when did you decide 'no more camping'.

[fractionMan]

The minute I bought a bongo 36

 

[Tankus]

22

 

[Shirl]

I've always loved sleeping outside. I have to admit I consider sleeping in the bongo as outside. We have a big awning and often leave the side door open in summer anyway.
Being outside in the summer is one of my best pleasures in life. I don't know why I live in Yorkshire

 

[Orang Utan]

waking up with a slug on your cheek is no fun either

 

[Orang Utan]

I've always loved sleeping outside. I have to admit I consider sleeping in the bongo as outside. We have a big awning and often leave the side door open in summer anyway.
Being outside in the summer is one of my best pleasures in life. I don't know why I live in Yorkshire

the best time i ever slept outside was in yorkshire - in the remote dales in a very hot summer, with a meteor shower going on above. i also got woken up by a dog pissing on me in norwich, in a public park.

 

[campanula]

Over several decades of camping, the tents did change from the tiny one person lightweight things I could carry on my bike, to the huge canvas bell tent, air beds, rugs, pillows, folding chairs,... Me and the kids spent the entire summer holidays on the Suffolk coast every year - by the end of the six weeks, we would have been to various fetes, jumble sales and general scavenging so the entire site would look like a really colourful shanty-town. Crazes and fads appeared each season - for example, when we found an old ironing board for a table - the following year, there were about 10 of them. The Walberswick 'campsite' cost 40p a night and was a regular summer community - the 'marsh kids'. Days were spent crabbing with nights in the Bell Inn (days too if it was raining). However, kids grow up and the allotment loomed large in our summers until we bought a bit of land...but, as Sparklefish points out, it's the lugging of stuff about which is grief. It is one thing to pile a houseful of stuff into the van for the whole summer, but altogether different doing it every weekend for a night or two...which is why we have the horsebox. Windows, comfy chairs, woodburning stove (until we were robbed). It is like an infection, getting wimpy and weedy. A few warm and comfortable nights and crawling into sleeping bags seems most unwelcome. I have been tainted with complacency and have lost all my sense of adventure in favour of dry bedding and peaceful nights (recalling those stormy nights which always involved tightening guy ropes and generally arsing about in the rainy dark - shudder).

 

[mr steev]

I don't do any of that stuff. All of it sounds like punishment. What's good for the soul (in terms of, what makes me feel happier rather than miserable and tearful) is hot bubble baths, massages, fluffy pillows...

Each to their own I suppose
But give me sitting round a fire in the middle of nowhere underneath the stars over lying in a bubble bath any day.

If I can't afford a holiday somewhere more pleasant and comfy than my home, I stay at home. Why would I want to "get away from it all" when what i'd be getting away from is lovely?

Because you can get comfortable and lovely any time. To me my life needs a break from the norm every now and again. To get away from the cars and the light polution, to get away from the internet and television and life's stresses and worries.

One of my best camping experiences last year (alright, I was in my van... but the roof was leaking so it didn't make that much difference ) was when it pissed it down constantly all weekend and we just all got on with it. It was great and the amount of water and the storms were jaw dropping... you wouldn't experience that at home. I've had times when I've stood on a hill feeling like I'm on top of the world... but I wouldn't have got there without the two hours trecking up there. To me, life is more than just home comforts

 

[Looby]

Dogs are great when you're camping aren't they sparklefish? The dog enjoys the experience more than me. He loves fires and shares the sleeping bag. And he catches rabbits for our dinner. We both smell of woodsmoke for about a week afterwards.

We've only done it once but we had a brilliant time. I was really worried that the dogs would bark all night or be restless away from home but they're fine if they're together and with us. They were so good and got lots of attention which they love.

We went to a lovely campsite in the Purbecks that's really dog friendly.
We didn't do a lot, went to the pub, hung around the campsite and a couple of long walks. Trying to share an airbed with my husband and a 35 kilo sheepdog was an experience. [emoji1]
Mr s is off in May so we'll have a few days away, maybe a bit further afield.

 

[Dovydaitis]

Love camping! Don't do enough of it though. Well we do take over fields with beer and campfires but we have converted an old army comms trailer now. Do miss the canvas though

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

I want one!

 

[Looby]

I've always loved sleeping outside. I have to admit I consider sleeping in the bongo as outside. We have a big awning and often leave the side door open in summer anyway.
Being outside in the summer is one of my best pleasures in life. I don't know why I live in Yorkshire

I love sleeping outside too. I'm always quite restless after 5 days at a festival and often suggest sleeping in the garden. The bath is nice but I miss the noise, the smell of distant fires and sitting outside having a ciggie and people watching. [emoji4]

 

[spanglechick]

Each to their own I suppose
But give me sitting round a fire in the middle of nowhere underneath the stars over lying in a bubble bath any day.



Because you can get comfortable and lovely any time. To me my life needs a break from the norm every now and again. To get away from the cars and the light polution, to get away from the internet and television and life's stresses and worries.

One of my best camping experiences last year (alright, I was in my van... but the roof was leaking so it didn't make that much difference ) was when it pissed it down constantly all weekend and we just all got on with it. It was great and the amount of water and the storms were jaw dropping... you wouldn't experience that at home. I've had times when I've stood on a hill feeling like I'm on top of the world... but I wouldn't have got there without the two hours trecking up there. To me, life is more than just home comforts

I think fundamentally, part of it is that I like cars and light pollution. I'm a city dweller by choice. Scenery is pretty, but architecture is deliberate and creative. Cities are full of people and people, actually, are on the whole pretty fucking amazing. I also really like the internet and television and theatres and cinemas and gleeries and museums and restaurants and night buses and really good delivery sushi. A great, chaotic, silly weekend in london makes my soul sing... but even on a bad day there's very few other places i'd rather be (and most of those are New York).

 

[spanglechick]

I love sleeping outside too. I'm always quite restless after 5 days at a festival and often suggest sleeping in the garden. The bath is nice but I miss the noise, the smell of distant fires and sitting outside having a ciggie and people watching. [emoji4]

outside is where they keep the insects and the animal poo, though.

 

[Orang Utan]

you can like both. cities are awesome, but being somewhere with less light pollution is incredible and worth whatever trip you've made to get there. trekking somewhere to see an amazing view trumps most city thrills.

 

[felixthecat]

I love camping. I love being outside, I love being in the countryside, I love being away from noise and traffic and light pollution and people. I sleep like a log in a tent - I enjoy the noises of the countryside, looking at vast swathes of stars, the peace of sitting by a campfire with a glass of something good and the clean fresh air.
I can't abide being in a city for long - wouldn't live in London if you paid me. Nice to visit but I'm always very happy to be leaving.

Yokel to the core here......

 

[campanula]

Mmmm, I agree, Spanglechick - the great outdoors is heaving with things which bite and sting and I always considered was best experienced through the windows of a car. However, my gardening epiphany wore my resistance down and I discovered remote-controlled heated boot insoles. My transformation from townie to rustic is complete as we are (nervously) collecting the new beehive this weekend.

My indispensable camping item is a hot-water bottle.

 

[tufty79]

I discovered remote-controlled heated boot insoles

<insert 'shut up and take my money' pic>

 

[spanglechick]

you can like both. cities are awesome, but being somewhere with less light pollution is incredible and worth whatever trip you've made to get there. trekking somewhere to see an amazing view trumps most city thrills.

for you.

 

[Looby]

outside is where they keep the insects and the animal poo, though.

I hate bugs and poo but I still love camping. I've never had to deal with animal poo when camping. [emoji1]

 

[Looby]

for you.

Yeah, this really. There's no point trying to persuade someone who hates camping to love camping. It's not for everyone.

Mind you, moomoo was horrified at the idea and she ended up driving tractors and all sorts. [emoji41]

 

[fishfinger]

I've always been a lover of the great indoors.

 

[Orang Utan]

she might even change her mind about toilet roll holders...

 

[Looby]

This is for all the indoor types.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

No more camping was decided upon in 2001 at the Wickerman festival

 

[Orang Utan]

No more camping was decided upon in 2001 at the Wickerman festival

was there anything in particular that led you to this decision? you seem quite emphatic about it.

 

[mr steev]

Scenery is pretty, but architecture is deliberate and creative.

Some scenery is a lot more than just pretty imo, and there is architecture in the sticks too. Some of it thousands of years old. You just have to go out of your way to find it, which makes it even more enjoyable

 

[mr steev]

I've never had to deal with animal poo when camping.

I've had to move the odd bit of sheep poo or rabbit droppings, but I'd rather deal with that than dog shit or sit amongst mounds of pidgeon droppings

 

[Mogden]

As a kid we used to get the proper green canvas marquee out that Ma and Pa Mogden had, complete with wooden finials! The 3 of us, sometimes plus friends too, used to doss down in it for the night in the garden. I'm smelling that smell in my mind of sun toasted canvas and dewy grass as I think about it.

Years on I've graduated to my pink Hello Kitty tent which has a porch area for downpours, changing clothes, and sun shielding. My airbed is to be replaced with a carp bed this year to save me the sweaty 30 minutes it takes to pump up my deluxe jobbie.

Some time in the not too hideously distant future I'd love a Bongo. This learning to drive lark seems to be going in the right direction and not being much of a drinker I'd be ideal as a festival driver.

Yes I get sweaty/hot/cold/trenchfooty but that makes me appreciate that first night back in my bed at home all the sweeter.

 

[Looby]

Some scenery is a lot more than just pretty imo, and there is architecture in the sticks too. Some of it thousands of years old. You just have to go out of your way to find it, which makes it even more enjoyable

If you want to and if that's your idea of fun. Its clearly not spanglechick's. It's not mine either, I'd much rather sit in a lovely beer garden or at the beach.

My airbed is to be replaced with a carp bed this year to save me the sweaty 30 minutes it takes to pump up my deluxe jobbie.

If you'd rather stick with your airbed, these are brilliant and cheap.
http://www.tesco.com/direct/yellows...flator/406-9037.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=406-9037

 

[Mogden]

If you want to and if that's your idea of fun. Its clearly not spanglechick's. It's not mine either, I'd much rather sit in a lovely beer garden or at the beach.


If you'd rather stick with your airbed, these are brilliant and cheap.
http://www.tesco.com/direct/yellows...flator/406-9037.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=406-9037

I love that sound of the first day off either "heeeefff heeefff" of the foot pumps or longer "huuurrrrrrrrrrrrrr" of a battery pump Thank you sparklefish but after a night on a carp bed last year when I crashed at my cousin's place, I've been spoilt and am now itching for one, not least cos it won't dislocate my shoulder carrying it from the car to the site.