THE word ‘camping’ conjures up images of punctured airbeds, sodden pyjamas and our tent floating down a flooded Cornish field in the summer of 2009.
It also makes me shiver with fright at the thought of trying to put up a tent in 70mph winds as torrential rain pounds down on our drenched hoods.
But fast forward 11 years and the soggy memories of our one and only camping trip in the UK have finally been erased thanks to a very different experience across the Channel.
In a cramped car filled with every snack and electronic device we could find, two kids and grandma in tow, we embarked on our journey to La Pointe St-Gilles in Western Brittany… with slight trepidation.
But any fears of a repeat of our Cornwall catastrophe were quickly quashed as we parked up at our Eurocamp site nestled away in a corner of Benodet looking out to the Atlantic Ocean.
The kids, displaying symptoms of cabin fever after the long and tumultuous six-hour ferry crossing from Plymouth to Roscoff, were itching for a splash in the on-site water park which they had spotted immediately on arrival.
Within minutes, the air was filled with their squeals of laughter and smiles of delight as they darted down the slides, crept through the caves and lounged along the lazy river.
The seven days of fun had just started.
La Pointe St-Gilles site has everything any kid could want.
A water park that has indoor and outdoor slides, an adventure playground, bikes for hire and a kids club packed with activities such as archery, crafts, sports days and the very popular chocolate party at the end of the week.
But it was the water park that was the highlight for our 6-year-old and 4-year-old. Almost every day – including those that were slightly overcast and breezy – was spent flitting from slide to slide, going down in tandem over and over again.
Even the evenings were jam packed with entertainment for the little ones.
By the end of the week, ours had memorised all of the kids’ disco routines, learnt a few magic tricks and mastered the art of air hockey - almost.
And when the children are enjoying the kids club there is plenty for the adults during the daytime too.
We enjoyed a bike ride along the coast and through a nearby forest on one day and on another sampled the spa for the afternoon.
You can also stroll along the seafront into the nearby town to sample one of the many restaurants or bars, or, if warm enough, relax on the little secluded beaches dotted along the bay.
But the best thing about Eurocamp for us?
It was all the pleasure and perks of camping - without the wet sleeping bags and shivery sleepless nights.
Our accommodation – a quaint and compact little three bed cabin – was far more glamourous than what we had endured in Cornwall all those years ago.
For a start, we did not have to dodge muddy puddles and rain driving us sideways just to get to the shower.
Our self-catering lodge had a small bathroom, a double bedroom, a room with bunk beds and another with two singles.
It had a kitchen with all the mod cons and even a small but comfortable dining area.
There was also a spacious veranda where we spent most early evenings enjoying barbecues and games of Dobble.
This was definitely the luxurious way for our kids to sample camping for the first time.
But, glancing across at our neighbours on the other side of the gravel path, sleeping in a tent at Eurocamp didn’t even seem all that bad.
The tents you can hire look roomy, sturdy and, above all, dry!
Before we knew it, and after what felt like almost 1,000 times down the water slides, we were starting to pack up to head home.
We decided to break up our journey back to Manchester and, following a six-hour crossing on a Brittany ferry back to Plymouth, we opted for an overnight stay before tackling the 300 mile drive home.
I must admit, the travelling is the hardest part of this type of holiday, especially in the holiday season with two young children.
When it comes to camping and car travel, not only is the British weather unforgiving and unpredictable, but our motorways are also out to get us… and, ironically, slow us down.
Complaints about Britain aside, Brittany was most delightful and she certainly alleviated our fear of freezing to death under a flapping canvas - and not a single rain drop or traffic jam in sight!
Any camping in future will definitely be done across the Channel. Any recommendations for a nice B&B in Cornwall?
Wayne Ankers and family travelled to Eurocamp on a Brittany Ferry. The price to stay at the park for a family of four for 7 days in May starts at £195.45. For more information on camps and prices go to Eurocamp website here. The ferry prices vary and for Brittany Ferry details click here
