Please, please, please reconsider and just put the whole incident on the 'back burner' until you have settled down.To pack up after one bad incident would be in my opinion a mistake.Just think of all the great times you may have had. Also think about all the money you have invested in camping, why give it away on Ebay? Come on, brush yourselves down and give it another go. 2007 must have been the worst camping summer in years. We have been away in our tent this summer to quite a few places and I can honestly say we have only had a handful of decent days.So come on....give it another go!!!!!!
Quote: Originally posted by The Admiral on 24/8/2007
Don't do anything in haste - we've been camping for several years now & we've had a terrible time this summer as well. After 5 days at the Old Oaks (a campsite I love), in horrible weather and conditions I was ready to jack it all in and never camp again.
However we're off with friends this weekend to Derbyshire & I can't wait for tomorrow - I'd say give it one more go and if you still hate it then sell up!!
Admiral,
You don't by chance happen to have a purple Kyham and two dogs and were at the Old Oaks around early August in the Lower Oaks field ?
Camping isn't for everyone so if you didn't like it, I'd get the kit out one last time, take pictures of it and then, if you have space, store it until next spring the ebay/small ad the kit. If you can't store it, you need to get ads up quickly to move it on.
I disagee with some of the more confident posts about the weather, whilst this year has been truly dreadful, the last two were truly exceptional and even last year it rained most saturdays in August down here! The reality is that in the Uk most of our camping trips are likely to involve rain and if that isn't for you move on and find something else to do.
I would give it another go - this trip started out bad and got worse at it went along - not all camping holidays are like that. On our first trip Richard flattened the car battery, and we waited two hours for the RAC, and control had failed to tell the Patrol Man which field we were in. Now days we'd just ask a fellow camper for a jump start. Last October we came home a day early, because the camping field had become the camping lake. This year on one trip out we had to move pitch due to having our own private lake in the tent.
However 99% of the trips have been fun and touble free. Even the other week I was camping, I had the most awful motorway journey to the site - heavy rain, and spray. Set up in the rain, and then went to my sisters for dinner. Got back to the site and the rain had stopped. Kids played out, and I sat and read. It was wonderful - I was relaxed, kids were happy. I knew it was things like this that made camping special.
Get another tent, and give it another go. After all if you decide that its really not for you, you can sell the tent along with the other stuff.
And by the way, OHs having the 'ump when setting up is par for the course.
hi all
thanks for all the replies, its nice that you took time to answer my rant.
well i am still convinced that i will not go camping again but still gutted. i do wish that i felt different.
i guess im probably more peeved off with the mood the family were in and have been since we got back. today is probably the first day since this whole thing started that they are finally smiling but im not.
we have been offered a couple of days in a static caravan in clacton but i really cant get in the mood for it so im pretty sure i wont be going there either.
hubby has 2 weeks off work (1st one already gone) and im thinking what a waste of time its been. i really have got the ump (can u guess) i really wanted this holiday to be great for the 4 of us but after everything thats gone wrong i guess staying home is safer albeit very boring.
i hope all of you who are going away have a great time. i will still browse this site, in the hope it triggers off my camping habit again.
take care all, jo xx
Hi Jo, I can well imagine how you must be feeling. We are yet to go on our first camping trip (10 days and counting) and if the experience is the same as yours I expect it would put me off trying again too! BUT don't let it spoil the rest of your hol, as you say your hubby has 2 weeks off work, one week already gone, you feel its been wasted - agreed, so don't waste any more of it - put it down to a bad experience, take the couple of days in the static, claim something back out of the miserable start to your holiday, go and have some fun with your family. You may not feel like it now, but what have you got to lose. You might enjoy it and I'm sure your kids will see it as welcome relief from all the tension and it will hopefully lift the mood and keep the smile on their faces. You never know a couple of days to chill out (no tent or other equipment to take) might be just what you need to reflect on all that's happened. If you can't do it for you or hubby, do it for the children.
Jo, I know how you must feel. I've had a few weeks of bad weather in the past when camping with a young family and it's not much fun. I felt I was allways trying to make the best of it (didn't worry the children much though). My advice would be to keep your kit and do what I do now. Have your main holidays abroad but become a fair weather weekend camper, only go when the forecast is good.
We went a few weeks ago and it wasn't great to say the least. The majority of the stuff has gone on the free ads bit of this website. We were like you and wanted rid of everything straight away but after a week of thinking about it decided that might not be the best option. We are still going to sell the main bulk of kit but are going to get a smaller tent and give it a go again.
Having said that, if it isn't for you don't feel pressurised into giving it another go. We had to make the best of time off work when our trip failed aswell so the static might be a good option for you.
I can fully appreciate your decision, as we too are packing away the tent with some fond memories, but the slow realisation that our camping days are over too. We have camped for five years - weekends & main holidays, and thoroughly had our moneys worth from our gear. We have achieved what we set out to do, which was have cheap holidays whilst money was tight & the kids were young, and see lots of our beautiful country. We've had awful times with bad weather, wet clothes, no sleep, neighbours from hell, poor sites; and also lovely sites, loads of laughs, fantastic weather & good family togetherness. Nothing dramatic has happened, just a general weariness with the to-ing & fro-ing to the toilet across a field, poor nights sleeps, damp clothes, bad backs & stiff necks. It's hard work, I want to rest, relax & get some sun on holiday, and the last few times away have done none of that! We have decided to compromise - perhaps camp for quick get away weekends, but not for the long two week hols. But there is still nothing like the smell of a tent......
------------- I'd let myself go but I've already gone.
If only that were true ! But I fear the wrong sort of people are giving up, because another factor in our decision is the growing popularity of camping to the 'undesirables'. I have had a few bad experiences being a few feet away from people I would rather not be in the same county as, let alone sharing my precious time off with. So maybe that should be the 'right' sort of people are giving up.
------------- I'd let myself go but I've already gone.
I can't help but echo your feelings after our horrible week in Dorset.I hate to admit that I seem to be a fairweather camper!Ireally don't mind the rain so much ( and we were flooded on Monday!),but the wind was a nightmare.A few set ups on our site had their tent poles broken and they had to go home it.Our kids were terrified.We're going to have a break from camping for our main holiday next year and try some shorter breaks (possibly a new tent ) to build our confidence back up abit.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Thats it im afraid
. We are yet to go on our first camping trip (10 days and counting) and if the experience is the same as yours I expect it would put me off trying again too! BUT don't let it spoil the rest of your hol, as you say your hubby has 2 weeks off work, one week already gone, you feel its been wasted - agreed, so don't waste any more of it - put it down to a bad experience, take the couple of days in the static, claim something back out of the miserable start to your holiday, go and have some fun with your family. You may not feel like it now, but what have you got to lose. You might enjoy it and I'm sure your kids will see it as welcome relief from all the tension and it will hopefully lift the mood and keep the smile on their faces. You never know a couple of days to chill out (no tent or other equipment to take) might be just what you need to reflect on all that's happened. If you can't do it for you or hubby, do it for the children. 
