The camping thread - The Bear and Badger

mk64

Hi just wondering if anyone else here is into going camping?

I used to camp four times a year with my charity work but I took a break about 2-3 years ago. Since then it's been much quieter mainly because my tent was too big (6 man) to go alone and my partners not massively keen on it unless it's gorgeous weather and comfy etc.

I picked up a new tent to go solo camping (potentially wild camping) and I did my first one in the new forrest last month. It was such a good break from all the covid stuff going on.

Keen to get up to scotland if i can because of the legality and the views are stunning but there's plenty of places in the UK i'd like to try too. Not against a campsite either.

Anyone else enjoy it as a past time? Anyone fancy a B&B trip perhaps?

Diluted Dante

Only for festivals. I'm sure someone was big into it. Moot maybe?

Nina

Got back yesterday from 3 days camping and some off roading. Will post some pictures later if I don't forget.

Moot_Geeza

I used to go camping in the woods with a courier from work (and occasionally other mates, but no-one ever seems to fancy it twice). Haven't been since....Nov 2019 iirc. Or possibly even the year before. Big fire, drinks and smokes, music playing, sausages cooked before bed. Brambo occasionally tagged along. Tarpaulin up if it rains, otherwise just sleeping bags. Love it. He's been going to the same spot since the 80s.

Love camping but hate it in warm weather. He does bothy trips too, was supposed to go to one in Scotland where he's buried some beers (and you have to row to the spot, or something just as excite) but covid got in the way.

nick_md

Used to go camping with a gf a couple of years ago, just campsites (she had a kid) but I enjoyed nonetheless - went around the south coast a few times. Enjoyed it a lot tbh, definitely would be up for some camping-based badger time. I own none of the equipment though.

afgavinstan

Was supposed to be camping last summer but it turned into a lodge with the boys right next to a camping site. Litre upon litre of cold brew, plenty pre-rollers, and a foldable chair. Bliss.

GooberTheHat

I'm planning on doing a bit soon. Going to test the waters with the family this summer with a nights camping in the in-laws big (and pretty wild, pheasants and deer make regular appearances) garden.

I've got a nice cast iron frying pan for cooking up some eggs and bacon for breakfast, and some giant marshmallows for toasting in the evening over an open fire. Hopefully that'll ensure its a success.

If that goes well we might try a night in Dartmoor.

Wookienopants

We used to go camping every year with a huge group of fellow martial arts instructors from all over the UK and Europe.
Most would bring their top students as well.

We would meet up on the Friday at a campsite, all set up our tents then go for a curry and beers en masse.

Later that evening we'd sit round by a huge fire and swap fight stories.

Saturday morning we would all make breakfast then start training, each hour a different instructor would be given the floor and would share their knowledge. This would go on all day, Jujitsu guys training with karate guys, Judi instructors fighting with Kung Fu guys etc.

That evening we would all meet for a massive BBQ, always run by the token Aussie "dinkum" we called him. He would spend days marinating and preparing the most amazing meats.

We would all eat and drink until the sun went down then retire to another huge campfire. Whisky would be brought out along with cigars for those who smoke.
Occasionally an instructor from another style or system would challenge you and you'll have an impromptu fight.

Sunday would follow the same pattern. All taking turns to share knowledge and techniques. Finishing Sunday night with a big group photo and a final beer or two before packing up.

I miss it

stonechalice

Love camping. Me and lady Chalice did two weeks in France during covid last year. It was amazing. I also love to do the national trails and camp along the way. Brings something out of you for sure.

Moot_Geeza

Wookie's life sounds like an 80s movie I would've definitely watched. Actual lol at 'and you'll have an impromptu fight'.

Coopers Green

Definitely considering it this year, the little one REALLY wants to go. A yurt or something might be less hassle overall, especially as I have no gear and it's been an expensive year already... still, just the two of us plus the dog might be nice no matter where we go.

Wookienopants

Moot_Geeza wrote:

Wookie's life sounds like an 80s movie I would've definitely watched. Actual lol at 'and you'll have an impromptu fight'.

That's nothing compared to one of the guys who used to attend an annual BBQ in the states with one of our lot called the "Animal BBQ". They had a huge pit filled with sawdust in the centre like an arena. Rule of attending the BBQ was you could challenge anyone to a fight in the pit and if they accepted then you had to go for beers together at the end to make up.

Ours at least used another instructor as ref and most of us pulled out punches to limit injury. We're all mates at the end of the day. It's not as violent as it sounds.

Wookienopants

Its also a huge amount of fun. I've had some of the best weekends of my life there and made some friends for life through random fights.

equinox_code

I like camping but loathe campsites. My girlfriend and I have a fave place for wild camping in Greece. It's at the edge of an ancient juniper forest (really fucking ace trees, these) and just meters from the water. The beach is really secluded, and a long way from any facilities. It's at least 20 mins walk from the nearest place you can park a car (although where we pitched was closer to 40 mins away), and this is in itself a bit of a drive from anything that even counts as a road. Slugging drinking water over to where we based ourselves was a bit of a nightmare, and taking shits without toilets takes some getting used to, but it's all totally worth it for the times you can just laze naked on the beach without anyone else in sight, or gaze up at the stars from the hammock beside our tent. It's a great place for tripping, too.

A video (not mine)

yourfavouriteuncle

I would like to walk the Pennine Way and camp where possible. My wife would not so I’m kinda at a loss on what to do with these thoughts. I walked the AT years and years ago and that was a lot of camping.

stonechalice

The only reason I managed to do the Ridgeway a couple of years ago was because we were on a break. Its surprisingly tough to do these multi day trails when you have an SO that's not quite so keen...

Coopers Green

Hmmm. The more I think about it, the more I feel I'm going to get people raising eyebrows at a single dad and a young girl going on a holiday together. :-/

Maybe I'm overthinking it.

I'm always conscious of it when we're out and about with the dog - she'll want to go exploring in some bushes and I feel like people are watching and judging just in case I'm some sort of nasty perv.

It's shit, but its genuinely how I feel things are in the world these days.

:-(

LivDiv

If people want to think that that's on them. You are busy being a good dad.

GooberTheHat

Ah fuck 'em. Enjoy your holiday and don't give a second thought the opinion of strangers.

acemuzzy

I don't think people will be thinking that. Or at least, not any people it's worth caring about the opinion of.

Coopers Green

I'm just overthinking it, I hope!

davyK

I shit in the woods once.

GooberTheHat

Are you a bear?

LivDiv

In some circles.

RamSteelwood

davyK wrote:

I shit in the woods once.

is that like once per wood, or once per day/week in the same wood?

mk64

really nice to hear so many people into camping.

@nick_md we could get something organised if you (or any one else?) fancies it. If the weathers nice you don't really need a good tent. What you do need is a good sleeping bag. That's where to spend your money.

Unless we're going up on a mountain in which case yea a decent tent would e useful.

I picked up one of those filter bottle things a few months ago to. So I can fill it up from pretty much anything (although they recommend running water) and it will purify it as you drink from it. Useful if you don't want to get into the situation code was talking about carting water around.

I'd love to go somewhere remote and do some more survival stuff too. For now though i'd be up for some camping, beers/whiskey and bants.

nick_md

I would be up for this, yes.

Wookienopants

Badger camping for the win

Wookienopants

If you guys do get a couple of you or a group going I propose the thread be called "wild badgers"

Moot_Geeza

We could have an impromptu sett too.

Time_on_my_hands

Coopers Green wrote:

Hmmm. The more I think about it, the more I feel I'm going to get people raising eyebrows at a single dad and a young girl going on a holiday together. Maybe I'm overthinking it.

I'm always conscious of it when we're out and about with the dog - she'll want to go exploring in some bushes and I feel like people are watching and judging just in case I'm some sort of nasty perv.

It's shit, but its genuinely how I feel things are in the world these days.

You're over-thinking it. I've taken my daughter camping twice now just the pair of us and it was lots of fun. Both times to camp sites near the coast. Amusement parks, surfing and living on takeaways for a few days (couldn't be arsed with the whole camp cooking thing). My dad used to take me camping when I was little - went fossil hunting one time and caving another trip.

She's getting older now so if we went again she'd probably want her own tent (if she wanted to go camping again with me at all), and I'm so glad I didn't miss the opportunity.

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