Is this the camping trip from hell.

[Redgreenfroggy]

Just want to start by saying we camp 2 or 3 times a year and have loved it. Don’t know if we have been really lucky with campsites.
yep there has been the odd annoyance but on the whole great.

Arrived at a campsite yesterday and the family in the tent next door just seem to yell at each other all the time. If they are not yelling at each other they are yelling at the dog. The adults are constantly swearing at each other and the two little girls just seem to scream

To make it the 2 girls aged about 5 kept running in our tent laughing and running out again. At one point when DH and DS had bobbed to the campsite shop and I was looking for something in the car I looked back at the tent to see both girls coming out of our tent with one of my sons board games. I stopped them and said they should not take things that dont belong to them and to stop coming in our tent. All I got in return was them both sticking their tongue out at me.

When my DH came back he went over and had a word but they parents could not seem to grasp while we didn’t want their little darlings on our tent and said they would only be borrowing the board game.

Woke up this morning at 6 to the girls running around our tent screaming and shouting for my son to wake up. My son is 12 and wants nothing to do with them. Luckily it stared raining so they went back to their tent.

Later this afternoon came back to the campsite after a day out and not only has a new family pitched their tent right up next to ours so we could literally reach out and touch their tent from standing inside ours, they have pitched over were the car is meant to go.

all the tents are pitched so there is a tent and then a car on the right hand side but they have 2 cars and have just taken up their pitch and half of ours. I did point out this to them but I just got a shrug of the shoulders.

We did mention to the owners of the campsite this had happened and they did say they would have a word if we really wanted them too but could we just put our car by reception. We got the feeling they did not want any confrontation. So our car is now by reception. Not a huge deal but still a bit inconvenient.

i am now in our tent listening to an argument from the family next door. The kids screaming and the dog going bat shit barking. Plus the ones that are right up next to us the bloke keeps hacking at the time.
So you get that massive hack noise as if he is trying to bring something up. The women with him had a cackle laugh that would put Amanda Holden and Alisha Dixon to shame.

My DH has gone out to get ear plugs

My mouth is hanging open reading this! I've been camping many times and while yes, it's luck of the draw who you end up camping near, that's the same for any holiday situation really. Neighbours in hotel rooms, whether your air bnb is near a noisy pub, etc. I have NEVER had other people, of any age, running in and out of our tent and taking things! That's astounding.

OMG, I'm so glad you've got other plans tomorrow. I would make AS much noise as possible when your packing up, accidentally pull up the tent pegs of the cheeky neighbours....and massively complain about the site on every social media site possible.

Make sure you leave a really bad review.

I do think Camping is a bit like Marmite, some people genuinely love it but others just don’t get it. I went on a glamping weekend and there was no problems with neighbours as the whole field only had our tent and my siblings, it had beds and a kitchen and a bathroom but all hot water had to be obtained from burning wood. Everything took ages and the it was pitch black at night, I just felt it was quite a bit of money for no electricity, showers that you had to wait an hour for and I felt vulnerable with just canvas as a shelter, I jumped out of my skin when a badger was sniffing around the back zipped door near where I was sleeping. Equally, my siblings teens were told that it was a device detox and they just moaned about it.

I loathe camping with the best of them, but I don't think it's fair to judge it by the OP's experience 😂! She does sound particularly unlucky to be sandwiched between the family from hell on one side, and a bunch of aggressive cfs on the other.

Personally I'd be parking my car in front of the second family's tent and refusing to move it until they shifted their stuff to their space, but I can understand that not everyone is happy to be confrontational.

I'd be making damn sure they got a terrible night's sleep though with periodic loud phone alarms throughout the night.

We all know you don't like camping. You've told the whole of Mumsnet repeatedly. You pop up on camping threads with boring regularity to point out every time that you think camping is crap. It's like some sort of weird itch you have to scratch - see a camping thread so post on it to tell people camping is crap. It's bizarre!

You’re in a campsite, you haven’t bought a house.

Just MOVE - tomorrow.

All the time you’ve spent complaining could have been used to find a better place to go. It’s obviou these people are horrific so get away from them asap.

Were no problems not ‘was no problems’😬

The kicking the dog would be sufficient grounds for calling the police. After all, two West Ham footballers were prosecuted for doing the same with a cat.

The campsite owner would take such behaviour a bit more seriously if that happened. Take their car number registration and do it after you leave if you do not feel safe doing so whilst on site.

Why would you ‘shuffle around’ inside when you are on holiday? What an odd term to use. I get up, get out, get on. And I don’t stay anywhere dingy either. And no, I don’t have an unlimited budget. I just use my imagination a bit. Inflatable mattresses are ok, comfy enough I guess, but if they are more comfortable than your bed you need a new mattress at home.
No difficulty getting off the floor is a very low bar…

What you need to do is wait until they are out or away from their tent and then get a handful of gravel or a few small stones, lift up the sleeping quarters of their tent and sprinkle them under the ground sheet. Feel free to also walk into their tent to borrow items without first asking.

Eh? I don’t remember being on any before. I mostly do politics.

When the children ran into your son's tent this morning and woke you, I hope you shouted at them to get the hell out and stay out? I suspect that if you scare them enough they'll stay away.

However, being next to neighbour hawking his lungs up would have me packing up and demanding a new pitch, or else going home.

Ugh, how awful.

I love camping but am extremely fussy about sites.

I only go to the big open back-to-basics sites with loads and loads of space between pitches. I also choose sites that do not allow any amplified music, which weeds loads of people out, and scour review sites and photographs.

Sorry you have had such a grim experience OP.

How the hell does any child / parent think it is ok to run on to anyone else’s pitch, let alone into a tent!

I actually would call social services and the RSPCA. Make a note of the pitch number and dates and give them their car registration numbers and the campsite owners details. You could also record any abusive language on your phone.

Perhaps it's someone else I'm thinking of in which case, my apologies. 😊
I could have sworn you've been on previous camping threads I've been on.

Your next camping holiday you need wind breaks (mark your territory, stop the CFers encroaching on your space) and hmm...a tazer?

We used to camp when our DC were younger, wasn't some of my best holidays but they loved it.

As for some people saying camping is shit, maybe, but in my experience of most times be it camping, places, where people live or whatever 99% of the time its actually the people that are shit.and make it shit for every one around them

You could be in a 5* hotel, the most beautiful place with scenery to die for, live in a million pound house but if those around you are inconsiderate and uncouth then you really are bolloxed.

No consultation to you OP but hopefully their neighbours where they live are having a wonderful break from them..

What's so great about being outdoors just because there isn't enough room in the tent? When I'm on holiday renting a cottage, I spend plenty of time outdoors, whether it's going out and about in the local area or sitting in the garden. But when it's raining, a house beats a tent every time.

Why assume that every holiday involves some mega planning operation with loads of friends to fit into the right rooms? Most people are happy just to go with their partners and families.

As for claiming that the "typical" UK holiday cottage is dated and dingy, you clearly haven't been in one lately. The last cottage we stayed in was really comfortable, had loads of room, a garden, fully up to date fittings, and free access to a swimming pool, all for around £450 for two for a week.

Sorry op, sounds miserable. I mainly do wild camping so no neighbours. But yeah, tell the owners why you're leaving and try to get a refund since they're not enforcing their own rules. Also get a tent lock. And report the assholes.

@cardibach how is this helpful or relevant in response to an OP who in general loves camping, goes two or three times a year and usually loves it?

Some of us love camping. Whatever YOU think of it many many people love the whole process and vibe of sleeping outdoors etc.

Every single part of that sounds awful.

Please leave an honest review of the site.

We camp and we rank the site management highly when selecting where to stay. We stayed in one place BECAUSE it had negative reviews about management being too strict (according to the group who wanted to play music and let their children play football after 10pm).

Maybe the odd one…I genuinely don’t remember.
But even if someone did say it every time, that would be ok wouldn’t it?

Because it’s suggesting a way to have a less crap time. You’re under canvas. You have no escape form the people around you and their noise.