To feel so sorry for anyone on a British holiday right now

[itsaugust]

It’s been raining for about a week where I live. I’ve just woken up to yet more heavy rain this morning. It must be utterly miserable for anyone holidaying in the UK right now. You have my sympathies! Hope you’re managing to have a decent time despite the grim weather.

I've felt this way too, thousands of pounds on a staycation, you want some sunny days!

The rain has been almost non stop and torrential at times where we are. It's been cold enough to need a coat sometimes too. We packed up and left our camping trip early after the tent started to flood. I can't imagine how this is supposed to be comparable to nice warm dry days at the site with trips to the beach or park. There is such a thing as bad weather and we've got it. The last two summers were pathetic but this one has been worse still. I wish I knew where all this glorious weather and heat waves are (posted on another site) so I can go there. I look forward to summer so much for a reprieve from the depressing grey and damp and it looks like we'll be back to autumn and winter with no let up now. And DS2's asthma is playing up again too due to the damp. Really fed up at the moment.

[quote JesusIsAnyNameFree]@GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal

Then I would strongly suggest you don't go on holiday in the U.K.[/quote]

I would love to be able to go abroad, believe me, but it doesn't seem a viable option this year!

I just don't understand why some people seem to regard loathing cold and rain as some sort of moral failing? I love the heat, absolutely love it. I'm actually always a little chilly at anything under 25 degrees. The only time I can remember being too hot was in the Australian outback in December when it was over 40 degrees. But I understand that most people don't feel like that. I'm certainly not insisting that in a heat wave they put on a cute bikini and some snazzy flip flops and get out and enjoy it, because, after all, there's no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing.

We are on holiday and making the most of it, needed a change of scenery and we are not bothered by rain.

I’d book short U.K. holiday at short notice (hard atm) but even then not definite you’ll get nice weather.

I know others change expectations but it’s not worth the cost to do what we do at home anyway - lunch etc out, games, reading, activities, films

We’ve only done o/s - this year still deciding

@xksismybestletter

I agree. We were supposed to be going to Scotland and the weather is wall to wall rain every single day. We've not gone.

That’s a shame. We were initially forecast rain all weekend in Scotland but the actual reality was different and ended up on the beach playing in the sun. I think with Scotland you just have to hope for the best and it’s often not as bad as you think it’s going to be. Also restrictions are now easing so am sure there are more things to do inside.

@GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal I’m the same. I don’t feel the heat like some people and I’m comfortable over 25c. The hottest I’ve been is in Egypt when it was nearer 45c, that was too hot.

*Yanbu, the weather can really make or break a UK holiday.

It's ok to trot out the "no such thing as bad weather" line. That's fine when you're talking about a rainy walk at home, where you can get home and walk up by the fire, but it's a different situation on holiday.*

We are dedicated UK holidaymakers and take all the necessary clothing but unfortunately so many holiday cottages don't have a decent heat source or even anywhere to hang your wet coats.

There have been places where driving round in the car with the heater on was the warmest we ever got!!

Me and DH agree we have a nice house, nice garden, comfy bed, powerful shower so why on earth would we pay to stay somewhere else where the bed is likely not as comfy and the shower will probably be pretty awful (never seem to get decent showers).

Good for you. You do realise not everyone is as lucky as you? DH and I live in a one bedroom flat with a small garden so a holiday in a nice cottage with a lovely view makes a nice change.

A lot of it is luck anyway. We went to Florida a few years ago and the weather was shit, it was over 100 degrees and pissed with rain every day. We went to Cornwall the same year and were lucky and had beautiful weather.

Clutching straws here but anyone in north Wales at the mo??
Planning Snowdon tomorrow but mixed weather reports.

First time in 10 years that we've stayed in the UK for our main family holiday. Camping. Yanbu. People say "why does anyone want to go abroad when you have all this beauty on your doorstep?!" Well, this is why: having to pack for literally every kind of weather (packing light not an option); expensive eating out; compete faff eating in (and who wants to cook every day on holiday anyway?); 40 mins to drive 9 miles almost anywhere on the south coast, congestion horrendous.

We've had a nice time but for the first time ever I am looking forward to returning home. We'll still do weekends away where the weather is guaranteed, but it'll be the Dordogne next year come hell or high water.

When my school were small we had a 2 week holiday where it rained everyday.

Torrential rain too. There was no let up.

We had good waterproofs but after a few days it was just miserable.

We had exhausted all indoor activities by the end of week one. Endless board games. Did sit all day in a beach tent in the rain. I don't give up easily.

The day before we left the owners of the property came to see us and said the weather had been so bad and they felt sorry for us. They asked if we wanted to stay for 3 extra days for free as the forecast was going to improve.

We declined as we were due back at work. However, it rained there every day of the extra days they offered us.

The weather makes a massive difference.
I did a trip to the Isle if Wight. Hovercraft cancelled all sailings after 4.45pm because of the weather. Involved a lot of stress and a good walk with hordes of other people also stressed.
Drove up north for a city break. Horrible driving conditions and dangerous too.
If it had been good weather in both cases life would have been much easier.

Its just a normal summer in the UK really. August does tend to be wetter and with climate change we will see more rain.

We camped in Devon and is was bliss, I meticulously check the weather and plan accordingly. Beach for the first three sunny days and then activities where the weather doesn't matter. I've learned over the years to pack waterproofs and just get on with it. An afternoon of board games and reading is a tonic as well. I never do that at home without needing to do a job of some sort.

It is what it is...although a very good tent is a bonus.

I'd hate to be camping now or ever really.

My criteria for a holiday in the UK is the accomodation must have a washing machine and be no more than a 5 minute walk to the beach. Washing machine means I don't have to pack as much and distance to the beach means as soon as the sun appears we can go, if it rains we can come back. And lots of books and wine.

@Freddiefox

I also feel sorry for the industry as a whole, next people people will just go abroad again it’s a shame as it was an opportunity to boast uk breaks

I think people could take a bit of rain better if they weren't stung for a basic cottage or caravan and charged the earth for a portion of fish and chips or for castle entry after trying to dodge traffic jams or queues everywhere. It's just SO much more expensive to do anything really, in the UK, and it's so much busier everywhere (even in non-COVID times). Why on earth would people choose to pay more for a worse experience when they can go abroad instead?

We are currently away in England.

We booked a uk holiday as we are tied to school holidays and couldn't risk needing to quarantine when we returned. We booked a while back as we got twitchy as accommodation in Cornwall especially was in short supply and booking up fast. Not scared out of going abroad, but scared if having to cancel it last minute and not finding somewhere decent in England for the dates last minute. We do have long haul booked for October half term but we shall see...

If we had more flexibility over dates we might have risked it and done a last minute abroad.

Like for like, in terms of similar level hotels and in terms of travel - this England holiday is costing kore for 2 of us than last year's holiday in France and Germany cost us for 3.

Two days in the weather has been patchy - a lot of rain on day 1. Day 2 had showers in and off and was windy and quite cool. We've needed waterproof jackets and trousers.

We are hoping the forecast for Cornwall and Devon improve, or proves to be wrong.

Least we are in the car so have been able to pack tons - to cover all weather possibilities.

But I really don't relish walking in the rain. It's not fun regardless of what you wear.

And it's annoying to think I paid more for a balcony in a couple of places. In my head it was going to be hot and sunny and we could still in the balcony, overlooking the views, glass of wine in hand as we read in the early evening. I'd forgotten that in England in the summer that wasn't really the reality!

This morning the sky is blue (though some darkish clouds lurking) and it looks fairly bright. So fingers crossed 🤞🏻 driving from Bristol to Cornwall today so let's see what happens next.

I think the shame of it this year is that so many people will be put off booking UK holidays in years to come, this crappy summer is just confirming that 'we need to go aboard to get good weather'. We have had fantastic summers here for the last few years and the one year that UK holidays could have really become popular again because of the problems with foreign travel and helped reduce air travel in the future has just been a bloody awful one.

(and yes, i love a long haul holiday but we can enjoy british holidays too)

The UK is lovely for holidays and we have had some great ones. However, you do have to plan and think about stuff to do when it rains, and as this summer has demonstrated we can have weeks of rain at a time. It has never been the cold that has got to me in this country, it is the greyness.

Completely agree OP a little sunshine definitely helps when your away.
We had a week in Devon and only had half a day with torrential rain but still only managed one beach day.
We are trying again next week on the East coast and praying this miserable weather passes soon.
We are avid walkers and have all the right clothes but still got soaked through yesterday on a long walk at home.
Looking forward to being able to travel abroad again.

We are up in Northumberland - weather a bit mixed but we don’t need your sympathy thanks. Lovely cottage - pile of books and games and the kids are loving the North Sea in wet suits.

@xksismybestletter

I agree. We were supposed to be going to Scotland and the weather is wall to wall rain every single day. We've not gone.

That’s a shame. I’m in Scotland and bar a couple of drizzly mornings last week and a heavy spell yesterday with a couple of rumbles of thunder, it’s been dry and warm.

Honestly, not everyone dislikes rainy weather! I absolutely love it, it would enhance my holiday massively if it was chucking it down every day.

A lot of it is luck anyway. We went to Florida a few years ago and the weather was shit, it was over 100 degrees and pissed with rain every day. We went to Cornwall the same year and were lucky and had beautiful weather.

This is true but at least when it rains in Florida you are somewhere different, interesting, experiencing a different way of doing things. Even a MacDonalds is different. Wildlife is different.

A holiday in the wet U.K. is basically the same all over with varying degrees of comfort.