its great....
Camping is something I enjoy hugely. From Duke of Edinburgh trips to weekends on the lash in the mountains. You simply can’t beat a bit of camping.

I start my trips about a week before I go, getting bits out and ready for the day we go, I love getting all my gear together out of the shed, taking stuff I haven’t used In ages and carefully packing it into the car so it all fits properly. I love the drive, the stopping off at service stations . I love setting up camp to make it ‘my castle’ and ensure several nights of comfort,. I love putting up my tent and standing back admirably whilst challenging the elements to try and blow down my tent. I love sitting out after the sunsets with a cold beer and some AM radio, I love it when it rains at night and even a light shower sounds torrential – but I’m nice and wrapped up. I love the early morning cigarette with a mug of tea and the dew on the grass as the sun comes up. The smell of bacon being cooked in a frying pan with no non stick properties whatsoever. Clouds lifting to reveal stunning mountainscapes.

It is a true mental tonic for the man in a repetitive day job

All though the pros outweigh the cons – there are some tough cons…

If you are fortunate to camp when it’s a good English summer, the sun rises about 4:30am and within 20 mins – your tent is like a furnace.
If any neh do gooders are on site with you , chances are they have left food out and the chances are that seagulls (or other birds) have spotted it and proceed to eat every crumb around. Whilst making as much noise as possible.
Children. Nothing against kids camping, but when your being told to keep the noise down when having a beer at 10:30 so the kids can sleep, but they’ll happily wake at 5am to play football against your tent, they need to be brought down a peg or 2…(pun)
Sex. in 100 years of tent evolution, people should realise that nylon with the thickness of the average pube has no sound insulation properties what so ever.
Weather. I can put up with whatever the elements throw at me, but sometimes it will be that bad that you just have to admit defeat and lash the tent in the car and head for home.
Going home. Horrible. You know the car is full of crap and unclean stuff and your in work tomorrow. And the tent needs to be dried out. 3 weeks later and there is still stuff at the bottom of the stairs you will definitely put away this coming weekend….like you said you would 2 weeks ago.

Still I wouldn’t change it – I love the outdoors – its not about getting away like you would at a sandals resort, its about getting your head sorted, giving your eyes something good to look at. Sometimes its good to have muddy hands and shoes without resorting to hippy shit.
(Pat mustard, Tue 3 Apr 2012, 17:58, 8 replies)

You have summed it up brilliantly . .
. . have a click
(Bitter and Twisted, Tue 3 Apr 2012, 23:54, closed)

I know what you mean
with all this.

I used to go most weekends to Dorset where me and some friends kept Hobie cats (at Studland beach).

We all used to travel down from London on Fridays, late afternoon, or a bit earlier if you could sneak out of work.

There ws something really special about being the first there. I had a kind of umbrella dome tent, tha was tough as old boots, but took about a minute and a half to put up. I used to set up, put the bedding in, etc, even had a little light in there. I'd then lie down with a beer, half in and half out of the tent, reading a book till the next people turned up.

I'm not antisocial, but that hour of peace and quiet was the best way I have ever known to clear the head and chill out.
(username failed moderation, Wed 4 Apr 2012, 10:34, closed)

And I also like this.
So you get a click as well.
( Evil Bastardo, Wed 4 Apr 2012, 10:41, closed)

I like this.
Click!
( Evil Bastardo, Wed 4 Apr 2012, 10:41, closed)

Definitely with you
On the heat and the seagulls.
( MatJ LOOK, Wed 4 Apr 2012, 15:25, closed)

This, all of this.
I like this.
( Infidel , shit and wrong, Wed 4 Apr 2012, 15:43, closed)

Very well put, all you missed out was the misery of waking up in the small hours needing a piss but it's raining stair rods outside. Which is why I now have a plastic bottle in the tent with me...

I stopped smoking a few months ago, I'm really going to miss those early morning smokes out of the tent door :-(
(Amberleaf, Wed 4 Apr 2012, 15:46, closed)

your also forgetting
-When your brother gets sunstroke in the tent next to you, gets out in the middle of the night and voms not 12 inches from your head.
(Dan dan dan They tik urh jerbs!!!, Wed 4 Apr 2012, 16:30, closed)