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Going to our first campsite in a few days, could someone please tell me, do we leave everything in our tent? Am hoping camping will be more sociable, as we have always gone in caravan parks before and found people tend to keep to themselves.

Thanks

i would take all valuables with you

Take things like camera, jewelry, money etc with you when you go out. Most campers look out for each other, so make a point of speaking to your neighbours & any campers opposite you - once you've spoken to them, they will know your faces & so will usually approach any stranger they see near your tent while you're out.

Although most campers are very honest & wouldn't dream of nicking anything from your tent. However, if you're on a site next to a main road (hopefully not), there is always a chance that a passerby may stray onto the camp site. 

i would like to thilnk most no nearly all? campers are honest

i wouldnt leave me rolex on the outside table

but i would leave most stuff in the tent

just take the obvious valuables with you and leave the rest

as before zip up properly and talk to all your neighbours

but we are all in the same boat or campsite so have to trust each other

Yep, I totally agree with the previous replies. Us campers are a sociable lot and most of us like to get to know their neighbours, so when one lot go away for the day, everyone else naturally keeps an eye out for their pitch.

   There are surprisingly few cases of theft on campsites, however, occasionally, the odd villain(s) find a way to cause misery to others, so do take your valuables with you when away.

As mentioned previously, do get to know your fellow campers on site, we all aim to help each other (as we do on UKCS!).

Rob

Its a bit more sociable due to the fact that sooner or later either your going to need a favour or you will see someone else who does.  Generally, you will probably find out where a few others on the site have traveled from etc.  Because there is usually a few trips to the toilet shower blocks and if you are a chatty person you get a few chances to chin wag.  If you are a chatter then you will get a few tips, maybe a few sites and maybe an off site pub/club/cafe suggestion. This is helped partly due to the fact that a lot of us spend most (almost all) of the time outside of our tents.

I suppose the first thing to expect is that if you are struggling a bit with your tent then expect someone to offer an hand, do not refuse as they do actually mean it and it will save you a lot of time.  By the end of the break you will probably end up helping someone else too. For heavens sake if you do forget something or need something just ask around, someone is bound to have what your after.

In saying all this, do not expect to get on first name terms.  This is rare. Usually you end up knowing a fair bit about others camping experience but have no names except "the people from London" etc. 

Oh and to answer the topic, the boot of your car.

Just use sone basic common sense.   
If I am going out - even if it is to the kids play are, I take thinks like cash, camera and mobile phome with me.   Small, light easy to carry and easy to pinch.
When not around the tent - the other higher value thing - my portable DVD is locked in the boot of the car (or very least hidden among the bedding in the sleeping pod).  At night it comes into the sleeping pod with me.
The rest of my stuff just stays in my tent, or just outside.
I've never had any problem - just the oposite.   I've had a guy zip my tent up when he and a fellow camper realised I'd gone out and forgotten, and told me that if there were any problems give him a knock.  
I would say that most campers look out for one another.

I'm just picking up on something that got mentioned about offering help in putting up tents .... I've offered before now on a few occasions (espeically when it's obvious things are starting to go badly wrong) and have always been refused with a polite smile, but then message was clear that they felt their pride was taking a dent by me helping.  Maybe because I'm a girlie and they were chaps, I don't know. On the last occasion this lovely couple had told me they were camping on only their second outing with their 3 year old and 5 month old baby, so Mum was trying to comfort the baby and look after the toddler whilst Dad gamely struggled with a Vango Diablo. Then the baby started wailing and Mum started looking upset, but still Dad refused help. So I flagged down a warden and suggested he trot past by co-incidence. They could hardly refuse him and the tent was up 5 minutes later.  What is it, do you think? A pride thing? Or just new campers ?

Agree with everything that has been said. If it valuable take it with you or better still, if you don't really need it, leave it at home!  I keep my bag/purse/wallet in bedroom at night just to be on the safe side but have never felt I really needed to.

Just put chairs away in tent in case it rains more than anything. I have a bbq cover that I put over cooking gear again in case it rains.

Karen

If you cant bear to lose it....dont take it!

Anything of value of left in the car boot.

Clothing kept in holdall which can be lifted and put in boot to keep dry just in case a force 10 gale is heading our way.

Mike J

I would like to say we would leave everything of value out of sight or in the car, but on our first weekend out I left the digital camera out all day near the cooking stuff!!!    Hubby wasn't too happy, but he only found out because it was still sat there when we came back!!

Debbie and Ian

Hi ya, This was an issue for me when I went camping for the first time. But the more times you go you'll realise that there is a sort of campimg etiquette which goes on. Everyone looks out for one and other and you don't generally get people stray beyond their own pitch other than going to the toilet!

If there is anything that precious keep it in the boot of the car out of site.

Happy camping!

Wy

Quote: Originally posted by AngieGL on 04/8/2006

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I'm just picking up on something that got mentioned about offering help in putting up tents .... I've offered before now on a few occasions (espeically when it's obvious things are starting to go badly wrong) and have always been refused with a polite smile, but then message was clear that they felt their pride was taking a dent by me helping.  Maybe because I'm a girlie and they were chaps, I don't know. On the last occasion this lovely couple had told me they were camping on only their second outing with their 3 year old and 5 month old baby, so Mum was trying to comfort the baby and look after the toddler whilst Dad gamely struggled with a Vango Diablo. Then the baby started wailing and Mum started looking upset, but still Dad refused help. So I flagged down a warden and suggested he trot past by co-incidence. They could hardly refuse him and the tent was up 5 minutes later.  What is it, do you think? A pride thing? Or just new campers ?

 

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It's probably a pride thing 'cos you're a girly, Angie. I've found the same so now I go & grab some big men instead and get them to go & help if I see someone struggling. They'll probly be more use than little old me anyway. Good idea on getting the warden. Alternative would have been to offer to watch baby/s while Mum helped Dad.