Camping- peace and quiet or unrealistic expectations?

[jennylamb1]

Got back from second camping trip of the year. First one was on a very quiet and small campsite. Last one was a big field, stayed Tuesday-Saturday. Only 4 very spaced out tents first night, a few more next and then Friday night everyone descended. I loved the first couple of nights, the countryside views were stunning, you could hear owls all night and it was super tranquil. Friday night the field ran out of pitches- there was no owner around and it seems that more people turn up than for the booked spaces. We pitched next to a pitch post with a number on it, with no more around it, thinking that we'd have the spot to ourselves, but people had to pitch in around us because all the designated pitches had been used. A family from hell pitched next to us with a mum who did not stop shouting out the whole time, chaotic, bundled into a small tent with 2 older kids and a huge dog, dog trying to get into our tent, had some sort of panic attack in the middle of the night, shouting at her kids to get out (kids really upset), they got up at 5am in the morning. Luckily we all wear earplugs which helped a bit.
My question is, is mid-week camping the only way to go, because I cannot go camping again when it's an absolute free for all like on Friday night.

Midweek, out of season, sites with few facilities or that don’t advertise, sites where you get to know they don’t allow overcrowding….
It’s always a gamble to some degree but you can improve the odds of quiet.
I like sites where there is white noise from a beck or waterfall as that drowns out noise from loud people further away on the site.

I think you’ve been very unlucky, I’ve never had an experience like that in many years of going camping. It’s worth looking at reviews on Pitch Up and Google maps before booking, you can get an idea if the site is one that attracts inconsiderate campers.

Only suggestions I can think of...

• Read reviews of campsites.
• If you don't have children, try adults only sites (though you can get groups sitting outside / in tents or awnings drinking and getting progressively louder till late).
• Join the Camping and Caravanning Club and use those of its sites that allow tents - they're supposed to be stricter on noise.

Or don't camp. Noise is one of the things I hate about camping. One of the many things. I still do camp, but only when there's no other practical or affordable option.

Camping stalwart here. Albeit through gritted teeth. Do your research and look at online reviews before booking and eother go for very expensive luxury sites with all the mod cons or wild camping sites. The latter doesn't attract many people. The former usually has a vigilante warden who helps keep noise down. Also don't pitch near the toilet block or play area. Many sites often have little nooks and crannies you can book into top if you book early.

You won't ever guarantee it 100% but it does help and having completely renegade on my own advice above this year, I lived to regret it and was woken up at 1am and 6am every day by a foghorn of a fellow camper.

I'd keep on sticking to small fields, and read ukcampsite a LOT.

Tbh I've stopped camping now despite some great experiences, though mainly thats because it takes me a few hours to straighten out my joints in the morning. Even in a quiet site you get the spectacular snorers (I snore as well).

I have tried camping once with my family and will never do it again due to noise. People brought tvs with them , hooked them up to power and watched them outside in the evening! People drinking and shouting all night, it was awful. I live in a busy noisey city and it’s not as bad!

You need to choose the right site. We csmp and go to the same site every year (as well as others) it's a large site, but very "nature" focused. No noise issues at all.

The first one I ever took the dc to was bloody awful. Kids and adults shrieking and shouting all night.

You've been unlucky. Not all sights are like that at weekends, I promise! Mena Farm is one you can always rely on to be peaceful www.menafarm.co.uk/campsite-etiquette/

Thanks all. OH is on the backfoot already on camping because of the kerfuffle of getting everything out of storage, packing the car, setting up etc. in comparison to a turnkey-like holiday in a hotel or lodge. I love the family time around the BBQ and the campfire, time in nature, lovely country views. Also, it's so much cheaper.
I will definitely camp mid-week and look for smaller sites in the future. This site was idyllic until Friday evening and is generally well-reviewed. I didn't hugely mind other (quiet) people pitching closer to us because the pitches had been taken, but the mad woman next door drove me mad. Her dog was roaming free and had his head in their food half the time. Not for me.

It depend so the campsite. We once went to one with a lot of things on site and that was busy (but large pitched spaces)

The ones we've been to since are lovely. I insist on loos but best sites have loos and little else and lots of space. We like to camp wherever rather than in rows and like to be able to have a fire. You learn how to start ruling out busy sites and read the reviews.

We now go to the same place every year as its kept clean, no noise and all quiet at 11.

Id avoid like the plague any electric hookups etc as that's when you start getting the tvs and also my preserence is avoiding the big motor homes too.

I don’t go to sites with hook up, partly because of all the TV / film projection noise , but also because the noisy, shouty, no-camping-etiquette families are often the ones that can’t camp without EHU.

I choose sites with a few mod cons as possible, and usually get space, peace and quiet.

Yep that's our philosophy too! Don't like the loud!