Camping? have you ever been camping on your own or thought about it, I mean as in at the age you are now.

The comments about children being noisy reminded me of a time I was camping in North Devon. A group of young people were camping in the same field and still making a noise at gone midnight. Sound seems to travel more at night. So I went over to them and asked them what time they were thinking of getting up in the morning. Around 10 or 11 was the reply. Wrong was my answer, if you carrying on making this noise and keeping me awake believe me you will will be woken up at 5.30 in the morning by me. They laughed and carried on. So at 5.30 I drove my car across the field, parked next to their tents and put on some classical music at full belt. I can't really repeat what they said but it didn't happen again.

Are you a WI member? Lots of WI federations run camping weekends. I went last year here in Cornwall. It was great, people helped each other to put up tents and we had lots of great activities. Have you anyone who would go with you in their own tent? Try and get a tent which will let you stand up, I did get a bit fed up of crawling into my little dome. I used the shewee and an empty bottle in the night to avoid heading to the loos. (Apologies to all of a delicate constitution for that information.)

Why don’t you try a night or two in a glamping pod With a lockable and see how safe you feel. Then if all seems good advance to your own tent.

Wow Septima, a meteor shower while taking a night time loo break. That is something really special. Aren't those unexpected moments in life just so wonderful.

I will take on board all your comments , got plenty of time to mull it over for hopefully next year. thanks again everyone

I have camped all my life.

I would only camp now in good weather.

I have been camping on my own in my 60’s,in a tiny tent I had to crawl into and took the bare minimum of equipment.

Buy a tent that is easy to put up,mine goes up similar to an umbrella,simple.Find a campsite near your home and give it a go.

I knew someone in her fifties who used to go camping by herself and loved it; just her and her little dog. She was extremely independent and self-sufficient and ( rather difficult to live with), but she really enjoyed her expeditions.
I have a friend who used to go camping with her young children, again very independent, and for her sixtieth birthday wanted to recreate the experience; it was her adult children who chickened out!
Could you borrow a tent and camping gear and try it out for a weekend?

I loved camping in various tents when my DH was still alive and well. Brittany was fabulous, especially the north coast. But on my own? I wouldn't, for a few reasons.
For one I wouldn't feel safe on my own - sorry if that makes me seem like a wimp. I also think it would be difficult to put up a tent by myself, although I believe there are lightweight models which go up with a flick of the wrist. Finally it just wouldn't be the seem without DH - I think I'd find it miserable to be alone with past memories.
However, if you're brave, feel safe and have a good Campervan, then go for it and have a great time.

I'd do it. Camping is brilliant.

No way, not on my own ! I've never been camping anyway.

lol geekesse

Yes, go for it! Camping on your own is brilliant. I have a box with a tiny tent, a one-burner gas stove, a basic set of three pans, a tin plate and cutlery, salt, pepper, and tea, coffee and sugar, and washing up liquid. Oh, and clean knickers and socks. If I need to escape, I can throw it into the boot of the car and take off. I stop off at a shop and buy bacon, eggs, bread and a bottle of wine as I go.

Research your campsites carefully - I prefer the ones that don’t have many caravans or which have pitches spread well apart so I am not pestered by children. I did once go to a site on Bodmin Moor that was very family friendly and was woken at 6am by a child playing football against the side of my tent. I put my head through the entrance and growled at him ‘I eat children for breakfast’. After that he and his siblings avoided me and my tent for the rest of my stay.

There’s a fabulous forestry commission site in the Forest of Dean that is a good place to start if you haven’t camped alone before. My favourite place of all is Rowter Farm campsite near Castleton, Derbyshire.

Go for it! I don't think you'll find you're the only woman camping alone.

We had camped, motorcaravanned, had a folding caravan over the years. After a longish gap (shortage of funds!) we bought a secondhand tent and had two trips away. We found that an inflatable mattress made a big difference to being able to get out of bed in the morning!

We've just bought a secondhand small motorcaravan, but I'd still be up for going camping. Small one-man tents are cheap enough to make it an experiment, a 2-man would give you some sitting space but not be too unwieldy to pitch.

I'd be nervous about wild camping but there are some lovely small campsites. People on campsites are usually friendly - complete strangers came and helped us pitch our tent in a gale. As for the loo in the night, I trailed across a silent site in the pitch black, saw no-one, but did get a fantastic view of a meteor shower on the way back - a great compensation for the
inconvenience.

Equally, hiring a small motorcaravan is a good idea, although smaller ones often don't have loos. It depends on how conficent you are driving a strange vehicle.

Barmeyoldbat thanks for your comment, love Wales.

But with hindsight maybe camper van the way to go.

In fact just remembered right at the end of my road is a Rental place. not cheap around £71 night for motorhome hire.

Food for thought thanks all.

I've never been camping and can't think of a worse "holiday" to have. I like the comfort of a proper bed and the convenience of a toilet and shower.

Yes Bikegran I would go on my own if I was on my own. I have camped in a tent for many years with Mr B but if anything happened to him I would still go.

If you do go, choose a campsite away from the coast where younger people tend to go and if possible one on a family run site, like a farm. We go to one in mid Wales on a farm, they have besides good showers and toilets a kitchen to use with a table so you can sit and meet others. We have found people on campsites very friendly and helpful, I find it hard to get up to a standing position so I keep a stick and a low plastic stool nearby to help me. Take sensible precautions, like letting your family or friends know where you are going and keep in touch. I have met a woman in her late 70's at my Mid Wales campsite who camps on her own, but she takes a dog with her for company. Give it a try.

My arthritis means that I would struggle to camp on my own. I did when I was younger.
I am unclear as to whether you are used to tent camping. If you are a dab hand at putting one up, then you are aware of the difficulties of putting up any tent but the smallest on your own.
Do you need the loo in the night? Again, easy when caravanning, but in a tent, you must:
trek to the loo block
risk a 'wild wee' (harder than it used to be, as campsites are more organised now!)
put a bucket in the tent

Not sure about your budget, but I would consider hiring a small campervan for a week. There are some very suitable ones - they are not all huge!
This would enable you to use campsites on your own and work out how you feel about that, and consider the drawbacks of using a tent on your own.

We did it when DS was small, money was tight and we couldn't afford a holiday any other way. I didn't like it then either, sorry. I'd rather go away for a shorter period of time, but have more comfort now!

Camping, No (I'd never get back up off the ground) but glamping, Yes.

DD and DSiL have just had a few days in a shepherd's hut in Snowdonia. Amazing how much luxury can be fitted into such a small space. It even had a hot tub on the decked area and a firepit for BBQs.

I've never understood the appeal of a tent.

I've never been camping and never wanted to. It sounds like my worst nightmare.