Disspointing - Rated 
Just a word of caution for those convinced by all the enthusiastic reviews here (like I was). This book makes a nice read and would be a good addition to the coffee table, but can hardly be useful for any camping trip which lasts longer than a weekend.
Even though I very much agree with the philosophy of 'comfortable' camping, the advice in this book is not really practical. Just an example: replacing the sleeping bags with pillows, duvets and the rest as the book suggests will not only fill up your car boot to the brim, but will also turn into a nightmare if you get water into your tent. Unless, of course, you are on a weekend trip and can just turn around and drive home.
Similarly the recipes (which are great on their own) do not really differ from what you may find in a 'normal' cookbook and certainly assume that you always have access to fresh ingredients and a suitable place to store them, not to mention the unlimited fuel and cooking equipment. Once again, great for a weekend-long picnic, but not really practical for a week of driving around Scotland.
All in all, it's a nice book, but don't get mislead by the reviews: it's great to take on a picnic, but is useless for a longer trip.
Exactly what it says - Rated 
I can't understand some of the negative comments; have they actually read the book? And no, I do not know the authors... If you want an instruction manual, this isn't for you. If you want to impress your mountaineering mates or dream of being an outdoor instructor, this might not be for you either. I've always been the "Roughty toughty" type of camper with just my backpack and a lightweight tent filled with the absolute minimum i.e. uncomfortable, stoical camping. This book is for the majority of campers who will drive to a campsite and who don't feel the need to prove a point or endure camping. The authors' enthusiasm is infectious and the book is filled with happiness, joy and - believe it or not - fun!!!
However, the book is more than style over substance.The photographs are cool, Lomu snaps (not trendy, stylized, and anybody who knows anything about Lomu photography knows that they are the simplest and most primitive photographs).
There are real great tips, advice and information in here and anybody who has done a lot of camping - will know that these women really know what they're talking about.
It gets 4 stars from me because I don't like books padded out with recipes, but that's just a personal thing and I can see that they would be lovely and some people will enjoy following them.
It's such an inspiring book that we went and ordered a new, comfortable tent, designed for grown ups who are allowed to smile!
A book to convert the unconvertable! - Rated 
I have turned my nose up at camping for years having holidayed in a van with running water etc...but this book changed all that! We camped happily last year and I'm looking forward to doing it again having realised that it doesn't have to be minimal! If you try nothing else make the chocolate brownies which can be enjoyed under canvas or equally as well in your living room!
A great book, lots of ideas and energy.
Well done girls.
Inspiring and brilliant - Rated 
This book is really inspiring and I highly recommend it if you are new to camping. It has given me the confidence to get into camping. More than that, it's a philosophy of life! Blissful.
Well done Tess and Kat! - Rated 
What a delightful, beautifully presented timeless book; aimed at people who have an appreciation for their surroundings and the finer things in life. These girls have been camping since they were children and as such are an authority on how to camp contentedly and in style.
A cursory glance at this book makes it patently clear that it is aimed at a certain audience, families, groups of friends and couples. I don't know of another book that fills this niche so beautifully. I have only slight interest in outdoor manuals that tell you what equipment to buy, you can get all that kind of info off the internet anyway. The Happy Campers is a book that you will want to keep going back to, it is really so joyful.
We presume reviewer W.J Pye thinks this book is for backpackers, perhaps that is why he scored it so poorly and enthused about Chris Townsend's "The Backpacker's Handbook" the well known authority on desert hiking and how to ford rivers safely. Deserts...!!!??? Give me a break!It never stops raining here why would I need that. And how odd of Pye to want to review a book and score it a zero. Who could be bothered?
And to imply that all other reviews were written by friends is rather insulting to the opinions of others.
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