The news tells us that camping hols are much more poplular 'cos of the credit crunch. But I can't help thinking this will be short-term.
You need a certain resilience to camp in a tent, along with a completely unreasonable optimism. You have to think first that although the weather has been crap all year it'll be a heatwave when you go.
And then when it does rain cats & dogs you need the capacity to stay cheerful, & do all the things you planned anyway, just get wet doing them.
I think that some folk will buy their gear with a mindseye picture of a "perfick" summer the like of which only ever existed in The Darling Buds of May. And I suspect there might be some camping bargains to be had on Ebay shortly.
But a cheery welcome to those who find that a 500m yomp to the toilets in the rain is just the ticket.
I went camping for the first time on Sunday til Thursday.
I wasn't best pleased about going and dragged my feet all the way to wales ( well not literally ) Only good weather day was Monday, then it persisted it down all week. OMG it was brilliant!!! and I can't wait to go again. I am a Avid camper now and will probably always be.
I must have some of that completely unreasonable optimism you was talking about haha.
I think there is nowt better than falling asleep, snug as a bug in a rug with sleeping bags!! while listening to the rain hitting your tent.... it's just BLISS
I agree you do have to be a certain kind of person to camp. most of my friends wont consider it as they dont like bugs etc. as said before its lovely to be in your tent with the rain coming down and sniffing the air in the morning when you undo your zip and the sound of the zip and the smell of the canvas.
As long as you are dressed for it you can still have fun in the rain. not as much as in the sun granted but we sat in Filey this week under shelter, watching a thunder storm and rain so heavy it flooded but it was great and got some fab pics.
I would rather camp than stay in a hotel. At least you know how many people have slept in your bed!
spending 12 or so years camping with my parents im hardend to the fact that it is going to rain in the uk. Recently went to the lakes and it rained a fair bit, but we stuck it out and made a trip of it,while others whimped out in there 4x4 landrovers!it takes a certain something to be a camper these days and i belive ive got it, some people just want a cheap hol and cant handle it :D
After several years of my wife trying to get me to go camping, last year I finally gave in. To see what the ground was like during my first camping trip check out the gallery :)
I have been on 4 more camping trips since then none of which has been as bad.
Oh ...to add insult to injury on our first trip wife had bought a cheap tent off ebay. First day the zip broke, leaving us with rain pouring in :( but after it all I couldn't wait to get out there agin under canvas, (or polyester/cotton etc)
This is out first year of camping,and already totally addicted. We have been to Bude on a few weekend trips, as it's only an hour along to road from us, % weekends and only 1 of them dry!! Also we went for a week a few weeks ago in all the storms, we loved it! as we have windows in the roof and we just sat inside and watched the rain!! Looking forward to Paington now on the 17th August for 7/8 nights!
------------- KIM.
2013 Season.
Upgraded from a TT to a caravan.
Loving it!
Roll on summer :-)
Not sure about ebay for anything however I did notice one of these types that Hairywol is talking about!
Moaned constantly about everything. Set up his area like fort knox and was so bloody miserable! Shocking!
However I found the 'hard-core' campers were great and one made me up an 'L' plate for my tent LOL!
Booked to go away at the end of this month again for 4 days.
------------- A man may fight for many things. His country, his friends, his principles, the glistening tear on the cheek of a golden child. But personally, I'd mud-wrestle my own mother for a ton of cash, an amusing clock and a sack of French porn.