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With two kids and being tied to school holidays cost does play a small part - but also that we can get two or three camping holidays for the cost of hiring a cottage for a week.

I like the fact that I can sit outside my tent in my pjs, with my first cuppa of a morning, watching the ducks and rabbits taking a wonder round - and nobody thinks that I have taken leave of my senses.     I will be greated a friendly wave from my fellow campers as they wend their way down to the loo blocks.

If I want to retreat inside my tent in the evening, so be it, I am not the antisocial so and so that isn't joining in the fun and games the holiday company has organised.
I can sit quietly outside my tent, or chat to me fellow campers.

If my kids fall into bed, exhausted and rotten, it doesn't matter - I don't need to worry about somebody else's  sheets etc.    Kids can get washed in the morning - sleeping bags whenever.

Breakfast is a moveable feast.      What's more nobody cares if I have Weetabix at 6.30, and a full English around 10.

Snuggling up inside your tent and feeling at peace.

Same goes for what ever your unit.    We all have different types of unit for different reason - but we are all campers.

so on and so on and so on.

To get away from the complications of urban living

To get cosy inside the tent when the rain comes down

To wake up in unfamiliar surroundings

To talk, laugh and play non-stop all weekend

To eat and drink in the open air

To make new acquaintances

To relax

But most of all to escape.

Heard on mum in the school playground saying that their plane left at three in the afternoon.    Well even with a 2-o-clock pitch,  I can be far enough set up to be sitting enjoying a cuppa by then.
I am not getting up at stupid o clock to catch an early flight home.

Even with the journey home from hell that I had last October - a three hour drive took me six - I was in my own car, and could stop off when ever I wanted.   In fact I spotted the motorway exit near my sister, and went there for a cuppa.   I could always have pulled in a the motorway services a little further on.

I loved the remark I say earlier (and can't find now) about same hotel - different locations.
I know my own stuff.   I know that my bed is comfortable.    Even with the stupid blow up pillows i invested in, once I had let some air out, they were bearable.
It doesn't matter if I am in my tent or the camper - I love both.
I can make myself as many cuppas as I like, without worrying about running out of those little pots of milk.    Richard has been in hotels - some of which have been expensive, where there has been one sachet of coffee/teabag per person and one thing of milk per person.    This was when he worked all over the country, and at times got top class hotels.
On the other side, he has been to hotels where the team have refused to stay, they have been that bad - this was a team involved in refitting shops, and basically wanting somewhere to sleep.
The hotel where breakfast consisted of one egg, one slice of bacon, and half a tomato.    Oh and one round of toast to follow.

The list is endless.

I have booked for the end of May for just our family.
At the end of August we are going away with one of Richard's work mates and his family.
We are going away in October half term.
We have a weekend in May planned - as a surprise for the kids.
I am hoping to take the kids away for a couple of days after Easter.
Could well go for a short break at the end of July.

There is no way we could do this if we didn't camp.

Still a newbie camper but agree with all of the above that I have so far experienced.

Also like the 'elemental' nature of camping holidays; while my work colleagues are sitting by a pool somewhere and wondering about meetings they are missing (or even furtively checking their emails or text messages), we are in a field wrestling with such simple problems as how to get the tent up, will it leak, did we bring everything, which way is the wind blowing, is it starting to rain?  Then the only thing bothering you when waking in the middle of the night is am I desperate enough to walk half a mile in the rainy dark to the toilet.  Even the problems, when they happen, are such a change to normal life that they are wonderful (mostly), and when there are no problems... bliss.

why do we love camping? well as a family we love it all!

we as parents can relax while the kids explore in relative safety.

the food is generally less convenience based and more wholesome

The views are generally spectacular

the convenience - you can go when you want, generally (unless high season) with very little planning.

the value - where else can a family of four and 2 dogs get away for 25 quid a night?

spending less means more holidays, more regularly, more daytrips and more quality time for the kids.

Generally, b & b's are hit and miss - with camping you can make a home from home and make it somewhere you want to be.

Its amazing - i never thought i would take to it being a creature who enjoys his comforts but being an early riser for me the thing that makes the holiday is opening the door at 6am looking out onto the sea and making that first brew of the day watching the sun rising and drinking the brew!  what a great day

Why do we camp?

To get away from life and recharge the batteries!

Bliss!