Why do it? Why camp?

[squilly]

Ok...so...I camped when I was little and it was great fun, but I'm now a 40+ woman with lots of aches and pains and a 7 year old.

Friends are telling me that camping is the way forward. But I want to know why?

I am ALMOST seduced by the idea. I'm lookiing at tents and airbeds and stuff, but I don't have much money, so where do I start?

I also want to know if it's as free and easy as you'd think? Or do you always have to book up well in advance?

Sorry for the multitude of questions, but I'm really curious...

Because I cant afford to go on holiday otherwise. I choose campsites that are very basic as cant bear butlin type places and dont have to book up in advance. We were lucky as a friend gave us the basic stuff as they no longer camped and we got a cheap tent off ebay. Argos and tescos sell lots of cheap equipment.

Because my kids think that it is the best holiday in the world. and if they are happy, I'm happy.

before you go, book a week with someone like Keycamp/canvas holidays in a 'Made up' tent, so that you can see if life under canvas suits you and yours.

We went to a site in France in a caravan. I worked out that we could have the same 12 night in our own tent for £1000 less!

Thanks Hercules1. Finance is part of the reason why we're looking at camping as well.

Previous years we've done weekends away at B&B's but dd has to act like a grown up and being a one and only doesn't have any company.

I vageuly recall camping being quite free...lots of kids playing together in the sunshine. Probably not true, just rose tinted glasses kind of stuff, but still, I'd like to give it a try.

No, it still happens. Kids play with each other and make friends. It is really nice.

Martianbishop...dh is saying next year he'd like to do Scotland and may think of camping, but right now he won't consider it.

That means I've got to try to trial this somehow without him! I'm figuring me & DD could maybe go over the six weeks hols for a few days at a time.

I'm optimistically thinking it'll be easy, but I'm not really too sure. Perhaps rose tinted again?? I'm hoping to get some good advice from here, so thanks for comments so far...

When we camp my kids have the sort of freedom that I had when I was a kid, and they love it. and while they are playing I sit and read a book.

fabola

I'm planning a 6 week holiday camping in France next year. There is no way I could afford to do that any other way than camping

what hercules said, and what mb said.

Being outdoors and sleeping under canvas makes me feel very happy inside.

Phew....pleased about that! I did wonder whether the PC brigade might have fun-sucked their way through the camping fraternity too and stopped kids playing together.

That's a bonus then

I'm going camping on my own without dh for the first time this year and planning 2 weeks away with 2 kids. It is relaxing and they get far more freedom as mb says.

I love scotland, but the weather is unpredictable.

The sites in France have swimming pools and nice bars and all sorts.

because my dh made me.....
he was right though, last year was my first camp, we went to France and it was brilliant. It was relaxed, easy, hassle free and the ds's had a wonderful time. We are going to South of France this year for 4 weeks. And I can't wait! I'm a total convert... (but only to camping in nice warm places with good food and loads of cheap wine )

I have never felt unsafe in a tent funnily enough.

I took the kids on my own 2 years ago and I will be doing it again this summer (for a short time only)

We went on a 5 week camping holiday in Europe when I was 11 and DB was 10. It was absolutely fanastic.

Campsites have great facilities, often a pool and activities like crazy golf. We had great weather and it was a very free and easy holiday.

It's very liberating, somehow, living under canvas, and normal day-to-day rules just don't seem to apply.

I would say that of all our family holidays, it is this one that we talk about the most.

Oh - just make sure, though, that you have an air bed and a nice pillow - no need to be uncomfortable!

And take your own duvet and sleeping bags and blankets and very warm socks for night time. Put a picnic blanket under your air bed - makes a huge difference.

Nice choc and wine for the evening.

Oh...you guys are making this hard for me. I'm finding it so hard to resist.

I think I'll be tripping out to CCC tomorrow. Get me that little tent for us. We're not plannning on doing weeks at a time this year, so I think small will do.

I'm not planning on cooking either, so it'll just be a place to lay our heads.

I'll definitely be doing the airbed/duvet and socks...wine and chocolates go without saying. The main thing will be books, though. Gotta get me some reading done.

Thanks for the extra infor...It was just the nudge I needed!

just cos there is nothing like going for a wee at 3am and meeting a wabbit on the way

cos being i the fresh air means your children sleep until 8am

cos you have no phone, no tv,.....and no puter!

Sounds like bliss lucycat. Not the weeing at 3am, but the rest of it!

The weeing at 3am I'm hoping to get over by buying a portapotty (probably a bucket with a lid knowing my budget!).

lucy, lucycat, tell me more about your popup tent!

You have to camp because then you can get into tent porn!

O.k. Now I'm worried. What's tentporn???

looking at tents and trying to decide the one that you will buy next.

Or if your Tend needs are fully satisfied, you find yourself looking through Outdoormegasore.co.uk or wildday.com for better bedding!

It hooks you!

I have to confess. I have unknowingly been dabbling in the tentporn already. I spent hours today on CCC!!!

CAn I be tracked down and put on a register of offenders??? Yikes..I hope not.

Have just bookmarked outdoormegastore and wilday so I can have a better look tomorrow. Now, bed's calling.