To wonder why people enjoy camping

[SirJamesTalbotAndHisSpeculum]

I can't think of anything worse. I know people enjoy it but I can't understand why anyone would want to be nowhere near a bathroom or kitchen. or anywhere comfortable to sit. Not only that, if the weather is awful you get cold. Or wet. Or far too hot. I just don't get it.

Tell me why I'm wrong.

We stayed (in a mobile home) in france last year which was one of the nicest campsites we've been to. It had a great pool with lazy river and water slides and was a short walk or cycle to the beach and had several other gorgeous beaches an easy (almost traffic free) cycle away. Even the ones we drove to were very quiet .Only downside was the on site restaurant wasn't great.

I have seen some campsites in France where you could pay a premium to have a pitch with its own toilet/shower.
I'm always surprised at "glamping" yurts/shepherd's huts/gypsy caravans etc which are way more expensive than for example a caravan but still have the inconvenience of not having an inside toilet!!

Tried it once on a site which was really well reviewed. Awful. Close to noisy road, tents close to each other, only two (grotty) showers for whole site, wasps everywhere....

I live in a nicer rural place than the site was in so I said never, ever again! Not one for AL, cruises etc either, but give me a cosy Airbnb in a beautiful setting any day.

Were camping right now. There are huge pros and cons. I probably only do it because my DS and DH love it and tbh do all the hard work. I'm just constantly a little bit pissed with a good book in hand.

What is making me reconsider is the tent next to us! 2 family's that seemingly can't talk to each other, only shout! Kids permanently crying/being yelled at! They're just too hot and bored.

I've said I'm going to fill a paddling pool up soon and create a crèche!!!

I'm camping now. Kids woke up earlier than me so I sent them down the play park and had a lie in. Can't do that at home, no garden. Now we've wondered down to the pool and kids are swimming while I Mumsnet. Sure there are downsides but it's not all bad.

I like little mountain chalets - in the middle of nature but with a kitchen and toilet.
Glamping ok at a push.

YANBU.

Camping is in the top three of my holidays never to take list the others being ski-ing and cruising. I'd rather not have a holiday than do any of them.

YANBU

People who enjoy camping are MENTAL

There are spiders are creepy crawlies everywhere

And you have to stumble around in the dark for the "loo"

I just cannot fathom why this is anyone's idea of fun.

Wild camping is absolute amazing. If you're going to camp that's the way to do it if you can. I trek and camp sometimes for weeks at a time.
There's something wonderful about having minimal "stuff" with you.
There's an achievement in finding a place to pitch the tent, pitching it, cooking a meal, bathing in a lake or river, snuggling in your sleeping bag with a hot chocolate. Being in nature and having complete quiet is wonderful.
It does wonders for your stress levels.

However, that said, I absolutely hate camping on campsites (normally after a trek I end up in a village somewhere and end up on a campsite.
Why I hate campsites:

1. Everyone is so noisy (well not everyone, the majority). Music playing, kids screaming (it's nice for them to have fun but screaming?), general noise from people moving around etc.
2. Shower blocks are often absolutely disgusting. Stayed at a campsite recently where the showers obviously hadn't been cleaned for a week.
3. You are often so close to your neighbours you can hear every word they say. You can hear them having sex or snoring in the night.

There are some luxury campsites these days- I live near one. It's fabulous - but you pay a premium for that. It has over 1000 guests every night. That's just crazy! All those people.
When it costs that much and you've bought a fancy tent and a whole pile of equipment to make it half-way bearable then you would have been better off booking an apartment or a hotel even.

My stress levels would increase tenfold if I had to go wild camping. I'm glad that other people enjoy it so much, but it was horrific enough on a well equipped campsite, the thought of having even fewer comforts makes me shudder.

Yanbu op. The bathroom and roughing it is enough for me to avoid. Honestly sharing a bathroom with scores of others is just disgusting to me. Luckily my dh hates this too so we are definitely not going camping. But many people enjoy it so it's just a case of different strokes for different folks

Ah I forgot to say, I really can't bear having to go to a toilet on campsite. It's horrific. I can't avoid doing a number two at some point and I get performance anxiety when others are in the stalls next to me. I try to hold it in until no one is there but there are always people coming and going. Horrific.
Wild camping is much better - you can dig a hole at a suitable place (often with a stunning view) and there's no one to hear you crap.

Digging a hole and shitting in it is something I'd only do in my nightmares or in hell.

Camping is a great holiday for kids, so much freedom, off making friends, cycling, exploring. Mine are late teens now but have very happy memories of camping holidays.

There was a small window when our DC were aged 4-8 ish when we enjoyed the odd camping trip. The kids loved it, it was a big adventure etc. But we only ever camped for 3 or 4 nights. I personally can’t take any longer than that without my own bed and bathroom!

They’re teens now and it would be hell, I imagine!

I camped as a teenager in the south of France and although I have done find memories of it, you couldn’t pay me to do it now. No air con, midges, shared showers etc? No thanks. Not a holiday!

Digging a hole and shitting in it is something I'd only do in my nightmares or in hell.

It always amazes me on threads like this how diverse we humans are. It's nice. I have nightmares about public toilets - where there's hundreds of toilets all lined up and they are dirty and decrepit and I can't find the door to get out and I need to go to the toilet but I'm terrified of the toilets available.

@everyonecaneffoff see I understand where you're coming from. What you do is have a completely different type of ex

Whoops ... experience as opposed to just a slightly cheaper holiday with lousy facilities. I still wouldn't like it because I don't like carrying loads of things but I do get the attraction.

I like walking. As soon as we could negotiate three days off together (which was weekly, if we worked the weekend, we wouls set off somewhere on the coast and get a pitch for around £20 a night.

I could take my German Shepherd, while my Partner fished, i walked the coastal paths and sometimes more inland.

Great for a City dweller, on a limited income, who loves the outdoors/walking.

It puts you close to historical sites/caves/mines. I've explored the whole of the UK, on a low budget, without loads of driving and being able to have a drink. I horse ride and make use of local stables, so get to do areas on horseback that i couldn't afford to do any other way.

My camping set up probably cost me a couple of £ks, but we have a combined oven/grill/hotplate. Comfortable beds/chairs and we take our duvet. We do take a television, but rarely watch it.

I agree that digging a hole while wild camping is far, far better than using a campsite toilet. The latter is a filthy, stinking germ sponge, probably infested with spiders, and in close proximity to probably ten other people. The former is private, peaceful and significantly more hygienic.

Nothing wrong with wanting to be at one with nature etc but you don't have to sleep in it. You can do it all in the day.

I would not go on a holiday that involved digging holes thank you very much.

I would spend morning, noon and night outdoors and live in a rural location to enjoy nature.
But dig a hole to shit into on holiday?! As earlier poster said, only in hell or in a particularly awful nightmare!

No one would think of me as a particularly outdoorsy type but I love camping. I'm careful to choose the right campsites and haven't been anywhere we've had a particular problem with the toilet or shower facilities. Sleeping isn't uncomfortable and preparing meals can be easy. Noisy neighbours can be an issue but again we're careful where we go. As long as you have a tent with enough room it's a great and affordable holiday option.

Why is it that if you like camping you must hate AI? I love both!

My DH got me into camping and we have done it from tiny two man tent in Europe for 2 weeks, to camping when pregnant (although I was only 6 months and that was probably my limit in a 2 man tent!), camping with a toddler and a 5 month old, to now where over the years we have accumulated a pretty good camping set up with big inflatable tent, carpet, decent bedding and recently a bucket toilet for overnight wees, total game changer! Showers and toilets can wildly vary, but I don't think I could handle wild camping and shitting in a hole I have dug out myself.

I do love it, but I have to also say that because DH is so keen with it all that he does a lot of the work, he loves cooking on the stove and setting it all up, so it's quite relaxing for me! Our kids absolutely love it as well.

However, I love AI holidays, sun lounger by the pool holidays, have been on a cruise which we loved, self catering cottages, anything really, I think I'm just quite easily pleased

Oh, apart from Center Parcs, that's shite

I also don't understand why people think we can't enjoy both. I love a luxury holiday. Our main family break is always a really nice place in really nice accommodation. We then go camping several times a year around the highlands. You can absolutely love both.