Camping virgin, please help

[moolady1977]

So it might sound daft but I've got to the age of 42 without ever going camping so my partner is taking me off next week, he has the tent, the stove and the full works but is it really as awful as the picture I have in my head, would love some good camping stories cos my head is in overdrive and I'm wondering how to pull a sickie to get out of it

Hi, I'd never been camping until DH took me either, and I also thought I wasn't going to like it! To my surprise I enjoyed myself and we now go a few times a year. We tend to do 3-4 days at a time though, not a full week. How long as you going for? A weekend would probably be plenty for your first time, and maybe pick somewhere that's not so far away that you could come home after the first night if you really hate it!

We pick smaller woodlands campsites which are really quiet and peaceful, we leave all tech behind except mobiles in case of emergencies which stay turned off in the car, we take lots of wine and nice snacks and do gentle walks to the nearest pub in the day and sit and chat and look at the stars at night, it's super relaxing.

Even the sites we go to which market themselves as 'wild' always seem to have toilets (sometimes compost ones and sometimes normal flush ones), shower blocks with hot water and washing up points, so it's not really that wild if that is a concern for you! And if you go to a larger site you can find places with even nicer facilities, proper mirrors, powerpoints for hairdryers etc, although I find part of the joy is in letting myself go a bit feral and not worrying about hair/make-up/shaving my legs etc for the weekend! .

Do try and find somewhere that allows campfires though, as it's really nice in the evenings even in summer to have a fire to sit around in the evening. Plus we use it to cook on.

Also make sure you go for a wee last thing at night as it's really rubbish waking up in the night and having to get dressed, put shoes on and traipse to the loo to pee!

I love camping! Where are you going?

1. Take the opportunity to go gadget free. Bliss.
2. take a woolly hat and put your pjs on + cosy clothes ontop while you are still warm. It can get chilly sitting outside till 10 & you won’t want to undress then!
3. don’t think of it as a holiday but a fun activity. Enjoy the contrast with normal life.

Hi, we are going to Mablethorpe, only doing two nights, need to keep phone on us as kids and parents need to be able to get in touch but some good ideas especially the wine, I'm gonna find myself a new book too

Head torch
Blanket
Crocs
Good sleeping mat
Open mind !

I love camping but also like to have nice facilities in terms of showers & toilets & always have an electric hook up if we're on a longer trip than a couple of days.

Also look into a good camp bed - air beds in my experience are the worst for a bad night's sleep & being cold

Flip flops for the shower block
Extra duvet for the night

You will definitely enjoy yourself more if you’re excited about where you camp. Think about combining your trip with seeing a new part of the country or doing a particular activity. Whether you want to be in the mountains or near the coast or in a national park. Remember the fun you had exploring somewhere new and building dens outdoors when you were a kid? Try to relax back into that kind of mindset – you won’t be staying in a luxurious 5* hotel but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun!
If you pack foods and drinks you enjoy, you’ll ensure that at least your palate is happy. It’s actually really easy with a bit of planning to prepare some gorgeous meals when camping; tasty chicken curries, vegetable stir frys, hearty casseroles and even a simple omlette and salad are all super easy to prep and cook when camping with a little bit of forward planning. Sticking to "one pan" dishes is also not a bad idea to lessen sink time.
Having the proper clothes will make you more comfortable and ready to enjoy your outing. It sounds obvious but check the weather before you go. If you are prepared for the weather, you’ll be much more comfortable. Always pack extra layers like warm sweaters, and thermal tops and bottoms, and bring blankets to throw over your legs when hanging out at camp.
Depending on your level of disgust over camping bathrooms, there are a few options. Bring air fresheners and hand sanitizing soaps and leave them in the bathrooms closest to your tent.
If you have a scented candle that you use in your house, it's a great idea to bring those along and get your traditional "homey" scent. Many campers find that having their familiar scents around makes it feel a little more civilized and refined.
Make sure to leave a torch by your bed in case you have to get up in the middle of the night.
Crucial whenever you’re camping are games, books, cards, pen and pencils – whatever you can fit in the car, really. Basically these are the things that will keep you sane if the heavens open for two days straight. It pays to go quite old-school here.
The nights can get pretty long under the stars and unless you want to turn in as it gets dark, battery-powered or solar lanterns are a good idea. At a minimum, a head torch is indispensable and leaves your hands free to do other things – like reading or (more likely) the washing up.
One problem with camping is that while you might bring a lot of items for functionality, there's very often not a lot of places to sit. If your site doesn't provide a picnic table with benches and you don't bring chairs, your choices are basically to sit on the ground or in your tent. Many people do remember to bring outdoor chairs, but bringing a comfy chair that will fit inside your tent is a great addition for your relaxation time. Blowup chairs are super easy and work much like air mattresses. If you have a bit more room in the car, a padded wicker chair is always great.
Don’t fixate on the things you can’t do whilst camping. There’s nowhere to plug in your hair straighteners, you can’t watch TV and there’s no super-fast internet connection – so accept it, and move on. Getting fixated on the things that you can’t do will trap you in a negative loop and you won’t enjoy yourself.

For 2 nights camping, we take fresh tortellini and pesto for night 1, and get a takeaway for night 2.

@moolady1977 have you been?! How was it? I’m a camping virgin too at 46 but after the kids doing D of E I’m wondering whether to give it a go....

Well I survived it lol, No truthfully the first night I didn't sleep well but I really enjoyed it. I loved the peace and quiet we took an air bed then put a mattress topper on it with sheet, duvet and pillows, had a couple of pop up chairs a small table with a camping stove with kettle and a couple of pans for cooking breakfast and took a small bbq. I laid in the sleeping reading a book and listening to the rain and thunder, I think I've been converted I loved it

Oh, glad you loved it!

I’m still not quite convinced that the price of all the equipment and the pitch and the hassle of having to pack all that stuff up is worth it. There just seems so much prep involved for a bit of fresh air