cking shit, it’s not cheap and it’s not fun

482 replies

Pumkinfailure · 08/08/2018 18:58

I’m currently a week into a 3 week camping tour of Europe and I’m ready to jack it in. I surely can’t be the only one to find this whole malarkey fucking hideous. Sleeping on a sloping bed in a tent hotter than the devils furnace, kids screaming day and night, neighbours who hate our wellbehaved Placid lab and have instructed us to keep him near to us at all times, never feeling clean, marriage hanging by a thread, no personal space or time alone. Not even wine is helping. And 50 bloody euros a night for the privilege!!
Please tell me I’m not alone on my detest for this form of holiday and share your tips to help me survive the rest of the holiday!

OP posts:
MyLifeInTheSunshine · 08/08/2018 21:31

I went glamping once and even that was a trial!

DiegoMadonna · 08/08/2018 21:31

Wild camping is legal in Scotland. I live here and have absolutely no desire to do so!

Fair enough –horses for courses! Just that most of the complaints on here (justifiably) seem to be related to all the other people you have to put up with at campsites! Probably a lot of people would prefer wild camping.

Ingles2 · 08/08/2018 21:34

As long as the weather is good, your holiday sounds like bliss! We once did a month camping in the ile de Re when the kids were small, lots of sun, cycling, wine and oysters, it was amazing! On the other hand, we have camped in an actual monsoon in the south of France. Not so good..
I’ll swap with you if you fancy? You just need to run my shop 😁

KlutzyDraconequus · 08/08/2018 21:37

One of the best sites I ever stayed at was a small site in monyash. It had limited spots for tents and they were all surrounded by hedges so noone could get too close to each other. It was brilliant. Don't even know if it's still there or still the same.

LifeImplosionImminent · 08/08/2018 21:37

I got it out of my system doing DofE as s child, I now only pay to stay in places nicer than my own home!

Ditto! - also brownies and guides.

I wouldn't mind trying a huge Winnebago holiday though!

NetofLemons · 08/08/2018 21:38

YANBU. Camping sucks and makes everyone grumpy IME

XXcstatic · 08/08/2018 21:40

You just need to run my shop

I'd run an entire mall in preference to a night under canvas Smile

FlintyBadman · 08/08/2018 21:40

Wild camping is legal in Scotland.

Also legal on Dartmoor. Incredible place if you get the right weather.

SalveGrumio · 08/08/2018 21:41

We have an air beam. It does take up a lot of the boot. But we nearly divorced the last time we tried to pitch a normal tent.

Fatbelliedgirl · 08/08/2018 21:42

YANBU. I hate camping and caravanning. Both are too much hard work for it to be a holiday.

Rosie342 · 08/08/2018 21:45

When I was a teen my dad took me and my two brothers on a camping trip around the UK which took pretty much all of summer. At 13 I did not appreciate it one bit after the first 4 days. As a result I can not go for longer than 3-4 days and there has to be a toilet and pub near by but I do love camping in small doses. Because of my extensive summer camping as a teen I'm rather good at getting a tent up and fire going and finding things to do when camping.

LucheroTena · 08/08/2018 21:47

Geez 3 weeks in that heat. What were you thinking op? 3 nights is my max, always come back knackered. Am very fussy about facilities too which limits me. Nothing worse than shared loos.

369thegoosedrankwine · 08/08/2018 21:47

Camping for that long would be too much for me by about 20 days 😁

I can just about manage 3 nights in a caravan but that's my limit.

I am an introvert especially at night and like to slope off with a book on holiday. When you're camping everybody knows where you are and they come to find you. There is no escape until you close your eyes - that is really how I feel about it.

You deserve a medal 🥇.

Butterymuffin · 08/08/2018 21:51

Another one here who sees no need to put yourself through camping when there are cheap hotel chains in business.

wasnotwasweregood · 08/08/2018 21:52

I love camping. But that first night home taking a shower and then curling up in my own bed - that's golden! Strength and honour OP - this too shall pass!

Kingkiller · 08/08/2018 21:53

I love camping. I was a late convert, as I had never been until dh convinced me aged 36. I was very surprised to find I enjoyed it!

I get why people don't like it though, and it's true you need to be well-kitted out. I don't understand why lost of posters are complaining about being surrounded by people though. Surely you're surrounded by people in hotels, in restaurants, on beaches etc? Your tent has privacy in the same way a hotel room would. As for the toilets Confused - they are just shared toilets, like you would get in an office, a restaurant, a museum etc.

Bbbbbbbb2017 · 08/08/2018 21:54

Have to admit as someone who loves camping 3 weeks has to be one of those what were you thinking moments?

NastyCats · 08/08/2018 21:55

I tried camping once as dh and some so-called friends said it was 'fun'. Oh, sure. So much fun.

Eight million hours in the car because it us a bank holiday weekend. We are the only ones with a 13 month old baby and a dog. About to start period so upset stomach en route . Baby cries sporadically all night. I have to take her to the loo/shower as no one else volunteers to help me out, including dh. By now I have my period. Showers and loos minging. And this is a 'good ' site. In the morning everything in the tent is damp. Outside it is sodden. Second night a freak summer storm threatens to blow away the tents. Childless friends all down the pub and won't return to secure their tents so dh has to go out and sort them. Baby hates sound of storm and cries. Friends complain. Borrowed tent tears resulting in months of dh promising to sort it out and get it fixed but actually does not so I have to find tent repaired and carry huge tent to and from said repairer while heavily pregnant with dc2.

After second night we go home. Best decision ever.

YupThatsMe · 08/08/2018 21:55

Camping is my most favourite thing, I could live on a commune of tents happily. The community feel is my most favourite, freedom, space, nature, being outdoors...love it.

wasnotwasweregood · 08/08/2018 21:55

oohyoudevilyou that's brilliant Grin Gin Gin Gin

Waltzingmatilda65 · 08/08/2018 21:57

I love camping alcohol helps as does electricity, lowering your standards, some chill time and eating out, having nice snacks, sunshine in moderation and seeing the kids having fun. The longest I have ever camped for is 14 nights and I could have stayed longer. As well as the Uk we have camped in France in July but not in a heat wave and Italy in September but not in a heatwave.

I hope you aren’t the campers told off by the precocious 6 year old or parents of the precocious 6 year old on another thread.

SarfE4sticated · 08/08/2018 21:57

I don't like it either OP, hard work, everything is a struggle and it's bloody uncomfortable, and noisy. I can do a caravan at a push, but I need a good night sleep to enjoy my holiday...

ShatnersBassoon · 08/08/2018 21:57

YANBU at all. Why would being less comfortable than you would be at home ever be thought of as a holiday?

The noise, lack of space and privacy, no comfort, and most upsetting of all - Communal Facilities (that is a good title for a horror novel) would make me so miserable I believe I'd be unsafe to be around.

Purplejay · 08/08/2018 22:00

I love camping but 3 weeks in the blazing heat at 50 euros per night ( unless the site is bloody amazing), no thank you!

SalveGrumio · 08/08/2018 22:01

I don't get what the big deal is with communal facilities. The showers and toilets have doors you know!

I love the simplicity of it. I'm also an introvert and don't find it hard. The kids bugger off playing in the evening and I read.