to be feeling just a little bit sorry for ourselves re holiday disappointment?

[timetogohomenow]

Currently being battered by the wind in a tent in Cornwall at 3:30am so I accept that I may be being a bit unreasonable here but...

AIBU to be so disappointed in how our holiday is turning out? After months of sweating away at work in the heat, we come away on our first camping trip as a family and apart from one day, the weather has been utterly rubbish for the last 8 days.

Camping is not the fun holiday I remember it being... trudging through the mud to go to the toilet in a portacabin, air beds that keep deflating, showers that are not much more than dripping taps, neighbours who talk loudly into the night... not as fun as I remember it being pre-children.

DD's behaviour has been a nightmare in comparison to at home and I feel like all we've done is have a go at her. I suppose she's only 4 and excited but things like running off or not listening in potentially dangerous situations can't be tolerated. That's not been any fun.

Cornwall... a beautiful county but my god the crowds. I knew it would be busy with it being August (we had no choice to come any earlier or later) but literally everywhere we've tried to visit has been a complete ball ache to try to get parked. Some places we've just had to drive through as there was no chance of stopping. Where we're staying there's no public transport we could easily use. The traffic is terrible! The supermarkets where we are are like scenes from an apocalypse film. How the locals cope living down here I do not know.

I know I'm just being a miserable so and so and I realise how lucky we are to be in a situation where we can (just about!) afford a family holiday but AIBU to be so disappointed? We've got 4 nights left and I just feel like packing up and going home! Please tell me in years to come I'll look back on this holiday with fond memories and not lament about the time we spent probably as much as we would have going abroad to stay in a wet, miserable, busy place in a tent!

YANBU
Go home now.

When my ds was little I took him a few times - the only thing that made it bearable was going with a group of people (we always had a good laugh), hot weather (we were lucky on two occasions) and NEVER going for more than 3 nights.

On the note of caravans (which I few people have mentioned) I happen to live by the seaside near some caravan parks. I know for a fact that these charge hundreds of pounds for August and all you get is a caravan and access to a measly swimming pool. No wonder people go abroad.

You should come to Wales...yes, it can be pretty wet here too, BUT nothing is as busy, no crowds to speak of, plenty to do and you could book a house right on the beach for around £500! We live in Wales and still holiday here, jut going a couple of ours up the coast! My teenagers always request we stay in the same area, they love the beach.

Witchend has the right idea.

You should come to Wales...yes, it can be pretty wet here too, BUT nothing is as busy, no crowds to speak of,

With good reason.
Yes it’s pretty, and great for an overnight stay.

Summer holiday? Not on your life.

Yup. I lived in Cornwall for years and it was shit in the summer. Very over crowded- nothing is enjoyable in the summer. Much more beautiful in the winter.
It does rain ALL the time!
I hope the weather improves for you and I hope the crowds disperse enough for you to enjoy what is left of your holiday.

Unless done in a caravan, camping is evil no matter the weather

I love camping, and have also endured some conditions like yours with small children. It's rubbish. Go home and enjoy your time off in comfort!

YANBU!
I would feel disappointed too. You look forward to family holidays so it’s horribly when you get a bad experience.
If it’s any consolation your DD won’t remember any of the bad bits and probably thinks it’s brilliant!

Your children will NOT treasure the camping experience if they are wet / cramped / uncomfortable / bored ..

I am 62 and still remember with horror our only camping holiday, which was indeed in Cornwall ... about 55 years ago
< shudders >
I have never, ever considered a camping holiday since !

At least it taught me early in life the importance of having adequate accommodation & indoor plumbing

I'd go home and salvage the days left by doing day trips to parks such as legoland etc for your Dd.
I wouldn't have chosen camping for my holiday. Not my cup of tea. Probably just as cheap to go on one of these all inclusive cheap holidays to Spain with at least some hope of nicer weather . Better luck next time op. Sorry its not been a nice experience but that's English weather for you.

We went to Cornwall in Aug 2015 with a 3 and a 6 year old and got rained on every single day. Vowed to never have a summer holiday in the UK again and now go abroad for 2 weeks where we're guaranteed sunshine. Try to make it as cheap as possible by going self catering, not eating out as much, and not spending money during the day, so mainly spending days at the beach and a little sightseeing. But sunshine and warm seas is amazing and the kids get along, they love the beach and swim and don't ask for any more. It makes it relaxing and you really feel like you've had a holiday. My suggestion is never book a 2 week camping summer holiday in the UK, make sure it's a holiday that will work if the weather is rubbish.

*You should come to Wales...yes, it can be pretty wet here too, BUT nothing is as busy, no crowds to speak of,

With good reason.
Yes it’s pretty, and great for an overnight stay.
Summer holiday? Not on your life.*

Really? Why so?

Justin Fletcher was all we had left at that point. I was openly weeping by the third day and pondering taking up smoking.

That just made me piss myself laughing

Really? Why so?

It’s all in the word “summer” holiday.
For me that means waking up to guaranteed sun. Every. Day. To slipping on a summer dress, heading out and feeling the warmth on my bare skin. Breakfast outside on a terrace. My children spending hours playing in the pool /beach. Long leisurely lunches and dinners - outside, around a marina perhaps. Strolling back to the hotel, still warm temperatures.

Wales in the summer? Yes very pretty and green. But you’ll likely be in your cardigan with your rain coat on (definitely packed). You may may get the odd lovely sunny warm all day - and enjoy the beach, but you’ll spend the whole day saying how “lucky” you are! The next day likely drizzley.

I can see why it appeals to some. For me though, single mum of an 8 and 5 year old. I want us to be spoilt, indulged, looked after. I want to enjoy my book on a sun lounger as my children splash in the pool. I want to have dinner in a restaurant on the beach whilst the children paddle in the still warm sea and I sip wine.

Basically I want to be outdoors, wearing next to nothing for 12 hours a day whilst my children and I play / read / indulge. And I want that guaranteed every day of a 7-10 night holiday

And that is NOT going to happen in Wales!!

I couldn’t get my kid abroad if I paid him unless it was to a ski resort in summer! It’s all about the mountains of Wales and Scotland on a bike

I’d rather go to prison for a couple of weeks.

Yeah at least you get a tv

I don't consider Wales a holiday, probably because I'm from a valley in Yorkshire near the Pennines/rivers/reservoirs so it's extremely similar scenery!

I live in Cornwall...it is totally overrated in my opinion as a holiday destination. I had a week in Norfolk recently, we found easy access empty beaches, had glorious weather (it was raining down here) and it is only a couple of hours away from london. I actually don't get why people come down here.

Pleased thing are looking up OP. You're definitely braver than me! 2 nights camping is about my limit. And I won't camp further than about an hour from home so that I can go home again if it rains. Camping in fine weather is lovely though.

We went to Cornwall last year in August and it wasn't nearly as crowded as I was expecting. Things have definitely improved on the main roads. In fact we came home the bank holiday weekend when it was dry, sunny and hot (not at all normal I know!). Like anywhere in the UK the weather will always be hit and miss. It is just that this year has been so lovely for many of us for weeks and weeks that you forget things like rain coats, jumpers, etc.

Oh and meant to add that the Cornwall museum in Truro is very good for small children if you have a rainy day and are anywhere near.

You've confirmed all I disliked about camping and my refusal to camp ever again! Go home and enjoy, it'll be beautiful forever x

Have just returned from 5 rainy days camping in Pembrokeshire - and immediately booked centre parcs for October - I need a holiday!

I generally love being outdoors, but refuse to go on camping holidays after a disastrous 'week' near Ullswater a few years ago. It was gloriously hot and sunny as we arrived, but within two hours the rain so so torrential we couldn't see in front of us, the tent and its entire contents were soaked through, the wind was freezing and deafened us all night. I woke in a pool of water at 4am, waited for it to get a bit lighter, then packed up and drove to Penrith. The second ASDA opened, we had a fried breakfast then drove our car full of wet stuff straight back down the M6 again! I couldn't even get the tent dried out properly afterwards due to living in a small flat, so it went mouldy and had to be binned . Never again! DS caught horrendous verrucas from a shower block when he went camping with my ex so he won't go again either.

The only place I've ever really enjoyed camping was in California - no risk of bad weather at that time of year. Even then, all of our food got stolen from a locked container by racoons...

Cornwall in August?

[shudders]

Even in nice weather.

And then camping on top. In the rain.

[shudders even more]

Why do people do it to themselves?

Holidays abroad are expensive though, especially when restricted to school holidays. 10 days abroad has just cost us £3.5k.
Some people are just trying their best to give their kids a holiday and some happy times away from home, and camping is their only option.