Camping - When did it become so expensive?

Runningfast

Stayed at a campsite in the Lake District recently

1 car 2 adults, 2 tents works out at £15 per night per person. The campsite itself was good, amazing views but no hot water for the showers in the morning.

So £75pp for 5 nights but not including travel there or around the lakes or cost of food and activities etc.

Now I have just booked 5 nights in Amsterdam for next month for £95 including flights, transfer and B&B hotel. How? How can it nearly be cheaper to fly and stay somewhere including breakfast than stay in a muddy field in your own tent while sharing a handful of showers and toilets with about 200 others!! I remember the days when camping was £4-7pppn not £15.

People say we should stay at home as it is cheaper?. In value for money terms the UK sucks.

spadoosh

You pay to camp in the lakes? :rotfl:

Also your comparing chalk and cheese. Amsterdam as pretty as it is is not the lake district and the inflated prices it commands.

To appease your disgust, try and find a b&b in the lakes for 5 nights.

WeAreGhosts

I find the Lakes very expensive generally, even more than other so-called expensive places like Cornwall.
There are beautiful places in Snowdonia, for example, that are far cheaper and expenses are cheaper too. The Lake district car parks are a rip off. Also 40p to "spend a penny" in Windermere!

Runningfast

Of course I pay to camp in the Lakes. I like to follow the laws of the land in that wild camping is not legal in England though it is tolerated in certain places. Where would you suggest that we camp if we go camping in the Lake District at valley level if you don't pay? because we will all join you there!

The point I am making is about value for money not a comparison of areas. Amsterdam is one of the worlds great Cities. The point is for £19 pppn including flights, transfers, breakfast and your own room and bathroom in August you can go to Amsterdam. For £15 pppn you can sleep in your own accommodation, no breakfast, no transfers or travel and not even guaranteed hot water in a shower or a free toilet in a field in England. Which is best value?

Don't get me wrong the Lake District is visually nice to look at but there are many places in the World I have been too that I would rank higher and are cheaper for the same thing. I stayed at campsites in Northern Sweden and Norway last year that were cheaper than the Lakes. Now the Lakes in visual terms does not compete with those areas.

Runningfast

In reply to WeAreGhosts:

I agree North Wales is slightly cheaper (I currently live in North Wales) I still think though that for value for money most people would be better going abroad than staying in the UK.

As an example I went to Transylvania a few months ago (camping and hotel). The whole 7 day trip including travel from my home return and food etc. was way less than any trip off the same length and type in the UK like for like. The Lakes and North Wales are beautiful but they do not compare to the the mountains of Transylvania, the place is immense, accessible, beautiful and wild.

Potbellypig

I'm going camping with my wife and 2 children for the first time at the end of the month. We have got to buy the tent and the sleeping bags which come to £110. It's £26 per night (so £6.50pppn). Not too bad. Hoping the kids enjoy it so we can find other cheap places to go camping.

Any tips for a first timer?

YORKSHIRELASS

Looking at this from a family perspective I disagree. Once you have all the kit you can camp as a family for £25 a night, or thereabouts. You can choose to cook your own meals so there are no expensive restaurant meals (unless you choose to eat out).

I have no idea how much your Amsterdam B&B would cost for a family but with lunch and dinner every day added on for everyone the cost would soon start to add up.

Oh and Potbelly. Prepare for it to be cold at night, even in July and make sure everyone has one really warm jumper. Research the area and plan some activities during the day in case the weather is bad. Buy the best sleeping bags and airbeds that you can afford. Lots of spare clothes, especially socks for the kids - they will likely get damp and grubby. Take some quiet things to entertain the kids in case they wake up really early. Make sure you take something easy to heat up for tea on the first night in case the tent takes for every to put up and get sorted. Oh and go with the flow and enjoy it! We have camped for 10 years as a family and have so many happy memories.

kathrynha

Camping can be expensive, but there are plenty of cheaper campsites out there.


When we camp we look for sites with a toilets, showers, play area and pool, but we aren't bothered about electric hook-up.
Normally have plenty of choice for £20-£25 a night for 3 of us.


Obviously some areas of the country are more expensive, but by dropping the pool requirement that sort of price range is still obtainable.

Gloomendoom

We generally look at the toilets, showers and a roughly mown field end of the market, so don't generally find it too expensive.

Facilities cost money to provide and it's not unreasonable for that to be reflected in the price.

Jake0307

Be adventurous, camp properly in a tent out in the woods. :money::beer:

[Deleted User]

Jake0307 wrote: »

Be adventurous, camp properly in a tent out in the woods. :money::beer:

And wake up in the morning to find you've all been murdered in the middle of the night!