Camping...be honest...do you really enjoy it?

[OrkneyGirl]

I'm typing this in a field in Cornwall. I love the idea of camping but, honestly, is it really a holiday? My neighbour is snoring. I've got to wash up at a sink area with no roof. The tent is starting to ming because it's been so wet. I could go on! And the one thing I never seem to get right is sleeping comfortably. I've tried blow up mattress, camp bed, blow up mattress on camp bed - all just a bit uncomfortable and making me want the comfort of a double bed with a cosy duvet!

My hack is - single camp bed with a single blow up mattress on it. BUT the blow up mattress needs to be half deflated. Then, an array of pillows around me, one between my knees and I managed a week of good sleeping.

I love camping for something - a weekend so I can go and swim/kayak/paddleboard on the lake next to the campsite all day, a night so we can do a really good walk with a view early the next morning, for a festival. Got all the gear, generally a fan of the outdoors and have a high tolerance for being soggy and a bit cold. Camping as a holiday, though? No. Anything more than about 3 nights and I hate it.

@OrkneyGirl You need to go to France next year and camp. So much better than UK as weather is better, showers are better and sites are generally better. Nothing beats sitting by the tent with wine, cheese and baguettes..

I love it but graduated to a folding camper when we first had children and being able to sleep, eat and relax in a trailer off the ground was a game changer. We didn’t always have an electric hook up but having a two burner gas hob in the trailer unit provides much needed warmth and hot drinks!

I have a décathlon pop up tent for occasional trips with friends and I love it, however, I'd love a pop up one that you can stand up in - does anyone know if such a thing exists? TIA

Currently camping in Cornwall for two weeks with 3 and 5 year old.. personally.. we love it.. won’t ever not camp.
we’ve camped together for years before the children, so we had fine tuned comfort alrwady.. Has helped that we’ve spent the whole day at beach in the sunshine today too!

We have a campervan and I mostly love it. We’ve been in France for 6 weeks and the weather and food are fabulous. Some of our French pitches have had private shower rooms with a toilet/shower and fridge. We have a toilet in the camper but it’s nice not to pee where you sleep.

However, I hate camping when I’m wet/cold/damp. We camped beside Alton towers last year, campsite was fab but it pelted rain on the 2nd and 3rd day. We legged it to the CBeebies hotel on night 3, I convinced myself the kids would love to experience it but really I just couldn’t deal with any more rain. It cost a fortune but I’d pay it again to dry out!

We have a Cinch Hub that we use as an extra space alongside our Mini caravan. It is brilliant, it pops open in seconds and if it's not too windy can just be pegged down in 4 corners. You can stand up in it and can also get a 2 person inner tent for sleeping. It can be used as a stand alone tent, or with a separate connector to attach to a campervan or caravan. cinchpopuptents.com/shop/thehub/

I love it! Been three times this year. Just me and kids usually too sometimes drag DH along. We bought a bell tent in lockdown and it's awesome. Easy enough to put up and back down and you can stand in it- it's heavy tho so only go to one where I can park next to it.
We have camp beds that are off the floor as it's warmer. Also everything (right down to camping toothbrushes) does in plastic boxes so u can grab and go- no fuss. Lots of blankets.
I like it because for about £10a night we visit new towns and cities whilst experiencing the outdoors. Plus I find it relaxing under the stars

Hearing how lovely France is makes me want to try camping abroad. Need to get bit braver but weather and facilities are tempting!

Love all the hacks and advice! Thank you x

That happened to me once! Had small tent and left food in carrier bag in porch area of tent - huge hedgehog rooting around for a midnight snack!

I absolutely love camping.

But it has to be the way I like it.

I go to ‘wild style’ sites where I would never be close enough to another tent to hear someone snoring. The site has to be dog free, allow campfires and not allow music or any amplified sound. Designated quite hours.

We make camping an activity in its self. Cook over the campfire, etc. (but go out walking, sea swimming, and to visit places of interest etc)

I like a SIM to sleep in but it’s a very personal thing, what people prefer. A SIM on top of a Decathlon inflatable camp bed is a very popular choice.

Given that I often camp in woods or on huge wild sites I wee behind the tent at night, or have a small bucket in under tent,

A cotton canvas tent, a fire, cooking on the fire, lovely trees and meadow, sitting under the stars: it restores my soul!

I like camping in the UK for a few days but no more! Camping in France is much much better. There campsites are like mini resorts. Having said this, we have just come back from 2 weeks camping in France, good campsite etc but it was really way too hot. Which for me is as bad as wet weather when camping. Unfortunately our tent was not shaded in the middle of the day so it was like a greenhouse! I really never want to do that again!

I really love it. But the rain does take the shine off it.

I am sat in a tent in an almost gale. It is a good size tent we can stand up in and I have an electric hob permanently set up. But this is my last year of camping. I want a holiday with walls. It was so wet and wild last night that I had to spend about 2 hours today just getting the place in order again. We have camped for about 10 years for a week or two in the summer in Ireland. It never fails to be miserable at least half the time. My oldest don't come anymore and while my youngest is having fun with his friend being here myself and my husband are just over it. Great when the weather is nice, miserable when it is not. (And we even can keep some wet stuff in the porch area to dry off). Everything, even if not worn during camping, is a little damp and needs to be washed).

I used to love taking the kids camping when they were small and I was still in my 30s. Having a tent that was tall enough to be able to stand up straight in definitely helped as did some good quality blow-up air mattresses. Obviously it's a very weather-dependent holiday.

Now I'm in my 50s I value a good bed too much otherwise my back hates me.

*@Netcam
'*We have a Cinch Hub that we use as an extra space alongside our Mini caravan. It is brilliant, it pops open in seconds and if it's not too windy can just be pegged down in 4 corners. You can stand up in it and can also get a 2 person inner tent for sleeping. It can be used as a stand alone tent, or with a separate connector to attach to a campervan or caravan.'

Thanks - that's a great idea!

You need one of these for cooking. Throw a few smokeless coals on and off you go!
https://www.cobb-bbq.co.uk/

Don't go in the rain, single SIMS, duvets, an awning is useful. I always take my earbuds as I hate snoring or loud cackling.
We have a large canvas tent so it is lovely to be inside.
I love camping but it is weather dependent and also who camps next to you has a big impact on your enjoyment.

We upgraded from a tent to a folding camper, so had a toilet, oven, fridge and slept off the floor.

We've recently upgraded again but this time to a caravan which we have pitched on a camp site a couple of hots from where we live. We can use of it each weekend but can take it away with us if we wanted.

Perfect summation 🤪

I like marshmallows

I’ve just booked myself 4 days away in my tent just me and a friend. She has her own tent :) I have mine. We both need a change of scene, some fresh air, and to get away from the day to day grind. Both of very limited means these days, thanks to divorce and cost of living challenges.

We walk miles in the day , cook our own food, and collapse at night. I appreciate the righteous tiredness that comes via camping and fending for yourself but then I probably do have a bit of a hair shirt privation/cavewoman streak.

I always take a pile of books, a blow up sofa, lights and blankets, so it doesn’t really matter if it rains continuously, and crucially…. Very crucially… we both have our own camping khazi. I’m not bloody well walking to the bog through a dewy field and managing the separation anxiety-riddled dog at 4 am 😂 bucket, cat san, back in bed within 5 minutes.

That actually does sound a bit miserable.

Gales, no, definitely not, that’s just grim. Also I find it much harder with younger children. It’s just harder work ! Time for a holiday with walls for you.

There are super cheap holidays out there that aren’t camping if cost is a consideration. If you go to uncommon places during off peak times you can have loads of fun. And everyone sleeps, and you don’t have to turn your house into a giant airing cupboard/ commercial laundry when you get home …