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We're driving to Austria on Friday camping in our tent for 2 weeks, and of the campsites we've looked at online, in the photos, we didn't notice anybody using a windbreak?

So my question is, are we going to stand out as "The Englisch Campers" if we have a windbreak with us?

We'd only be taking the nice plain green one (that I made) with us, not the stripey beach type so do you think we're right to take it?

Its just me and wifey going.

Chaz

We were in France for 2 weeks and only used our windbreak at the last campsite we stayed, more for privacy than anything as we were pitched nearest to the shower block, etc and people were forever walking by and looking into our tent - however, many people were just curious to see our Vermont XL.

The rest of our holiday was sent without the windbreak as we simply didn't need it.  Many other brits 'colonised' themselves and to be honest stood out as seeming a bit standoffish.  We found that they did not mix but we made friends with French, Dutch and many other people rather than just staying with our own countrymen.  I did notice that some Dutch people use them too, but more for privacy than anything else.

Yup, if you spot a windbreak abroad, 10:1 there`s a Brit behind it.

(Wouldn`t worry about it though...you can usually tell the nationality of any camper by their equipment choice.)

When camping in the UK we have our 2 dogs with us so have windbreaks to keep the dogs inside our "area" without having to have them tied up all the time.

In Austria we'd only use it for a bit more privacy, but then I don't expect it to be too busy.

I don't know if you could tell our nationality by our tent, its a Cabanon so a French tent!

Chaz

Yep you can bet on the pitches with windbreaks being  Brits.  We only use a windbreak to shield the bbq so that kids on bikes or with playing ball etc don't bash into it.   The French, Dutch, Germans and Spanish don't tend to use them. 

Jo

Quote: Originally posted by Valk_scot on 13/8/2007

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Yup, if you spot a windbreak abroad, 10:1 there`s a Brit behind it.

(Wouldn`t worry about it though...you can usually tell the nationality of any camper by their equipment choice.)

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yep...windbreaks = Brits...we can't help it ! On our first trip to France we did use them but soon felt like Brits abroad and haven't done so since. As someeone else said often the pitches have trees and hedges anyway...

Dave

We hang our towels on to dry after swimmimg on ours sotend to use it  especially with 3 kids too,never bothered me what people think really,of course prob most were Brits with the windbreaks up but then i did see alot of people along the roads on the site throwing big metal balls around must have been all French  i suppose there will always be differences between all nationalities not just windbreaks .

.............Alan................

Back fromour 2 weeks in Austria and didn't even bother taking a windbreak with us.

Never saw one over there either!

Chaz

We have just returned from two lovely weeks in the Dordogne, towards the end of our stay a couple from the UK turned up with a caravan and a big car, no children when we were walking past from the pool we noticed their pitch which was clearly marked out with hedges had in places where there where no hedges windbreaks, they had basically barracked themselves in. The pitch next door were a uk couple with a motorhome and I would be peeved if I was the neighbour I thought it was very rude coz everywhere there was a gap they stuck a windbreak and when they had used thall the windbreaks they parked the car in the last gap. They had no dogs or children to fence in just themselves plus our last night we had been to the bar and was walking past again to here Neil Diamond blasting out from behind the windbreaks. Each to their own but we where staying on a very quiet site so I could not see that going down well with their neighbours.

Karende