Don't ask Bill Young what makes the Herbert Forest Camping Ground such a great place to camp.
He believes it is one of North Otago's best-kept secrets - and the secret will be out if word gets around just how good it is.
The camping ground, on a river terrace overlooking the Waianakarua River with access from Breakneck Rd, is ''camping as it should be'', co-owner Colleen Grumball reckons.
''We don't have the TVs and we don't have all the internet connections and all that sort of thing. We don't have all the luxuries, but people love it for the peace and birds.
''It's just old-time camping,'' Mrs Grumball said.
The camping ground was originally established by the former New Zealand Forest Service.
In 2000, the Herbert Forest, forest headquarters and camp were sold to Blakely Pacific Ltd, which closed the camp.
Mr and Mrs Grumball later bought the camp and spent several years of ''hard slog'' getting the overgrown property ready to reopen.
They extended and remodelled the former forest headquarters into a very attractive and comfortable home and Mrs Grumball enjoys tending a large and colourful garden.
Describing it as a ''wee secret'', with its own climate, she said it was a family camp.
''We're not yahoo-ey. We don't want any yahoos here.''
While Mr and Mrs Grumball have not had a summer holiday ''for years'' - that did not trouble them.
''We just have our holidays in winter.''
It was a good way of life, not high maintenance, and the couple enjoyed meeting holidaymakers.
Some, who stayed at the camp as children, were now returning with their families.
People enjoyed relaxing, going for walks, spending time at the river or heading off for day trips.
Being able to bring their dogs was another bonus.
There is an ''unbelievable'' number of resident tuis, bellbirds and wood pigeons, which keep campers amused.
The sheltered property was extensively planted by the New Zealand Forest Service as a display block.
It was ''awesome'' waking to the sound of the birds and, coupled with the peace and quiet, there was its proximity to town and ''lovely'' owners - ''you couldn't ask for better'', Sally Cunningham, of Oamaru, said.
The children all looked after each other and they enjoyed eeling and fishing in the river.
Tom and Jan O'Reilly, also from Oamaru, enjoyed a barbecued Christmas Day dinner at the camp ''with all the trimmings''.
The couple were having ''a lovely, cruisy, laid-back time'', despite Mrs O'Reilly finding herself searching for a broom to sweep out her tent.
''I still like things nice and tidy. I hate mess,'' she said.
Although the couple's air bed sprang a leak on the first night, it was only a short trip to Oamaru to buy another.
They did not miss modern technology - ''you get enough entertainment with the people sitting around you'' - but they did enjoy drinking lattes from a packet, they said laughing.
Dunedin couple Kevin and Merridee Watson have returned to the camp for the second time after a gap of 30 years.
They camped there when their children were young and were now returning with their grandchildren in tow.
The long-time camping enthusiasts - who previously tented for 38 years - were spending their first year in a caravan.
Mrs Watson was busy crocheting blankets for her grandchildren and they also enjoyed reading, drinking coffee, taking the grandchildren down to the stream and generally relaxing.
