AIBU to let them camp on an island overnight?

[chomalungma]

(Inspired by another thread)

We are on holiday in the Lake District. Lovely cottage. DH is working away. DC's have seen a lovely island and want to go camping there for a few nights. Light a campfire, cook for themselves. They'll get there by sailing boat. Youngest is 6 and oldest is 14.

Would you let them go?

And it isn’t clear in the original post at all, why would it?

For anyone who's read Arthur Ransome, it was clear from the thread title. And everyone should read AR.

Is it possible to watch Swallows and Amazons together?

@CaptainNancy I had forgotten that about the washing up - good advice.

I intensely hated the final book in the Narnia series. What he did to Susan was just horrible. She was a good character early on who joined in - was the archer, rode horses, didn't agree to be married off to any old Prince etc. Then first she was ditched for liking fashion etc and then the implications of the finale for her character are horrible. But it just isn't even considered because she had chosen boys and fashion so whatever...

Have actually camped overnight on Peel Island (the one used in the original film) in the 80s. My parents took me and a friend we rowed across in a rubber dinghy.

I only liked the Magician’s Nephew in the Narnia series.

I'd love to find a copy of the 1963 television series. I remember watching it and feeling very homesick - I remember the Lake District before it was a national park - far less touristy & mostly empty.

@painandmorepain

Is it possible to watch Swallows and Amazons together?

It's a great family film.

DS has never watched it - just short scenes when I have told him it's on and he says that he doesn't want to watch it.

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit

This is really making me want to read the books again.

The posters who aren't getting it are supplying both the best and worst posts of the thread.

Me too, I've got them from when bought them for my children so I might have to when I've finished my current tome.

@CatandtheFiddle

I'd love to find a copy of the 1963 television series. I remember watching it and feeling very homesick - I remember the Lake District before it was a national park - far less touristy & mostly empty.

you can get it on DVD (now there's a rapidly dating technology for you)

@CaptainNancy beat me to it - definitely Amazon territory! I read this to my kids during lockdown and have to admit dumping them on an island was seeming like an attractive proposition . 'Better drowned than duffers'!

@painandmorepain you need to watch the original film not the latest one which strayed so far away from the book they should have just made
the film with a different title

@ineedaholidaynow I never liked the older film. Can't actually remember why - knowing my Amazon's obsession, I suspect I got irritated by the actors playing the Swallows and just wanted more Amazons... I quite like the more recent film - if you accepted that it wasn't the same story line, I think it had the sense of adventure I associated with Swallows and Amazon's (and I seem to remember the new plot sort of related to Arthur Ransome's career outside writing)

It was the 1963 series that started me reading the books. I wanted to be Titty - though they called her Kitty in the series.

I didn’t like how they portrayed the Walker children in the new film (although probably more believable as how siblings behave)

Sorry I didnt explain that well. We have watched Swallows and Amazons. I was referring to some of the later books. Was Coot Club/Big six made into another film Swallows and Amazons Together?

or Swallows and Amazons Forever not Together!

All the other books are suitable for the same age ranges @painandmorepain

you can get it on DVD

ooooo thank you @bettsbattenburg

I'd searched the TARBoard but it's not in their shop either.

I loved the books as a kid and I also liked the newer film (never seen the old one). The storyline was nothing like the original, but it was sufficiently different to be enjoyable in its own right. I particularly liked how the Walkers squabbled and were mean to Roger (until he fell in the lake oops) and acted like real children, I thought that's what made it believable even though the plot was even more ridiculous than the original

I think if you have never read the books or seen the films etc if you watch the new film you might then be disappointed to then read some of the books as they are not written in the same style. The original film is much gentler and slow paced like the book.

I enjoyed the new film (once we had all stopped going ‘but that wasn’t in the book’!) a bit like the Paddington films.

Given that there are lots of Arthur Ransome fans on the thread, can I ask if this book I'm remembering vaguely from childhood rings any bells, bearing in mind it may not actually be by AR at all?

My memory is that it was about a brother and sister being taught to climb by a man somewhere in the north of England, I think more in wintry weather than summer -- I think they aren't from the area but are living there, possibly with their mother and a much younger sibling, maybe a sister? It had the air of cool practicality and detail I associate with AR, but I could be wrong. I think I only read it once, and it was probably a library book.

Sounds like Fell Farm, possibly Fell Farm Christmas.
I think the oldest twins are taught to climb by a local farmer, but I can't remember which one.
Those are set in the Lakes too.

I haven't come across the Fell Farm books - real places that can be found and routes followed on an OS map (heaven!).
www.allthingsransome.net/rrreviews/thefellfarmbooks.html
I've had a look and they're not cheap to buy.

@Witchend -- thank you! I think you're right, and it was Fell Farm for Christmas. And though it's not by AR, the most detailed plot summaries etc I've found are on an Arthur Ransome fan page where people recommend books they think AR fans will enjoy, and this one certainly has the level of child independence and physical hardiness you get in AR.

Yes the Fell Farm books are very Arthur Ransome.
Very much adventures of being outside in the Lakes without usually an adventure or bad guy.
Malcolm Saville and Monica Edwards are similar styles, set in real places (although not the lakes) but more mystery and adventure.