Your first camping holiday
This picture is of my very first ever camping holiday. I was 1 years old and my mum had given me stale bread to feed the ducks (but I decided to eat it instead)!
This weekend I'm taking part in Big Little Tent Festival, camping in the back garden with Sam, my 1 year old. In honour of #BLTF17, I thought it would be fun to share memories of your, or your families, first camping trips. Where did you go? How old were you? Who were you with? I would love to hear all about it and see any pictures you might have too.
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My first camping trip (tent) was back in 1966 when, as a teenager, I joined my school's lightweight camping club. We practiced putting up our tents and lighting our primus stoves, then off we went for a weekend trip. The sleeping bags had very little filling, a group of lads in the same field let down our guy ropes during the night, and we were next to a very noisy pub. Hated the practical side of the trip, but the social side was fun and I still boast about having swum in the Thames!
Never tent camped again, but now am a very happy motorhomer :-)
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Mine was in 1952 when my older brother and sister and I went with our parents to Brittany in a borrowed caravan. The rest of the family never camped again - but it got to me! Even cleaning my teeth at a cattle trough - and I was worried about the crane loaded Caravan as it belonged to a school friend of mine!
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Mine was with the Girl Guides, about 1960, in a bell tent about three miles from home in a Warwickshire field. Like Teddy, a group of local lads let our guy ropes down. My parents, ever the big spenders, bought me a cheap plastic Lilo that deflated every night. I remember the routine even now, everything off the floor in the day time, make your own props from sticks and tie the brailings up....long time since I've written that word!
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1957 in Wales on a school trip in groups of 8 in a bell tent. We had the guy ropes too tight and the tent ended up poking through the central pole. Next time was Cornwall in a borrowed ridge tent in 1969. We packed up in the middle of the night and drove home because we were so cold. After that it was a couple of frame tents before switching to a caravan in 1986.
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In the Mendip Hills 1965 in a 3 man / boy Blacks Good Companion. The original heavy version, not the lightweight I bought later. We were completing the camping / trekking bit of our Bronze D of E award with the school. The most hazardous bit was getting the Primus stove going, H&E would have had a field day. Thoroughly enjoyed it but I could never convince my dad to use anything but hotels for holidays. So apart from other trips of this type, and 4 weeks in NW Scotland doing my degree mapping, I had to wait for my own family. We have always camped in one shape or form, last 12 years with a caravan.
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You can tell it's your first trip you have pitched your tent upside down
First one I remember Coventry coop site at Rhyl I must have been about 3. The outfit was a Medi from tent kit. That we sold as packages in the News of the World. Late 50's early 60's. Came with a Primus stove and a little table. Still got the table.
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My first tent camping was relatively recent - 2006. We bought a canvas bungalow and spent two weeks in Devon and Cornwall with constant rain. Three of us hated every minute and wished we'd bought a poorer quality tent so we could have binned it and come home.
We had a caravan when I was a child. I don't think my mother has ever set foot in a tent which may be at the heart of things.
Hope you enjoy your camp out in the garden Rowena. How will you be replicating the true festival environment?
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I've ordered my BLTF Festival pack which includes bunting and wrist bands so planning to decorate the garden. We will have music and fairly lights. I'm also looking at doing some outdoor nature craft with Sam, BBQ and we are going into the woods in the day to make a den. I've also picked up a telescope from a charity shop so we may well do some star gazing as well.
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I love these pictures! Thanks for sharing.
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Rowena you should think about camper calling one day.
https://www.campercalling.com/
It's the perfect family festival. Loads of free activities for young and old in a wonderful setting and all entertainment is included.
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Thanks for the link JayEss. I will check this out. I definitely think family festivals will be a great idea, especially with friends, and looking forward to our own little festival this Saturday.
I want Sam to have the memories of camping that I have and have loved reading others first camping memories too.
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Early 1970's with a school trip. Deep in forest up at Low Wray, Lake District, big old tents that slept six, with no sewn in groundsheets. The Lake District threw everything at us, howling gales, unrelenting rain, the tents gave up the ghost after three days and collapsed. We then all moved lilos and sleeping bags into the activity hall and kitchen for the rest of our stay. Teachers were brilliant, I got to curl up with Miss Watson's JR Terrier (we were firm friends!), we were out all day up Hellvelyn, Old Man of Coniston, litter picking with NT around Lake Windemere, and enjoying the assault course on the campsite. I loved every minute! But as a child, you know no fear, everything is an adventure!
Have camped intermittently down the years, sometimes for three weeks at a time, cooking in back of our old LR. We still very occasionally have a couple of nights out, usually at off roading events.
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Bizarrely when viewed on my iPad the picture is upside down when it is on a PC it is the correct way up. I must apologise for thinking you had a sense of humour failure and had rotated the picture after my initial reply
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First trip with a caravan was in the early 1980's - with an Austin Maxi (complete with 5 gears when the syncromesh allowed me to access them all!) and an old Rambler with absolutely no frills. The contrast with what we drive and caravan in today is astonishing. This camp site is...Borrowdale Caravan Club site.
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I had a Maxi for about six months. Gearstick was like stirring porridge. Never towed with it though.
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First Tenting Holiday was with a Church Youth Club in early '60s.
Transport was one of the girl's parent's ( suitably scrubbed ) coal lorry, to the hills above Llangollen, absolutely great fun except for having to dig the Latrine pits
. Hissed down all week-end, so some of us took shelter in a form of hostel in the town { hic !!}. the start of a life-long ( so far ) habit of heading to strange but British areas in various tents from ex-WD ridges without ground sheets to bell-ended 'Canadienne' jobs until I splashed ( pun intented ) out on my very first Bay Window VeeDub. in 19791 -
Mid 50's with the cubs in a very muddy field due to constant rain. Akele, who was staying in a cottage on the site, marked us down every day for out kit being damp and muddy - hated that woman😡🤣
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My first camping experience was with the Church Lads Brigade in Prestatyn in bell tents. There was a big marquee for the mess room and various smaller marquees for such things as first aid, stores etc. We were in a big field with the main railway line at the bottom.
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Mine was with other patrol leaders from our scout troop .All was going well when suddenly all hell broke loose , machine guns , thunder flashes and multiple pyrotechnics .Due to some duff map reading we ended up pitching in a field next to an Army training ground .No sleep that night, but one heck of a light show .😁😁.... Happy days.
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I spent many holidays as a child/teenager with parents in a rented caravan on a site in Devon - very basic but fun. My first real camping was in 1970, not long married and skint. We borrowed a small tent with no sewn in groundsheet, bought two cheap sleeping bags and a one burner stove. Cornwall was so wet we returned to the site in Devon which by then had upped its game and provided better facilities and an entertainment tent. We watched 'The Italian Job' on film night and won £10 on bingo night. That £10 bought a pair of shoes each and a meal out (real luxury). Despite weather and one frypan dinners we were hooked! Since then we've had tents, trailer tent, caravans and now motorhome. Great times.
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