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

(72 Posts)
bikergran Sat 25-Jul-20 09:52:20

I keep thinking about having a go at camping(solo) in the uk.

Its something that keep cropping up in my head.

Used to go when DH was here and caravaning.

Obviously there is a safety issue.

I would buy myself suitable tent and throw it in the car.
Would have liked a campervan but that's out of the question.

Just wondering if any grans or none grans have tried this, I dont mean as teenages I mean as mature adults.

I know people will comment on how they are past camping and no way would even think about it and its hotels bed and breakfast and evening dinner etc.

But would like comments on camping anyone ? smile

I could even throw my bicycle in the car.
Wouldn't be this year as have gotr commitments but maybe on my list for next year when things hopefully will be a little easier with the virus etc.

NanKate Tue 10-Aug-21 21:57:51

I went camping in a tent once in the 1960s - NEVER AGAIN! I can still smell the wet green canvas.

I’m sure things have improved since then.

MissElly Tue 10-Aug-21 21:46:07

Some of my favourite holidays were camping with my children when they were young. I hadn’t thought about doing it now. You’ve got me thinking!!

MerylStreep Tue 10-Aug-21 21:39:58

Mumofthree
I’ve met lots of women ( some in their 70s) who make the journey down to Spain.
Our first motohome was a VW when they didn’t cost an arm and a leg.
We are on our 4th motohome now. A classic Hymer towing a smart car.

3dognight Tue 10-Aug-21 21:18:22

That’s great mumofthree!
I’m sure it will be an adventure x

JillyJosie2 Tue 10-Aug-21 21:12:33

I would absolutely love a VW camper van, they clearly can go on for years. How do you buy one that isn't going to collapse next week though? Can anyone recommend dealers or reliable websites?

Lincslass Tue 10-Aug-21 19:56:19

Mumofthree

well, since my last comment about hoping to buy a campervan I have finally bought one. It has everything I need, fridge, 2 hobs, sink and tv. I am just waiting for some holidays from work so I can go off somewhere and see some of Britain. I should retire in September but will be staying on until next June to re-group some savings...

Fantastic, hope you have a great time on your travels. Quite envious , but in a nice way.

Lincslass Tue 10-Aug-21 19:54:57

Not sure I would fancy doing it on my own, with someone would give it a go, only on an approved site, with facilities, no wild camping for me. Only other problem would be getting up and out of the tent, ?

Mumofthree Sun 08-Aug-21 10:22:40

well, since my last comment about hoping to buy a campervan I have finally bought one. It has everything I need, fridge, 2 hobs, sink and tv. I am just waiting for some holidays from work so I can go off somewhere and see some of Britain. I should retire in September but will be staying on until next June to re-group some savings...

timetogo2016 Thu 29-Jul-21 09:02:25

If the weather is on your side go for it.
I loved it and my son and family are well into it too.
You can pack your things up and move to a different site every few days too.

MawBe Thu 29-Jul-21 08:56:06

Mollygo

Camping in a tent alone or with someone, no. Packing and unpacking would spoil the fun now I’m older.
Holidaying alone in a converted railway carriage in Cornwall, yes!
www.railholiday.co.uk/

I have just had a look at these and they look lovely !
Do you have personal experience?

Shinamae Wed 28-Jul-21 22:20:20

Definitely not for me I’m afraid but I have just read the book “The salt path”which is about wild camping (but because the author and her husband lost their home and he has severe health problems)and I found it so interesting and I really cannot recommend it highly enough, an extraordinary true story…

Grannynannywanny Wed 28-Jul-21 21:53:11

I had a solo 3 day trip last week in my daughter’s VW camper van and loved it. I stayed on a small farm campsite with a mix of tents, caravans and camper vans. An entirely new experience for me.

I felt very safe on my own and the other campers were friendly. I was blessed with glorious weather. I chatted to a woman in her 40s who was on her own in a tent. I saw her arriving and setting up and packing away to leave. It did look like a lot of work and I pictured how miserable it would be to do all that in heavy rain.

mrsbirdy Wed 28-Jul-21 21:01:28

He'll yeah! I want to do that. It's got to be easier now a days? With instant food and camp sites with cafes. Affordable equipment. Better than when I've been the only single lone traveller in a hotel restaurant.

Mollygo Sun 11-Jul-21 13:10:26

Camping in a tent alone or with someone, no. Packing and unpacking would spoil the fun now I’m older.
Holidaying alone in a converted railway carriage in Cornwall, yes!
www.railholiday.co.uk/

Mumofthree Sun 11-Jul-21 12:39:12

3dognight

That’s a lovely idea mumofthree smile

I used to have a VW T25 campervan and that is what I am going to buy again, they are the same width as a car and fit in normal car park spaces. I loved mine and bitterly regret selling it..so I am on the prowl for a another one now... I used to love making my breakfast in it and stopping on services and making my own cup of tea instead of taking out a loan to buy a service station brew lol

3dognight Sat 10-Jul-21 19:35:53

That’s a lovely idea mumofthree smile

MissChateline Sat 10-Jul-21 19:35:26

I'm 66 and love camping on my own. I take my wee campervan off all over the wilds of Scotland and pitch up wherever I feel like it out if the way from civilisation. Best feeling in the world waking up in the wild. Never been scared only serenely happy waking up next to a beach or forest. Love it.

Mumofthree Sat 10-Jul-21 19:16:17

I love camping, under canvas and in a campervan which I used to own, I am on my own and I am looking to buy a campervan pretty soon so I can travel at weekends and when I retire, which should be September but I am holding on so I can save up a bit.

madeleine45 Sat 03-Apr-21 13:14:27

i have lived and travelled all over europe and camped in places like Roumania and Istanbul - which I loved. worked for an airline which let me go about a bit and sailed and camped round britain. However now a widow and live alone. Am perfectly happy to travel alone, go in a pub on my own or whatever. I do not have a lot of money and have a bad back so cannot think of tent camping as I used to. I found the youth hostel the best thing to use in the past few years as I am quite happy to share in a dormitory or do whatever. I was getting right into the swing of it when we started with covid.! I understand on holday offers the single supplement will apply in some cases but the amount charged is often outrageous for a poor quality room. I would like to do glamping which would allow me to come and go as I please (dont sleep well due to pain so can be off quietly by 6am sometimes) I love hot tubs having first used them whilst up on the top of a roof of a hotel in Rekyavik marvellous and is great for my back. Have been researching glamping with hot tubs, but once again the short term viewpoint of the places that do glamping only thinking of smallest one for 4 people with price to match. Now I am asking companies and farms etc to consider having a one or two person place with a hot tub. My view is they are just looking at very short term idea. So I would be happy to meet my son and family where I could have a small place for myself. Result the owners get 2 prices for the time and often I would be happy to stay one or two days more and of course pay for it. I would also much prefer mid week or spring or autumn and not in the school holidays. I am a singer and when we were doing concerts and staying away again I have done b/b to allow myself a longer time in a specific area. When we used to sail for our major holidays we used to go to a great b and b in a farmhouse and usually spent 4/5 days twice a year at quiet times and went there for more than 10 years, passed on their details to other friends and know that they did a lot of good business from it. I have actually found one holiday for myself with cosmos, as they had a no single supplement trip up in scotland at a reasonable price. So once again I have told 3 of my friends about this so they may get yet more business from this and I am telling you about it. I have also once done a trip to Barcelona with a friend on the basis that we shared a twin room but did our own thing and did not have to meet up at all if we did not want to. Worked very well , we did our own thing, shared 1 lunch and 1 dinner and it was a better room than a single room and cheaper. So maybe we might need to begin a connection here where we could begin by perhaps stating roughly the area we live and where we want to visit and we could organise meeting up somewhere locally and then if happy to do it we could share travelling and accommodation in the future. In the meantime I think we should be reminding the travel companies that we could provide them with good business, if we are treated fairly and provided with what we need at a reasonable price. We could provide their off peak custom. I have already suggested to the forest glamping people and one or two others that they might put at least one 2 bed glamping pod and give it a chance but we all need to get onto this to get a change. Other than that it will be cheapest to go to the cheap hotels that are on a room only basis. So let us all do a lot of lobbying and getting these people to think about other than the 2adult 2children family group. They really are missing a trick. I had planned to have time to myself and do as I please but maybe I have found a job for myself . Reasonable priced trips for single visitors!! Not a dating agency but perhaps a National Trust dating where I match up 2 people to be able to visit a Trust property in an eco friendly, sharing car , fuel , and accommodation would be beneficial to everyone! Do let me know if you have any good suggestions.

bikergran Tue 09-Feb-21 10:23:51

Oh I would never go anywhere isolated, it would would be carefully reviewed camp sites with nice showers etc.

Seems an age since I wrote my first msg and now here we are approaching Spring..

Would love a little camper van but already have a car to deal with.

Some good and thoughtful ideas.

As its -1 here in Lancashire this morning, I think I will put camping a bit further down the list for now lol,

ayse Mon 08-Feb-21 16:23:30

I love camping and would go by myself. There are adult only camp sites, if children are not on your menu. Bad weather clothes are essential. There’s nothing worse than being cold and wet.

You used to be able to buy very lightweight tents that were very quick to erect even in the rain

Katie59 Mon 08-Feb-21 16:16:04

I’ve been camping in a group, when the kids were in the scouts it was a regular thing, loved it. If there was a group going together I’d do it now, although not on my own, in any case OH likes travel so I get taken where I want to go.

BlueBelle Mon 08-Feb-21 15:25:54

I went camping in my own little tent about 4/5 years ago I absolutely loooove camping and couldn’t find anyone else who likes it amongst my friends
I hope to go again when lockdowns over I hate to think I d never camping again
I ve never really stayed in hotels, just caravans, campsites, narrow boat, apartments don’t like formal arrangements too much one mans meat is another s poison I guess

MissChateline Mon 08-Feb-21 15:21:16

The Campervan is very small (VW size) and doesn’t have an integrated loo or washroom. Our en-suite is a plastic milk bottle and funnel reserved exclusively for the procedure!

MissChateline Mon 08-Feb-21 15:19:15

I love camping on my own in a tent. Even though we have had a small Campervan for the past 5 years I refuse to get rid of my 2 person tent and equipment. My partner refuses to stay in the tent hence the van purchase. I have over the years wild camped all over Scotland and across the western isles and just loved every minute of it. Now I also take myself off in the van on my own at least once a year and wild camp up on the west coast.