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!

I have family in cornwall. They love it. Only time ive been to cornwall it rains and the rain in cornwall came all ways including up from the ground. One minute hot sunny next minute rain. Never understood camping either. Leave op you a brave person to last this long. B&b next time or a travel lodge x

Nothing better than camping in hot weather, nothing worse than camping in shit weather.

I’d cut my losses and go home. I’ve done a shed load of camping in my life and have both cut trips short in bad weather and extended them in good weather.

I seriously think now that the best way to do camping is either travel to somewhere warm like the South of France or Spain but as far as the UK is concerned the only way to camp is to just go on the spur of the moment when the forecast is good.

And Cornwall is overrated.

YANBU. I've had shit holidays with little kids too and felt equally sorry for myself.

Try Pembrokeshire next year. We are here and it is lovely and peaceful. No traffic. Amazing beaches, even in full weather (it's only rained once which was to be expected).

Dull weather!

You have my sympathies timetogohomenow. My (now ex) Dh and I always camped with our three, mostly in Cornwall and in August, and came home early because of the weather several times. We were lucky enough to have a folding camper (posh trailer tent!) so at least could sit somewhere dry and off the ground when it was really horrid. However, it was those holidays or nothing as I couldn't face the thought of travelling abroad with 4 - oops sorry , 3 children(!) - and at least with camping in Cornwall, they were safe on the site. We had loads of lovely times on the beach in the rain followed by hot chocolate (with marshamallows!) in a nearby cafe. But YANBU - camping, in a tent, with young children in the wind and the rain and cold is NOT fun.

x

We’re in Cornwall too this week, down past Penzance, had 2 nice days, 1 rainy. I think you have to ignore the weTher first thing in the morning as it usually gets nicer. Windy though, we’re glamping, poshest tent I’ve ever seen, nicer than my old flat UNTIL it tried to take off at night! And next door’s kids keep crying.
We’ve found lots of tiny coves to visit rather than going to the more touristy places.
Fingers crossed for nice weather!

I was glad to see your updates and your positivity. You had real bad luck early on with the weather and neighbours along with less than ideal facilities.

All of us love our holidays and its a real disappointment when they go a bit awry. I hope you manage to continue enjoying Cornwall. How about some less crowded places for camping next year - Rutland or Lincolnshire or Northumberland? They're less likely to be as busy and I'm sure you'd have some fabulous times. xx

Go home and put the tent up in the garden to dry it. Light a campfire and have a singsong, she'll hardly know the difference ;)

I don't understand why people love camping, when I envisige scenarios like ops. Cornwall is lovely, but it does have extreme weather (remembering from childhood holidays).

Really feel for you. Not as it’s any consolation but it’s been raining for four days here in Greece so sort of feeling your pain.

A holiday is meant to be relaxing, camping is not! Bad facilities, risk of bad weather, not comfortable at all. Noway.

yep, go to south wales next year, loads of space and huge beaches, without the hideous crowds,
This year though just give in to it, its not going to be a perfect holiday but there will be others, and try to relax and enjoy!

I cried during our last holiday in the uk and that was 5 years ago, due to endless rain. Go aboard where you can expect hot weather. It just isn’t worth staying in the uk unless you go at the last minute knowing what that weeks weather forecast is. It doesn’t have to be too expensive, especially if you’re happy camping. It makes a huge difference to our whole year, knowing that we’re going to enjoy our holiday.

Yep definitely go home and enjoy the rest of your holiday in the dry.I remember trying to camp with teenage girls.The idea is always better than the reality.one stomped back to the car as she couldn't get the tent up,was tired,hungry,a teenager😏😏😏 we had an okay time but no point when the weathers bad.

Totally agree with Witch. Be a cold day in hell before I go camping, I'd rather stay home. But I do understand it's an economy holiday for those short of cash. It's the one activity where you really do need the weather.

Oh bless you

You are so NBU OP.

Like you say, the sun we have had and now its gone . .Rather Autumnal in London today I am finding.

Are you managing to stay warm op?

I have put the heating on and dug out the fleeces.

I am so cold today and have just put away the last of my summer dresses. Happy to hear you are doing fun seaside activities. If it is your last camping trip for a while you may as well make the most of it. Do take photos, it will be fun to look back and tell dd the hell that was this summer's camping and she will love seeing herself weathering the storms!

Similar experience and gave up and went home early. Told kids we’d do that if weather bad as just makes us all miserable. We love camping but weather makes it for sure. Hoping to go away closer to home for night or weekend if get good weather sept.

YANBU

Camping is utter shit. It is not, I repeat, NOT a holiday.

Promise me you will never do it again.

What a shame. We went to Cornwall last year not camping but I’ve sworn never to go back in the school holidays. Too busy literally couldn’t get anywhere which ruined it for me. I was really sad as I’ve got great memories of holidays down there when I was young. We’ve come to Dorset this year. Loads better. I love it here. My new happy place. Hope your stay gets better.

YANBU. I went glamping this year and came home three days early. I blame Facebook: everyone else's holidays looked way better.

I've only ever gone camping with DC on the understanding that if there's more than 3 drops of rain we either go to a hotel or go home.

Camping in the rain is too miserable and too much effort to be a holiday.

Cornwall is beautiful in parts but not in the summer holiday.

Lol drive home and visit the hop farm, it's quiet and I will entertain your kids making a fairy garden! Trust me your kids will have all the good memories to look back on xx

I would most definitely go home !!You'll appreciate so much more the warmth of your home ,the warm shower ,all your creature comforts and in that way you will have gained something from this hideous break.
We drove to Spain and our car broke down and is still there a week later in a garage where no one answers the phone.!!
I do think holidays are sometimes overrated ...so sorry that you've had a bad time .Go home and chill in front of a fire .

YANBU Kids really suck the fun out of holidays... we now rent a cottage in the UK, means we can take his home comforts and stick to routines etc. Not too expensive if you shop around and we take slow cooker and stock up before we go.