Family Camping - What Do You Actually Do There ?
Discussion
Ok so everyone I know witters on about family camping.
But what do you actually do when camping ?
I'm not a fan of walking nor sitting around and whilst I like a drink in the evening I don't want to get drunk all day.
I have a canoe I could use sometimes and bikes but is that it ?
I have a nice house and live in the countryside so just "being outdoors" I can do here.
EDIT: By camping I'm including caravan / motorhome
Basically I've seen a bloody great Pick up truck and 5th wheel "caravan" and am now looking to justify that we would actually use it.
But what do you actually do when camping ?
I'm not a fan of walking nor sitting around and whilst I like a drink in the evening I don't want to get drunk all day.
I have a canoe I could use sometimes and bikes but is that it ?
I have a nice house and live in the countryside so just "being outdoors" I can do here.
EDIT: By camping I'm including caravan / motorhome
Basically I've seen a bloody great Pick up truck and 5th wheel "caravan" and am now looking to justify that we would actually use it.
Edited by redgriff500 on Monday 21st November 18:14
I take it you don't mean everyone is on their own PS3 and hiding in a corner on Battlefield 3....
AS for camping, when we were kids we did this a few times, go for long walks in the country, spend ages just sitting around the camp fire and eating bacon and sausages etc and play a few board games. But that was years ago!
AS for camping, when we were kids we did this a few times, go for long walks in the country, spend ages just sitting around the camp fire and eating bacon and sausages etc and play a few board games. But that was years ago!
You do normal touristy things during the day and combine it with the challenge of living in a tent...
Let's see...my one and only go at it back in the early 90s led to:
- falling over a stile in the pitch black trying to get back to the tent late at night
- putting in contact lenses using the parcel shelf of the car and a compact mirror whilst it was pouring with rain
- admitting my mother was right when she said if there's no socket for a hairdryer then I would hate it!
The upside..packed tent up early and stayed in a B&B for rest of holiday
Let's see...my one and only go at it back in the early 90s led to:
- falling over a stile in the pitch black trying to get back to the tent late at night
- putting in contact lenses using the parcel shelf of the car and a compact mirror whilst it was pouring with rain
- admitting my mother was right when she said if there's no socket for a hairdryer then I would hate it!
The upside..packed tent up early and stayed in a B&B for rest of holiday
Dad taught us how to read an OS map, how to work out which was is north by following moss etc, learned what the various clouds were called, went hiking, learnt to use a compass, played Mah Jong, learnt how to use a knife properly, and stomped over most parts of northern and middle england, and scotland too
Bill said:
What do you normally do on holiday? Just do that, but stay in a tent instead of a hotel.
Well before I was married - get drunk and attempt to pull women or go off around the world and ride motor bikes through rain forest, elephants through paddy fields, camels through deserts etc.Then we had kids and the last holiday was sitting on the beach enjoying the odd hour building sand castles but spending many more bored to death.
Kids are 2, 4, 14 and 18
This year the two older ones went off on activity holidays and we didn't bother going.
On our last trip to Oz, Mrs Dibble and I flew to Melbourne where we'd hired an apartment for a few days. Cheaper than a "posh" hotel, room to spread out/chill out. We then "did" Melbourne and then a few days on the Great Ocean Road and Yarra Valley. The "us" bit of the trip.
Then we flew to Sydney where we stayed with friends (and their relations (also friends) who'd done UK>NZ>Sydney)). This was for Christmas and New Year.
The last week or so was camping at a place called Depot Beach (which I can never say without thinking "Echo Beach, far away in time...), about 5 or 6 hours south of Sydney. The nearest town was Bateman's Bay, about 15km/20 minutes' drive.
I wasn't looking forward to the camping at all and I thought it would be s
t. It turned out to be the best bit and most relaxing part of the trip. There were six adults and two teenage daughters and it was great. No pressure to do anything, we just mooched about and took each day as it came.
No mobile signal at the camp site (great, unless you were one of the daughters, but we adults even found their irritation entertaining). We were near enough to a few other places all within 39-60 minutes away, and Bateman's was fine for food, drink and ice.
We swam, surfed (or tried to), read, chatted, ate, drank, generally had a laugh and a wind down. We visited a few small towns, did a bit of bush walking, woke up to "wild" kangaroos right outside the tent, got shat on by a variety of brightly plumed birds and had a great time.
It even rained! Which was fine, because we had the kit to cope.
Obviously being in Oz made a difference, but even camping j. The lakes is a laugh. Mrs Dibble doesn't "do" discomfort, so it's chairs, proper plates etc. you could argue that's not "really" camping, but why make it unpleasant?
I can see the attraction of a motor home, but if I did have one, I'd want a moped or a bike so I could nip out for supplies, rather than having to pack and unpack the can every time.
Then we flew to Sydney where we stayed with friends (and their relations (also friends) who'd done UK>NZ>Sydney)). This was for Christmas and New Year.
The last week or so was camping at a place called Depot Beach (which I can never say without thinking "Echo Beach, far away in time...), about 5 or 6 hours south of Sydney. The nearest town was Bateman's Bay, about 15km/20 minutes' drive.
I wasn't looking forward to the camping at all and I thought it would be s
t. It turned out to be the best bit and most relaxing part of the trip. There were six adults and two teenage daughters and it was great. No pressure to do anything, we just mooched about and took each day as it came.No mobile signal at the camp site (great, unless you were one of the daughters, but we adults even found their irritation entertaining). We were near enough to a few other places all within 39-60 minutes away, and Bateman's was fine for food, drink and ice.
We swam, surfed (or tried to), read, chatted, ate, drank, generally had a laugh and a wind down. We visited a few small towns, did a bit of bush walking, woke up to "wild" kangaroos right outside the tent, got shat on by a variety of brightly plumed birds and had a great time.
It even rained! Which was fine, because we had the kit to cope.
Obviously being in Oz made a difference, but even camping j. The lakes is a laugh. Mrs Dibble doesn't "do" discomfort, so it's chairs, proper plates etc. you could argue that's not "really" camping, but why make it unpleasant?
I can see the attraction of a motor home, but if I did have one, I'd want a moped or a bike so I could nip out for supplies, rather than having to pack and unpack the can every time.
We have canoes and bikes but we also tend to go where there's freedom to have fires and BBQs. Last year two of our party caught 30+ mackrel which we filleted and had for dinner.
We have a lot of kids with us so we have fun with them. Rock pools are a favourite.
Miniature railways in Wales are popular. Castles too.
To be honest, just NOT being at work is enough. Being with family is a bonus. Being outside a joy. Being with the kids reaffirms that life is for living, and not for sitting behind a desk all day.
We have a lot of kids with us so we have fun with them. Rock pools are a favourite.
Miniature railways in Wales are popular. Castles too.
To be honest, just NOT being at work is enough. Being with family is a bonus. Being outside a joy. Being with the kids reaffirms that life is for living, and not for sitting behind a desk all day.
used to go to:
http://www.keycamp.co.uk/
http://www.eurocamp.co.uk/
probably same company now, but as a kid I loved it and we just did the normal things of chilling out plus loads of other families so you would get to know your neighbours, etc.
this was over 20 years ago... not sure what they are like now
http://www.keycamp.co.uk/
http://www.eurocamp.co.uk/
probably same company now, but as a kid I loved it and we just did the normal things of chilling out plus loads of other families so you would get to know your neighbours, etc.
this was over 20 years ago... not sure what they are like now
Hmm I camped out when i was a kid on an activity holiday. Unfortunately the lad that shared my tent, who I'd never met before, was a bedwetter. Although it was 20 years ago I can still remember how foul and dank the tent smelled every morning.
I tried camping again recently. I realised why I like beds so much, it's because you can actually sleep. I didn't sleep really for the whole weekend and hated it to be honest. I won't be camping again in a hurry. But then both trips were in the UK and I can imagine if I did it on holiday abroad next to a lake or something it probably would be a lot more fun.
I tried camping again recently. I realised why I like beds so much, it's because you can actually sleep. I didn't sleep really for the whole weekend and hated it to be honest. I won't be camping again in a hurry. But then both trips were in the UK and I can imagine if I did it on holiday abroad next to a lake or something it probably would be a lot more fun.
We camped out in the summer for a night in West Wales. You can sit and listen to the dregs of society swear, smoke and drink and sniff their BBQs while having the honour of the tranquility of them watching football on their TVs turned up to loud or listening to their in-car crap.
Still, you can always go to bed early and endure it, get really uncofortable and then have the joy of dismatling the tent next day - even better if it's nice and wet with grass stuck to it.
Still, you can always go to bed early and endure it, get really uncofortable and then have the joy of dismatling the tent next day - even better if it's nice and wet with grass stuck to it.
snowy slopes said:
Dad taught us how to read an OS map, how to work out which was is north by following moss etc, learned what the various clouds were called, went hiking, learnt to use a compass, played Mah Jong, learnt how to use a knife properly, and stomped over most parts of northern and middle england, and scotland too
If only child-line existed back in day eh?Err, go somewhere you haven't been before/been for a long time. Spend the evenings playing outdoor type games - rounders,etc. Walk to nearest pub for evening meal/few beers back to 'van for more or bed.
Do touristy things the same as others have said.
Take 'van on annual pilgrimage to Le Mans with two mates and have a full fry every morning, a proper cooked meal every evening and a roast on Sunday. Sleep somewhere comfortable with sufficient fridges for food and beer and Sky TV for the Canadian GP whilst scoffing your roast beef.
What do you mean I only used the 'van for Le Mans last year and it's a waste?
Do touristy things the same as others have said.
Take 'van on annual pilgrimage to Le Mans with two mates and have a full fry every morning, a proper cooked meal every evening and a roast on Sunday. Sleep somewhere comfortable with sufficient fridges for food and beer and Sky TV for the Canadian GP whilst scoffing your roast beef.
What do you mean I only used the 'van for Le Mans last year and it's a waste?
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