After spending 5 gorgeous days in B.C in a tent I have well and truly been bitten by the camping bug!

Lovely company, beautiful scenery, no phone, no computer, no work, I am now an addict. Initially I explained that I wouldn't, as long as my arse had a hole in it, get in a tent. Now I'm planning another week away in B.C this week coming.

Have any of you guys had experience camping over here? Was it good? bad? Ugly? I'd love to know more about your views on this rather "marmite" subject!


A still slightly smokey smelling
Mrs M x

Not in Canada, but yes I have down here south of the border.

Yes although I have to admit to not being a tent fan!!!

I went for the first time last year down to Police Outpost (just SE of Waterton and right on the American border) and was fully prepared to hate it. (No phone, tv, internet, just the satellite radio in the truck)

Even in our rather old trailer we had sooo much fun, just fishing, visiting, sitting round the firepit, cooking breakfast outdoors every morning - it was brilliant and we are going again in 3 weeks. I can't wait.

And I learned some camping recipes too - heres one................

Eggs in a bag

Get 2 eggs, chop the following - onion, ham, cheese, tomato, peppers and mushrooms.

Throw them all in a large Ziplock bag with a splash of milk, and shake it up.

Boil a large saucepan of water over your firepit / camping stove etc and then just put the bag with all the egg mixture in it into the water.

Boil for about 10 mins and voila - bit like an omlette but not round and flat.

It's bloody good and not many dishes to wash


Oooooh heres another one

Get one of those gadgets that look like branding irons (cast iron square bread type holders on a stick)

Open it, lay the 2 sides flat, put a round of bread (buttered on each side) into the iron, pour some canned fruit pie filling onto one side of the bread, close the gadget and then hold it over/in the fire pit til its done (bit like a toasted sandwhich)

But when you take it out dip the sandwhich in a bag of icing sugar - boy is it ever good

Oh my god, eggs in a bag, simple but genius I might try that at home to save loading the dishwasher.
Hungry now!

We did a lot of camping in the UK and even spent 3 months living in our tent when we went travelling in 2003 (-7 in Bordeaux was a bit nippy!). But we have only recently purchased a tent since moving to Canada but spent 3 great nights up at Birkenhead Lake Provincial Campground.

This weekend we're off to Alice Lake in Squamish as the husband is part of a team taking part in the triathlon there. Then we plan to do a couple more short trips and a longer trip on the Island before the end of the year.

Plus the dog just loves being outside and is thoroughly knackered by the time we get home!

Hope you have many more happy camping trips!

Zoé M. x

We try to go to my OH cousins trailer when we can based in the Wasaga beach area, Ontario, next to a river.

OK not a tent, but everything else is the same, no tinternet, no TV, lotsa boats, MX bikes, ect.

We spend the eve round the fire making them chocolate, biscuit and marshmallow things and drinking beer. Ahh good times, going up there again in a couple of weeks.

We've also been bitten. Still in a tent, but upgraded from rolled foam mattresses to air mattresses We're in New Brunswick and have visited Kouchibougac and Fundy (Fundy is amazing, much better than Kouchibougac). We're in Cavendish, PEI this weekend, can't wait.

Another eating tip:
Take a piece of tin foil and add lots of chopped ingredients. We had:
Pork, carrots, green beans, potatoes, onions and mushrooms.

Add a knob of butter and some salt and pepper and then wrap in the the foil, creating a good seal. Add another layer of foil to double wrap.

These can then be placed on the fire (we had a rack on top of the fire as we were also cooking burgers) for about 45 minutes. Simply open and serve. Delicious. Good thing about these is that you can prepare in advance and leave in the cooler for days, taking as required.

I LOVE camping - many a holiday spent camping, my OH finds it as exciting as watching paint dry, so we don't camp.

I love being in the middle of nowhere, limited facitlites (as long a s there is a loo and some sort of water for washing/swimming) and not having a time frame in which to complete you day, you eat when hungry, sleep when your tired and are as active as you wish to be, bliss.

I'm liking the idea of no internet/cell phone type of life, somwhere in the woods with the bears. Think I've had enough of people and just want to run away.

I've been bitten by the bug! Bloody big it was too. In fact it's the number one reason not to go camping!

Kidding aside, I enjoy camping too! I prefer tents to trailers. We got rid of our trailer and bought a big 8 person tent!

There's some great campgrounds around here and wonderful scenary.

Thanks for the recipes ladies! I'm going to try 'em!

As have mentioned before I personally find camping in Canada way too much rustic. I'm not asking for Disney world but would it hurt them to put in a few amenities like a creche for the little ones or a pub for the adults?

I used to do loads of backpacking type camping back in the UK prior to kids (there are not many of the long-distance footpaths that I haven't "done")...

But since having the kids I think I have become a bit soft.

For years I said "NO WAY!" to even the idea of going camping...

Then somehow this year DH and the kids persuaded me, and we have booked a week at a campsite in August... also planning on going away for the odd weekend if we can manage it before then.

Love the idea of eggs in a bag - that sounds like a meal we will be eating!

My experience of Camping in BC started 10 years ago and has now led to me buying a campsite on Vancouver Island so watch out !!!! when the bug bites it can bite deep and hard and take over your life. I had never camped in the UK but Camping amongst the bears makes it a bit special !!!

Does the use of a capital 'c' indicate a special sort of camping activity?

Oink - Ya gotta do your drinking round an open fire - while roasting your weiners and eating marshmallows!

I didn't come to Canada so I could go off into the wilderness and hang out with the ****ing wildlife.