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Original poster

My holiday chaos - Or why you should never camp in the UK!

54 replies

Beetroot · 05/08/2008 15:01

Having spent 10 days under canvass 9 of which it rained (and when I say rain I mean RAIN - non stop night and day) I think I am qualified to say that camping in the UK is horrid!

Everything is wet
There is nowhere to go that is not teeming with people escaping the beaches
towels never dry
the gazebo just doesn't hack it
playing games under an umbrella is not uplifting
walking to the toilet in the rain is not fun/exhilerating or good for the soul
If you take a little walk in the mud it covers everything
It is cold
putting the tent away in the rain is ridiculous
my feet and hands are shrivelled

WEIRD - kids don't seem to care!
Campsite in Cornwall was great

FRANCE HERE I COME

OP posts:
Original poster
Beetroot · 05/08/2008 15:07

the vanguard diablo 900 is a great tent - it didn't leak!!

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hockeypuck · 05/08/2008 15:12

As I'm about to buy a Diablo 600, that last bit is good to know!
However, you're not selling me on the whole camping malarkey

falcon · 05/08/2008 15:25

I think camping anywhere is awful.

You could stick a million pounds in a tend and I couldn't/wouldn't spend one night there.

I had the most hellish experience camping in Germany, never again, though I can laugh about it now.

Original poster
Beetroot · 05/08/2008 15:34

BUT WHAT is weird is kids love it

they have such freedom
they get dirty and roam.

they ahve to make games for themselves

for this alone I will do it again - I just need to prepare myslef with more wet weather gear!

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Alambil · 05/08/2008 16:06

camping is great fun - it's not fun pitching/taking down in the rain, but when the tent's up it's not so bad... if it doesn't leak lol

Original poster
Beetroot · 05/08/2008 16:09

But what do you do when it rains all the time - all the time?

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NigellaTheOriginal · 05/08/2008 16:10

hurrah - i've got a diabolo 400 and never has it leaked (yet). orf to wales end of august. am hoping for sun. and yes the DDs love it so is worth it for the parental brownie points.

belcantavinissima · 05/08/2008 16:12

i have the vango diablo 900 it is fantastic! (even tho it semms to take us about 3 hrs to put the damn thing up and down . we are meant to be camping this weekend. someone somewhere make the sun come out please

hughjarssss · 05/08/2008 16:14

Beetroot - where abouts in Cornwall did you stay?

Original poster
Beetroot · 05/08/2008 16:15

has anyone got the awning for the diablo?

thinking this might help for somewhere to sit when raining.

BUT WHAT DO YOU DO IN THE RAIN?

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Mercy · 05/08/2008 16:15

9 days of rain sounds horrendous.

We only usually go camping for up to 5 days tbh. Plus the site we go to has sandy soil so we don't have a problem with mud.

Original poster
Beetroot · 05/08/2008 16:15

we were at Travedra camp site near lands end

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belcantavinissima · 05/08/2008 16:17

beetroot- we have the awning but not used it yet, will take it with us on saturday and put it up if there is room. no idea about wehat to actually DO in the rain. we are camping virgins really

Mercy · 05/08/2008 16:18

Did you stay on the site the whole time?

Upwind · 05/08/2008 16:18

You were unlucky. One or two wet days is good fun and only to be expected when camping in a UK summer 9 days is excessive.

With suitable gear you can visit beaches and go on walks in the rain.

I find cider helps get me in the mood for games while camping on wet evenings

Our current tent has a massive porch which comes into its own in the rain as that is where the raingear comes off - no mud in the sleeping area.

Need decent sleeping bags/ground insulation to keep the cold at bay. Or if it is only you affected snuggle with your DH.

FRANCE seems a great idea!

Kbear · 05/08/2008 16:19

Beety, your holiday was our holiday last year. This year we sold our soul to the devil and went to Florida!!

Celery · 05/08/2008 16:19

We used to camp a lot when I was kid. I have vivid recollections of it. It was either brilliant fun, or miserabley horrid. And that totally depended on whether the sun was shining or not!

Original poster
Beetroot · 05/08/2008 16:27

we didn't stay onsite - we chose somewhere pretty basic - showers etc but no entertainment as we really cannot hack that sort of thing,

'we went to loads of sites but they were crowded due to the rain
the beaches were empty apart form surfers

need wet suits for the kids i think as they love body boarding in all weathers

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Original poster
Beetroot · 05/08/2008 16:28

it was 30 degress in many parts of the uk when it was raining with us

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filthymindedvixen · 05/08/2008 17:56

whcih campsite didi you go to beety?

So sorry for you, I have camped in all weather and the good times far outweigh the disastrous times...but 9 days of rain is utterly vile

Original poster
Beetroot · 05/08/2008 17:59

we were at Treavedra and then river dart country park

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Original poster
Beetroot · 05/08/2008 18:00

here

looks great with blue skies

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filthymindedvixen · 05/08/2008 18:03

oh what a stinking shame - looks lovely. We camped last year at Tintagel but were extremely lucky as it rained heavily every night but was ok during the day. We had some proper stormy nights where we thought the tent was going to take off thouigh! And as for the festival in exeter we went to at the end of our holiday....muddy hell!

Original poster
Beetroot · 05/08/2008 18:07

btw I just read that book you snet me - loved it - only 18 months later!!

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filthymindedvixen · 05/08/2008 18:08
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