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We do a more basic camping for 1 or 2 nights at weekends. I wouldn't call it 'roughing it' though ! We bring just the 4-man dome tent, sleeping bags, airbeds, chairs, small stove, kettle, saucepan, knives / forks. For longer stays add the bigger stove, more pots, table, kitchen, wardrobe, bigger tent, games, coolbox, etc.

tbh though, the basic camping is just (or even more) enjoyable, but imo you couldn't live without a table, for example, for long.

As I said before..when I had my TT..I never even contemplated a TV or radio while away..and very rarely buy a paper..A couple of years ago..I remember packing up..and thinking to myself..that the world could have come to an end..and I wouldnt have noticed..Now I have the van...the TV is one of the 1st things hooked up to the EHU...Though the thought of driving to a site..and pay to sit there watching telly seems a bit absurd to me...I always try to get away from it all..not exactly full on activites all day but keep busy doing things you dont normally have time for...

Think thats why I like the meets Ive attended in the past..from the sports activites and communial BBQ's in the afternoons to the get together at nights...Even standing chatting with a cuppa... sitting outside people watching..there was always something to do..other than sit in your unit all day..and curtains drawn by 7pm..like I see some folk do on site...

Jelboy.

Back in the '70s I spent four months camping in Greece, using a tent that you could have spat peas through, a beach mat, a YH sleeping bag liner and an old hairy blanket. Food was cheap enough back then so it was easier to eat in tavernas rather than cook, or we used a campfire. I remember something nudging me in the back while I was washing my hair under the village outside tap and it turned out to be the local donkey wanting a drink.

 I went with a friend of mine who ran off home after ten days (softie!!) so hooked up with a girl from Australia for safety and we went all over the place, mostly camping on beaches with the other dusty hippy types. When we got low on money we worked for a couple of weeks in a bar or taverna, though it was usually spent fighting off the owner.  Not precisely camping as we knew it back home in Scotland (no rain for a start)  but I had a great time.

Gap year? Kids nowadays don't know they're born. I got home and was back in university three days later. Barely time to get the sand fleas out my hair, lol.

Quote: Originally posted by JK98 on 13/2/2009

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.... I've just bought an Equinox 350, so sometime this year, I need to talk sweetly to hubby so he'll agree to look after himself for 2-3 days, & not worry that something terrible will happen to me, then I'll be off for a spot of peaceful, minimal camping  

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Since I had my 60th birthday and got a bus pass that lets me travel anywhere in Scotland free I've done a lot of camping with everything in my rucksack. I do use a gas stove and either camp on a camp site with facilities or camp in the wild, I prefer to do a mixture as it's good to get a shower and shave in hot water somedays.

I like long distance walking and think that camping is the only way to do the long distance routs in Scotland.

My regret is that I can't persuade my wife to come away just now as she has never camped in the snow and I used to do it a lot in my youth and want to share the experience with her.

Quote: Originally posted by John4703 on 14/2/2009

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Since I had my 60th birthday and got a bus pass that lets me travel anywhere in Scotland free I've done a lot of camping with everything in my rucksack. I do use a gas stove and either camp on a camp site with facilities or camp in the wild, I prefer to do a mixture as it's good to get a shower and shave in hot water somedays.

I like long distance walking and think that camping is the only way to do the long distance routs in Scotland.

My regret is that I can't persuade my wife to come away just now as she has never camped in the snow and I used to do it a lot in my youth and want to share the experience with her.

 

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Hi John, im with your wife and dont fancy snow either, we're going at easter which to me is still a bit early but my husband going to be away all summer so its our only chance until october hols. Im taking ehu and lots of layers so should hopefully be nice and warm

Nice to get the support. 

I remember camping with a CCGBI meet way back in the 1960s and someone complaining that they had taken a hot water bottle to bed and it was frozen in the morning.

We started out carrying what we needed on our backs...then came the 6-man tent with SIG, windshelter, canopy, double cooker with grill, leisure shelter, tent larder, Kampin Kazi, cooking stand, BBQ, folding chairs and table etc...

Just bought a car now as our backs couldn't take anymore.

Purchased a heater yesterday from Winfields and hope to have first trip away next Fri.

A little bit of luxury goes a long way!

I'm far too old and arthritic to contemplate backpacking, but I'd happily camp almost anywhere that we could get the car to, so we could have chairs to sit on and air beds, and a tent big enough to stand up in.

We never use EHU, and the lack of a toilet wouldn't bother me, but I'd rather miss hot showers.