Camping and friendship

Five families’ stories

Tony Gorman

Camping helps me and my wife Diane in many ways. Even a short break gives us a much-needed reset: the fresh air, the escape from routine, and the simplicity of it all can be so refreshing. Plus, it’s a great way to bond with family, away from distractions. Spending time just with nature, we try to have a technology-free time (only phones for emergencies and a radio) and we enjoy playing board games and cards.

Some of our friends from schooldays and previous work colleagues who we’ve known for many years who now live in other parts of the country also go caravanning and we meet up with them once a year. My camping friends and I all enjoy camping and caravanning and the great outdoors. The friendliness of Northants DA, which we are both involved with, also helped us to forge great friendships and means there is always a support network in place if you need help.

I am still in touch with the friends I’ve met through camping. We mainly stay in touch through social media, but we keep messaging short so when we get together we always have plenty to talk about. We treasure the time we have with our friends while camping – even if it’s only once a year.

For me, the best thing about camping is the unrestricted freedom to do what you like, as and when you like. Camping is an opportunity to get away from it all, depressurise and embrace simplicity again, without all the distractions of normal daily life.

My wife Pam and I joined the Club when our family were very young - it was important that we could rely on the standard of the facilities on Club Sites and the honest site descriptions in the Club’s SiteSeeker campsite guide.

Pam Cunnington

We owned a caravan and were Club members for around 12 years from 1987, whilst our three children were growing up. This allowed us to have affordable and active holidays in great locations, as a family and with other families. After a short break, we rejoined the Club in 2009 and rekindled our love of caravanning.

Camping allowed us to meet up with friends and their families, such as Tony and Diane. I first knew Diane at school in London and when our families moved further apart, camping meant we could still meet up. There were around three other families we used to meet up with as well. We all lived a distance apart but would regularly meet up over bank holiday long weekends. As we all had camping in common, it gave real value to these friendships for the adults and children alike.

We are still in touch with all these friends, and we still own a caravan in our retirement years so we regularly tour the UK, staying close to friends and family, where we can invite them to us and visit them. Camping holidays have given us many shared happy memories and gave our children increased confidence while growing up, teaching them many skills and encouraging them to socialise widely while on site.

In addition to the benefits to our children, we find as we slowly get older, camping keeps us active and helps us to retain life learnt skills such as towing and setting up camp. Now our three children are grown up, we still go camping with them and our grandchildren, the trips all organised on a family group chat which we’ve named 'Explorers'. We’ve enjoyed many memorable trips, recently spending time in the Lake District, at the beautiful Braithwaite Site. The grandchildren particularly enjoyed Chertsey — lovely site and a great location for Chessington!

Paul and Sara Hemsley

We’ve both camped since we were young children and have made lots of friends through the Club’s Youth Section in that time. We are now youth leaders and testers and enjoy being able to contribute to other children’s experiences as young campers, including our own three sons. 

Paul and I both met through the Club and although our lives took different directions, we continued to stay in touch and camp together. We married seven years ago and now live with our three sons as a blended family. One couple who we met through Club Youth when we were teens now form part of our close friendship circle. The couple, Darren and Maxine, are now also youth leaders and also met through the youth section. While we knew them back then, we were in different age groups but when we got involved in youth leading 10 years ago, it was great to see them both again and now we regularly camp together.

We’re still in touch with most of the people we’ve met through camping and now with social media, it’s easier to keep in touch. For those who still camp, we often meet up on a field (very often unplanned as we attend meets and rallies) and often have a chat and a drink together. Meeting up can be anything from a couple of times a month to six months or more, but it’s still like we’ve never been apart when we do catch up.

Speaking on behalf of myself and my family, the best thing about camping is being with like-minded people, enjoying the outdoors and forging friendships based on a shared love of all of this. What’s funny is that we’ve rarely been to a camping friend’s house - most we don’t even know where they live!

Paul and I met in Club Youth so our family wouldn’t exist as it is without camping. The most important thing camping has brought to me is a great friendship first of all, which has led to a wonderful marriage later on!  

Pictured: Paul and Sara in 1984

Rebecca Humphrey, Touring with Riva

Caravanning has given us so much as a family. It’s the chance to properly switch off, slow down, and enjoy quality time together. Being out in the fresh air, exploring new places, and having no distractions has done wonders for us - it’s created memories we’ll always treasure.

We’ve made lots of great friendships while camping and one of our best friendships started when we met a young couple on a site during a long weekend. Straight away, we clicked… same sense of humour, love for caravanning, and the same laid-back attitude. It turned into one of those weekends where you feel like you’ve known people for years.

It’s easy to make friends while caravanning. We found that conversations flowed, the kids got on, and we realised we had loads in common. It’s those little moments — sat around the fire, sharing stories, and laughing about the typical caravanning mishaps — that really brought us together.

We’ve stayed close ever since too. We chat over a messaging app, swap campsite recommendations, share photos from our trips, and follow each other on socials. It’s lovely having people you can message for advice or a catch-up anytime. We try to plan a couple of trips together every year, whether it’s a holiday or a weekend somewhere halfway. It’s one of those friendships where, no matter how long it’s been, it always feels like no time has passed.

Friendships I’ve made while camping have meant and impacted me a lot more than I ever could have expected. They’ve made trips more fun, introduced us to places we might not have found, and given us people we genuinely enjoy spending time with. It’s lovely knowing you’ve made memories together that’ll last.

For us as a family caravanning has brought us time and freedom. The chance to just be together as a family, without pressure or distractions. It’s given us adventures, stories to tell, and friendships we’d never have made otherwise.

And the best thing about caravanning, well, that’s the freedom to go wherever, whenever — and the people you meet along the way. Like our friends Jordan and Sean from Wander with the Bevans, who’ve become a big part of our caravanning adventures. Those connections, along with the memories we make as a family, are what make it so special for us.

Jordan Bevan, Wander With The Bevans

Caravanning has given us the chance to slow down and reconnect as a family. It’s one of the few times where we’re not distracted by screens, work, or everyday stress. It creates space for quality time, shared experiences, and proper conversations. It’s also helped with our mental wellbeing just being out in nature. Having a break from routine has made a huge difference.

Our best camping friendship started on social media when we stumbled across Touring with Riva. We started liking and sharing their posts and it led to us messaging. We discovered we had a lot more in common than we thought! We agreed to do a weekend meet up at Alton The Star Club Site over a Bank Holiday weekend and even though it was the first time we had met it felt like we’d done so many times before.

Making friendships feels effortless on a campsite; you are in a relaxed setting where everyone’s outside and open to chatting, making it so easy to connect. I think the camping environment brings out the best in people as everyone is a bit more open and grounded.

The friendships we’ve made when out camping have been really meaningful. Some of these friendships have grown into a wider support network, especially as we’ve been going through adoption. There’s something about bonding with people outside of your normal bubble that feels refreshing and honest.

The most important thing that caravan holidays have brought us is peace. It’s brought calm into our busy lives and created space for connection, laughter, and proper rest. It’s given us a stronger sense of family and made so many core memories we’ll always treasure.

Do you want to share your own stories of camping camaraderie? Why not get in touch with us.

Fancy taking someone new on your next camping trip? Find out about recommending a friend to the Club.