What do YOU do when it thunders?

[MeAndMySpoon]

Despite haunting this topic over several years and forming friendships with a number of lovely camping friends on the basis that I, too, camp, I'm a complete fraud and we're about to embark on our first PROPER family camp - as in, a full week, no going back. (Previously - since children - it's been odd nights here and there, back garden camping and a couple of festivals.) I am about to lose my Proper Camping cherry. Am also bricking it a bit.

We're heading somewhere there's forecast a fair amount of thunderstorms. Bell tent. 5 metre high metal pole, around which we sleep. I know if the thunder's very close you're meant to get everyone out and go and sit in the car, but how close do you let it get? And how do you then calm down the highly strung 6 yo and the 3 year old child with ASD, whom you've woken up in the middle of a scary storm?

Please tell me your reassuring thunder stories. Tales of burnt-out tents need not apply.

I've never got out of the tent in a thunder storm.

Me neither. Just snuggle down in my sleeping bag and wait for it to pass, and in certain tents hope they don't leak!!

I end up reassuring the dog whilst the children stay asleep!

I cuddle up a bit closer to DD's whilst 6'5" DH whimpers and jumps at every clap before finally making a frantic sprint to the car where he spends the night, a complete bag of nerves.

Has happened twice. I kid you not.

Unless the thunder and lightning are simultaneous it's not overhead. So chill. If they are, get in the car, aka Faraday cave. I've only had a thunder storm overhead a handful of times in my 41 years. Never camping. Good luck!

See, I've never heard of any 'Bell Tent struck by lightning' stories, but assume it happens.

We don't even have a fire bucket.

Cage not cave thanks dyac aka pissed fingers...

This is true, Yellow. It generally sounds a lot closer than it usually is. I was sure I'd heard/read Slubber saying she once got everyone up and out and huddled in the car during a storm, but perhaps am misremembering. Last time we had a v loud storm (at home) both boys slept completely through, so they'd probably be fine.

Pissed yellow? Surely not?

The top and bottom of the bell tent pole are rubber, so I think you're insulated from lightning strikes... :) We've had awful weather but never thunder-and-lightning storms when we've been away in ours.

I suppose try not to pitch your tent near a tree? As yellow says, it's rare that thunder and lightning are simultaneous and directly over you. Personally I find the sound of rain on canvas very soothing, but obviously that may not be the case for your DCs (although I hope it will be). DD sleeps through anything when camping, I think the fresh air wears her out...

I normally sleep through it :o

Dh and I commence making love.

And/or move to the Faraday Cage.

Would that be 'Angry Thunderstorm Camping Sex' then? [wunk]

So you really do move to your Faraday Cage? How long did it take to get everyone back to sleep again afterwards? (Better than incineration, I suppose.)

I don't think our campsite has big trees and I think our pitch is sort of in the middle of a field. I hope. The one thing all the long-range forecasts agree on is that it'll be pissing it down mightily on Friday, as we're attempting to pitch up...

Morning mad people !

Theres notter chance I would risk soaking myself and assorted family in order to get in the car.

It will be fiiiine. x

Assuming the top and bottom of your pole are rubber I would make sure nobody is actually touching the pole and then go back to sleep.

Good luck!

Also don't pitch under a tree, but it sounds like you've got that bit covered!

We were camping in a thunder storm just last weekend. In the school grounds (they do a campover). It was fine. Also the last but one time we camped there was thunder very early in the morning. Possibly we are thunder gods without knowing it and the thunder loves us and wants to follow us around?

We've been in a spectacular storm whilst in a bell in Holland - well, De Waardt, but same principle re pole. It was fine, and beautiful, really - the camping version of a disco. ;) It went on for hours and was very, very loud in the tent, so if I could take one thing, it would have been ear plugs!

Also, like others have said - as long as the light and thunder isn't simultaneous, it's not directly over you anyway.

That and maybe wear diving gear. ;)

I wouldn't get out of bed unless the tent collapsed around me.

Lightning from inside your tent is a spectacular sight to see.

Spoony, the only time we moved was when, as others have said thunder and lightening were happening simultaneously. The most amazing electric storm at Lake Bodensee. The dds were asleep so we just lobbed them in the back of the car and they carried on sleeping.

dh was faintly unamused though.

"WHY are we in the car?"
"No one else is sitting in their car"
"We look like crazy English people sitting in the car"
"People are sitting in their nice tents looking at us sitting in the car"
"Is this a mumsnet thing by any chance?"

Slubber. You should have flashed them a bottom an axe.

I reckon you're well insulated on a SIM.

I smiled my 'I'm in a Faraday Cage and you are not, this is physics this is' smile of safety first smuggery at them.

" is this a mumsnet thing by any chance?" snooort

On a teenage camping trip the heavens opened so we retreated to the car, and lightning struck the car. It was amazing.

Hubby and I were having this discussion yesterday whilst lying in the tent and listening to thunder in the distance. I think if the storm was very close I'd get everyone into the car, although technically lightning can strike 10-15 miles away from the storm! The rubber ends of a bell tent pole will not make the slightest bit of difference and if the pole was struck, anyone nearby would be likely to be injured as well. You can't insulate yourself from lightning, you can only make yourself less likely to be struck or position yourself to reduce the damage.