Camping is fun when your young and not very well off
Once you get a bit older and better off You would'nt bother with all the aggro Just buy something with a proper bed !!
We bought a tent and all the gear and only used it twice. First 2 weeks of August and we had constant wind and rain, we were cold damp and uncomfortable. Going to the toilet during the night meant getting dressed, out into the rain across the site and back again, by the time you get back you are wide awake. Not fun at all.
So we bought an old tiny caravan the following year and there is no comparison. Warm dry, great cooking faciilities, a fridge and cassette toilet. Having hot and cold running water is another massive advantage. We go away as much as possible, and it feels like a lovely cosy second home.
I always feel sorry for the people in tents when the weather is not good , which in this country is most of the time.
Our tent was bigger than the caravan but i would never willingly go back to it.
i started as a child in the 50,s . my parents camped alot . i still have my first play tent . also my parents big canvas ridge tent with a huge canopy fly sheet over the front as a porch. also a scout tent i remember my parents buying for my brother and i ,bought in yeovil when i was about 12 .have small back pack tents as well . my parents also had a camper in the early 60,s we went on European tours most winters . i never grew out of it . camped with m,bikes ,trikes , then twenty years ago bought a teardrop caravan to go behind the trike .,still have that . now i go away in winter in a converted mini artic truck . cant beat camping how you do it is up to you . but i still go m,bike camping . love it .
Well I guess that our story is pretty much like everyone else's, apart from teenage camping, started going regularly about 5 years ago.
Started with the obligatory Argos tent, loved camping and immediately bought an Outwell, further upgraded tents, ending up with a bell tent for weekends and Wolf Lake 7 for longer stays.
And yeah got carried away (with plenty of encouragement of here!)and upgraded chairs, tables, aerobeds, kitchens, day tents, as well as glamping accessories, bunting, lights, cushions.
More and more stuff to pack and unpack, bought a trailer and a roof box, but the car was still full and it was like a jigsaw puzzle to fit it all in again.
OH got to the point of hating packing up, that he would be in a bad mood and grumpy on the day of leaving. Although we had discussed the idea of a caravan, I back-peddled and as we camp with friends, it was a case of if one does, we all do!
However last years weather was the final straw and a couple of pretty horrendously bad weather unpack/repacks in the howling wind and rain, it just wasn't fun anymore.
So the idea became a reality and we and the friends, all got one, yes we have an old shed of a caravan, 20 years old. (all that we could afford!) Lots of different problems including damp, but she's a work in progress and we have already tackled some of the problems, including the damp and learning as we go along!
But we love it, all set up in half an hour, so easy, cosy and have glamped her already, with bunting, hanging hearts and ornaments!!!
Best of both worlds and OH is a happy camper again.
This is our first year in a caravan . We started camping about 5 years ago my OH said you'd ever get him towing a caravan......a lot of nagging, begging and moaning and 5 years later we bought my pride and joy a 22 year old 5 berth Avondale Perle we paid £720 on EBay for her and its the best £720 we have ever spent.....OH thinks its the best thing since sliced bread he now has a fridge...cold wine!! OH is 45 years young, I'm 37 and we have 3 girls 18, 16 and 8, the older 2 hated the tent but the 16 year old now loves the caravan.....18 year old has been persuaded to come with us for 2 weeks in July :) We bought a cheaper caravan just in case we didn't like it, we will defo be trading to a newer caravan when financed allow it.... Keep nagging it defo worked for me :)
------------- Take only memories... leave only Footprints
June -Skegness.
July - Henley On Thames.
July - Modbury, Devon.
July/August- St Mawes, Cornwall.
August - Cadwell Park -British Superbikes.
September - Skegness.
We started camping about 5 years ago,we started with a 4 man tent ,then about 3months later bought a 5man wynnster tent,then we went onto outwell wolf lake 5 cotton tent,This one was our best but my husbands hips were going ,I have a back condition and this was getting to hard for the two of us,But hubby said he would never tow!!!.we came back from a holiday in the July bought our 1st van in the August- Eldiss ,then last year we bought our Bailey Senator it is so much better and we have everything,And within 15 mins of being on a pitch we have the kettle on or a beer...and the bbq going. Bliss....go for it you will never look back.just get the van damped tested 1st before you buy.
Thank you everyone for your replies. I've copied and pasted some of your great replies so that hubby can read them and hopefully talk him around :-)
We dried the tent off yesterday in the sun and he was so grumpy doing that and it was all folded away and I can't help feeling it will not get used again this year, as just the thought of doing it all again is scary, and It did make me feel a bit sad about it all.
Hubby is in the army, so I imagine I will have to wait 2yrs for him to leave, I've spent his bonus already :-)
We started with a tent. OH insisted it would be fun
We had a cheap one from ebay to start then upgraded to a massive khyam ultimate deluxe which was a fabulous bit of kit. Bought an ehu lead so we had a coolbox and tv to keep the kids happy but unfortunately we went away for the wettest two weeks ever and it was the most miserable holiday ever. We tried a couple of times more on weekend camps with friends then I said enough was enough. OH wasn't too keen on a van but we had a look at a few and he changed his mind. We started off with a 10yo Bailey Ranger 470/4 and we've just traded in for a Knaus Starclass 2 berth which is brilliant.
It would take a lot to get me under canvas again but we're away in the van as often as we can
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: Anyone start with camping?
