Raining and camping

[shoppingmad]

Just how much rain would put you off camping? Its our 3rd time so going close to home. Last 2 occasions were very wet and miserable despite tent games, muddy puddle walks etc. Feeling like its all too much effort in the rain so praying for some sun in cornwall.

[LadyGlencoraPalliser]

Just debating this as we are supposed to be going camping this weekend and I don't feel like it given the weather. Even if it stops raining by Friday we will be ankle deep in mud.
The DC, on the other hand, do not see this as in any way an issue.

[shoppingmad]

My kids are itching to go as well but it has rained pretty much all summer here on and off.I am a real outdoor person and normally just bundle them up to get out of the house whatever the weather but putting a tent up and down in the rain ( where my DH is obsessed with the tent being dry when we get it down) is hard going.

[Millimat]

Just come back from Lake district. Although it was mostly dry in the day, the rain at night was torrential and as a rsult the grass everywhere was completely sodden. I think you need to make sure you have loads of changes of clothes and wet weather gear!!!

[millenniumfalcon]

we mostly camp in the south west, so we'd never go if the rain put us off! i think you really need to be well prepared though.

everyone needs good waterproofs/footwear and short trousers/leggings so any bits that do get wet dry off quickly. lots of layers cos once you get wet you get cold and cold=camping disaster.

you need to have the right tent too, with space for airing/drying wet gear. this time i'm taking a couple of lengths of garden cane that i can tie to the frame poles to hang stuff off. i seem to have banged on a lot lately about drying stuff in the car during the day, but it works! plus a reasonable living area and entertainments (books, jigsaws, craft kits) for wet mornings/evenings (would never let the rain put us off going out in the day though, that would be grim). also having provision for somewhere reasonably weather-proof to cook.

paying attention to where/how you pitch can stop you waking up in a puddle, or guys coming loose and fly touching inner. choose sites within reach of wet-weather activities too.

when we packed up in a gale by the beach last time it was a complete godsend to have a portable dvd player so we could just bung the kids into the car with that while we packed up unpestered outside (in, as dp remarked, a scene reminiscent of moby dick ).

if i think of any other wet weather tips will post them. for us, it's enough of a novelty just for the kids to have space to run around (last time out they made a "water slide" out of a groundsheet) that the weather really is a minor issue.

[Millimat]

Oh yes I agree dvd player in car is fab when packing!!