Big sigh!!! Was already starting to get excited about camping season but reading all of these posts has just brought back all of the reasons we love camping!
Usually Mr S up first probably around 7am, he fills the kettle and watches the world going by before waking me and the kids at 8ish. Then its another few cuppas outside, weather permitting, before deciding what everyone wants to do. If we're having a campsite day, get shwered and dressed and then explore site. Have lunch, usually something simple, then let kids go play. Potter around tent tidying up the sit out with a good book or info on local area until start thinking about dinner etc. Dinner, dishes, then husband takes kids for "midnight walk" (9pm) or play games before bed. Usually a few tipples before bed for us. Very different story if we go with our friends!
We are very laid back and enjoy waiting to see what the day brings instead of the normal regimented routine at home.
Just thinking of being away makes me feel relaxed! Think we might need to fit in a wee early march trip, don't think I'll be able to wait much longer :-)
I very rarely plan anything when camping, holiday is to me taking each hour as it comes. I will usually have a National Trust property or something nearby I want to visit during the holiday, making note of opening times. But other than that, I do as I feel when I feel like it, just relaxing, reading, maybe a short local walkabout, and doing as little as possible.
I'm almost exactly the opposite to the majority of replies.
I go camping a lot and I go all year round. But the less actual 'camping' I do, the better I enjoy the experience.
With the exception of attending meets, I camp to visit interesting places and do interesting things rather than camping for its own sake. After all, if I just wanted to live in a tent I might as well pitch it in my garden.
Meets aside, I often camp away from campsites. But when I do use a site, I spend as little time as possible there. Once I get up in the morning I'm off somewhere. To me, the tent is mostly just somewhere to store stuff and sleep in.
One of the reasons I enjoy camping is the quiet closeness to the outdoors and to nature. You rarely get that at a busy campsite (especially not during school holidays) so I either rough-camp or I choose very small basic out-of-the-way campsites.
Nor am I remotely interested in looking at other peoples' tents. If I want to inspect tents I can visit Go Outdoors or Cotswold or the Outdoors Show. Anyway, to me staring at a set-up someone is living in would be intrusive.
Another reward I get from camping is getting out of the house and leaving behind all the routines of home. So the last thing I'd want would be to spend any more than the minimum time on housekeeping or housework. Washing the dishes, maybe; airing bedding, perhaps; but cleaning and tidying a tent full of clutter and generally 'playing house' is my idea of hell! Why do dusting when you could be on a beach or up a mountain or in a pub?
To each their own, of course. Everyone is different. Many things can affect how one spends one's day. There is no 'right' or 'wrong' - to each their own as long as they enjoy themselves.
As our lives are so busy OH and I pass each other by most of the week, so getting the opportunity to go camping is wonderful.
We wake up around the same time, often stay in bed and decide what to do and what weather is going to be like, OH checks this on his phone. We get up at the same time and walk over to use the facilities taking our mugs and cafetier from eve before. Back to tent for sausage fry up sitting outside if it is nice. Clear up and off out for the day.
Back around 5/6 and make more coffee. Sit out and chat or read for a few hours. We eat late and have some wine. Great if it is a lovely evening and we can watch the sun set. Off to bed with my book and OH with his.
We are always in bed by 10.00 which is not what we would ever do at home. It must be the fresh air.
Reading all your posts reminds me why I love to camp. I just can't wait for some good weather as OH will not camp if it is too cold.
I'm a little green eyed reading some responses, here's mine.
Get woken up ~6, probably having only managed to get to sleep a couple of hours earlier, spend an hour trying to keep your youngest quiet till 7. (My love - hate relationship with camping is due to usually not sleeping well for first few nights, the difference of being in a trailer tent is that I now do manage to have some sleep on the first night!). Get youngest to use travel potty with fan heater on as really don't want to get out of bed. 7 visit the toilet block and put the kettle on, later getting showered and dressed. Fry up for breakfast before disappearing off somewhere for atleast half the day. Come back, play with the kids, go to play area, walk round campsite with kids on bikes and then start cooking dinner probably with a glass of wine on the side. 7:30-8 get kids in bed and begin the "shh go to sleep, keep your legs on your own side, stop kicking your sister" routine (this shortens as the trip progresses). Drink wine or hot chocolate whilst playing cards with hubbie. Make hot waterbottle and then head to bed at 10ish.
Before we bought our new trailer tent we would go round the campsite to see if we got the prize for the most retro looking tent.
We tend to wake up very early, so kettle goes on, and its several brews, just sitting outside, and saying *this is the life*. Main *job* is to empty the kampakhazi, on the way to the loos for the morning wash etc.
Breakfast will include bacon n eggs, & several slices of toast. Then we will be off to explore the area, which usually includes a good long walk, with a picnic lunch made earlier.
Best time of the day is as evening begins, then out comes the wine, & beer for hubby. Off to shower whilst he lights bbq, then he goes when I get back.
We sit outside playing Upwords, eating & drinking, for as long as we can see, light the lanterns & candles...admire our view etc..and say *this is the life*....
Fan heater goes on about half an hour before bed, then we get snugglie
Our camping trips are quite different as we tour Europe in the little car sometimes only staying for 1 night but we can stay at a site for up to 4 days. Normally I will wake up and then put the kettle on and then visit the facilities whilst the kettle boils, make a brew for us both and then sit and chill for 1/2 hour, I will then put the brekkie on and eat that then if we are moving we will break camp and pack the trailer and off for 150 - 200 miles using the satnav to find us the next campsite. TomTom live is brilliant for this.
If we are staying on the site we will go exploring either using the car, walking or public transport.
Whilst driving or exploring we will always stop and buy our evening meal BBQ or stirfry etc. so that when we get back we have a cook up and chill with a beer/wine whilst playing cards or a game
Bob
------------- Retired and living the dream touring Europe
I get up when I wake up, or when my mad springer spanniel wakes me up, which ever the sooner. Have a quick pee in my porta loo and take the dog straight out for a short walk. Return and lounge about under my canopy drinking tea until the family wakes up. Once they get up I make a cooked breakfast, I then do dishes and again lounge around until we are all ready to go. Head out for the day, usually walking and pic nic, return at about 6pm. Start tea, have a few drinks, dishes again, few more drinks, retire to my bed at about 10:30ish.
My camping day starts with me making a dash to the toilet block!! oh and praying when I get there, there isn't a queue . I always seem to wake up desperate for a wee when camping. On my return, kettle goes on, then a quick walk with the dogs .... usually my OH is up and about by the time I get back so he makes the first brew of the day. Then its breakfast, usually sausage or bacon sandwiches and a couple of more brews. OH does the washing up, then we take it in turns to go off to the shower block. I then do the tent tidy up. Camping mornings seem to flyby, we never seem to get off site before 12 noon even if weve been up since 7.00am!!!
Afternoons out and about exploring the local area.
Usually get back on site for 6pm, cook our evening meal, sit around chatting, listening to the radio, I read and OH goes online. Dogs walked again around 10pm. I have a hot chocolate before bed (something I never do at home!).
I Think I posted earlier, My first camp of the season. I am going to just chill out. and do nothing; except to take Nickelby for his walks up to the lake. May just have a wonder into Beddgelert village, only if it is sunny. As I have done most things, except visit the copper mine.
When I go to Barney castle, I will do the siteseeing bit. High force is one, and were ever I can take the doggie.
hi all , I just love a waking up with the smell of wet grass filling my nose, and then after I have had my hot free shower, - as I wander back to my tent saying good morning and listening to the birds , the smell of someone`s breakfast cooking on the stove mmmmm bacon .
So I tuck into my bacon butty , and as the sun warms my back .
My day is then out and about with family , walking or paddling on the beach, flying my kite, or even window shopping !
Late afternoon back to my home - kettle on ! bum in chair and book !
BBQ fired and he cooks ! mmmmm the night is approaching
As we turn in and snuggle into each other on my lovely airbed , the sound that I love as it taps and falls on my tent fills my ears - love it the sound of rain against my canvas ! Its okay I am not going home tomorrow so I can stay here and listen and wait for the sun to show !
because I know it will cos this is my day !
We tend to wake up about 7.30 and lay listening to eveyone else starting their day for a while. Luckily when we are camping our son (8) tends to sleep in until about that time as well. We get up and make the morning toilet dash and then stick the kettle on. We always have cereal for brekkie and then I make sandwiches while hubby and son do the washing up. We always go out for the day, could be a full day walk (always great if you can do that from the site), a NT or EH property or some other sort of tourist destination that is attractve to all of us. We get back to site anytime from 4 - 6. On days we are back early I will always go and have a shower (and drag our son with me) because it is quiet at that time. Then I cook the evening meal(we always cook onsite) and we will have a glass or two of something with it. If we are lucky our son (only child) will have found a friend to play with and he will happily run around until 9 before dragging himself back to the tent because he is tired. This allows us to wash up and then sit and talk or read. If there are no suitable friends on site we sit and play dominoes which I also love as it is good family time. We often all go to bed at the same time and all three of us lay and read for a while before falling asleep. I am always up at about 2am needing the facilites which at that time are a very small bucket with a handful or two of cat litter (I don't do walking across feilds in the middle of the night)
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: Your typical camping day
. I always seem to wake up desperate for a wee when camping. On my return, kettle goes on, then a quick walk with the dogs .... usually my OH is up and about by the time I get back so he makes the first brew of the day. Then its breakfast, usually sausage or bacon sandwiches and a couple of more brews. OH does the washing up, then we take it in turns to go off to the shower block. I then do the tent tidy up. Camping mornings seem to flyby, we never seem to get off site before 12 noon even if weve been up since 7.00am!!!
