Embrace the Rain: Top tips for camping in the rain
Rainy days may not be what we initially envision when planning a caravan or motorhome adventure, but they can still be an opportunity for incredible memories and unique experiences. I know many of us won’t let rain dampen our spirits or deter us from hitting the road. Here is why I love camping in the rain.
- Cosy indoor moments with the family playing board games and reading books. Gathering around the table, sipping hot beverages, and enjoying quality time together.
- Movie Nights with popcorn, blankets, and pillows. You can transform your caravan into a mini theatre, creating a cosy ambience while the rain patters on the roof.
- Cooking Comfort Food. The aroma of a warm meal cooking in the 'van.
- Camping in the rain can offer a sense of calm and tranquillity. The rhythmic sound of raindrops can be incredibly soothing, creating a relaxing and cosy atmosphere.
- Rain can transform the scenery, making it even more picturesque and vibrant. The combination of lush greenery, misty views, and the fresh scent of rain can create a magical ambience.
What are your tips and experiences for enjoying rainy days in your caravan or motorhome?
Comments
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We used to spend months at a time in Cornwall, and used sites in the West Penwith, Lizard areas. The weather could often be quite different within this relatively small geographic area, and we had two coastlines, plus inland to choose from. Classic example, the day of the horrendous floods up in Boscastle, we were baking on the beach down near St Ives, wondering where the Chinooks were heading. We like to look at weather patterns in UK, and one of the reasons we have never committed to booking very early, either sites or cottages, is because you can often get good weather while somewhere else is absolutely foul.
We use wet days for exploring places, love history, so even tiny churches have interest for us, as well as the big ones. We will seek out natural places of interest as well, that are best seen in the wet…..Hardraw Force, Mallyan Spout, High Force spring to mind. If it’s warm but wet, we have been swimming as well. Decent wet weather gear is invaluable, rain seldom stops play with us.😁
We always take our hobbies with us as well, once spent a short Winter break on a CL near York with my sister, she was making beautiful sugar craft creations, while I was busy making jewellery. We weren’t bored.
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Wear good quality waterproofs and still go walking.
Okay, if it's horizontal rain and 40 mph winds blowing then look for an alternative. Like Ttda we're interested in anything to do with history so we'll visit historic houses or churches or museums.
If it's just showers then there's nothing wrong with partaking of our other major interest, namely nature. Visit a bird reserve with hides to give you a break from the rain.
We'll occasionally enjoy a lie in if its lashing down first thing in the morning knowing there's no dog to take out.
Finally, if there really no chance of it letting up we might treat ourselves to a pub lunch to break up the day but in all honesty we can't last the whole day without getting some fresh air even if it means donning those waterproofs.
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Great advice above, to which I'd like to add strap the awning or canopy down so you have less to worry about and can do exactly what you have chosen to do.
Colin
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Carry a pair of wellies for each member of your party. They are much easier to dry off and clean than walking boots. If you own a dog who needs taking out as a necessity just be patient as it seldom rains hard enough for that long a period to prevent you going out at all.
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I think part of it is a mind set thing as well. We all know that the UK can (and does) throw all types of weather at us, hence you get those who chase the Sun overseas, those who put their outfits away for part of the year, etc…. Everyone is different, you just have to find your niche, chill out no matter what the weather does, and either make compromises or go prepared for whatever comes your way. Endless blue skies, hot days would frankly wear me out and just end up rather boring, I actually enjoy our different seasons and weather patterns. Some of our best times have been in the cold and snow, you cannot beat getting back to a warm nest😁
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The only good thing I can think of is that the recent rain is enabling our 13 month old hosepipe ban to be lifted next week👍🏻👏🏻😀
I don’t think the folk of Harberton, Kenton, Dawlish, Minehead etc will be embracing it ☹️
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDTo1DHcJwk
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No, it’s been terrible in places at times, it’s one thing being on holiday in the rain, quite another if it affects your home in such a devastating way.
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I bury my head in a book until the rain stops.
Also, I’m never going to trust the BBC month ahead forecast again. They said September was going to be unsettled for the first two weeks, then settled and dry the remaining two weeks of the month. So I took advantage of the Club’s 10% discount and booked two weeks away for those weeks.
Only for the UK to have a record breaking heatwave at the start of the month and gale force winds and flooding this week 😡
John
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Some nice images here but not sure about cooking comfort food, depends what it is; don’t much like living with cooking smells that percolate your clothes and furnishings. I like a curry at home,a good fry up, fish, onions, etc. but not in our van unless cooked in th awning. Something in the oven can work well if in a casserole. Any recipe ideas that won’t stink out your van anyone?
As for sipping a warm beverage, tea for breakfast but a nice full-bodied red might go well with the comfort food while the rain drums on the roof.
Enjoy the rain, it’s still warm at the moment.
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We tend to be careful what we cook in the van for the same reasons. We do have an excellent MaxxAir fan which extracts most cooking smells if we can't open a window. Dr Xand probably wouldn't approve but we tend to use ready meals in the van when we don't eat out. Just hope that Waitrose apply the same high standards to their ready meals as they do to the rest of the food they sell!!!
In a strange way rainy days have similarities to very hot days in that you often can't do much, although a nice cold beer has its attractions over a cup of tea perhaps.
David
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We always cook anything 'smelly' in the awning and in that respect the electric griddle has proved to be an absolute boon. Indeed, I consider cooking outside to be an essential part of the enjoyment of being away in the van and using the griddle means I can still do it in the pouring rain!
Ros tends to pack the freezer with a lot of home prepared / frozen meals if the weather looks as if it's going to be a bit dodgy - which usually just require warming up in the microwave.
And we always make sure we have a good supply of 'beverages'
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I suppose to answer accurately you'd have to specify exactly who you're stuck inside with as to what you'd do to pass the time
.Agree with some BBC can be pants, stumbled on MSN which has been quite accurate & detailed. No idea who does weather for them.
"The rhythmic sound of raindrops can be incredibly soothing, creating a relaxing and cosy atmosphere" - with you on that one, for a spell anyways
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