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Holidaying in the UK can’t always be filled with sunshine – so here are some ideas to tide you over when it rains or is generally inclement…

The British weather can be unpredictable to say the least, so when inclement weather strikes you need to be prepared and have plenty of things to keep my holiday home guests happy on those rainy days.

Whilst you may not be having the warm and dry trip you had hoped for, that doesn’t mean that you can’t have a great time. I’ve compiled a list of 10 simple ideas for keeping you amused on rainy days to ensure that you’re having fun, regardless of the weather outside.

  • Wi-Fi 

Did you know 10 million British adults (that’s 22% of the entire population) login to public Wi-Fi each week!! keepcalmanduseourfreewifi Access to the Internet has and is moving from an added extra in holiday homes towards an expectation – and that is why we have it free of charge for you.. So on rainy days the first thing many of my guests will no doubt reach for is their internet enabled mobile or tablet.

There is one slight snag though – my properties are “at the end of the line” – literally. We do not have any access to fast streaming, cable options or the like. I have paid to have the wifi signal boosted as much as I can – its helped a bit (its gone from .9mb to 3.4mb! but nothing like the 10mb+ I was hoping for.) but compared to large cities it is still slow. It may be too slow to live stream especially if multiple users are on their devices at the same time. There is nothing more I can do to help, so I am sorry if its not up to your usual standard at home. There is nothing else I can do.  ;-(

There is one advantage to this thuogh – you get to TALK to each other more and interact more. Why not create a quiz and ask each other questions? eg what is your favourite book or poem; what’s your fav food and can you make it etc?

  • DVDs

Sometimes when you can’t go outside, the best thing to do is pile onto the sofa, wrap up in blankets and pop a good film on. There are some DVDs to entertain you. If you want a larger selection the nearest DVD rental shop is in Selsey in the High Street – next to de la Viente – the tapas bar.

Please bring your own DVD’s if you have some favourites as I know I never choose the ones that everyone likes!

  • Music

Sometimes its nice to sit back, relax and listen to your favourite music, radio station or podcast. I provide a good quality radio and hi-fi for my guests at Living Elements which can take CD’s, and even cassettes!!. With so many of us now carrying extensive music collections with us on our mobile phones and tablets I hope to also invest in a good quality bluetooth speaker for you to use soon.

  • Board Games

Everyone loves a good board game, so  there are plenty of choices for everyone to enjoy! Scrabble, Monopoly, and Uno are all great games suitable for families. There are also some card collection packs (admittedly dating to a few decades ago) but still interesting. eg on planes and tanks etc – they are even educational!

  • Reading material

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Around 29% of adults say they don’t read books because they simply don’t have enough time. So when they’re on holiday and housebound due to the weather, reading may suddenly become a great, almost luxury option for you.

Escape into a different world through a selection of classics – think traditional classics – romance, espionnage and even a few thrillers – Stephen King is always popular! I haven’t forgotten about the little ones either and have a few books for different age groups available for them to read. If you haven’t finished the book before you leave – take it with you but leave one of your own instead!

Please note: there are some which MUST remain – ie cookbooks, sightseeing books and reference type books please – then everyone can use the resource. Thank you.

  • Cook books

Mary Berry seems to have led something of a baking renaissance in recent years. With more and more of us thinking we might be the next winner of The Great British Bake Off, I try to make the house a baking success? I don’t mean the raw ingredients such as baking powder and eggs, but there are lots of mixing bowls, baking trays and muffin pots, scales and graters, wooden spoons and all those other things that are mentioned in a cookbook!

It’s also lovely to use the time that you do have to do something creative and that you can benefit from immediately too.

Have you seen the post on Prosecco cocktails and their receipes? Follow this link here: http://www.chichesterselfcatering.com/prosecco-cocktails-perfect-for-a-party/

  • Information

Bad weather doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t go outside. In your welcome pack, is information on activities and tourist attractions that aren’t weather dependent. Museums, bowling alleys, and indoor play areas are just some of the things that guests can enjoy regardless of the heavy rain. There are others too!

Have you also seen the Pinterest board I created about rainy days? Please like and follow it here: https://uk.pinterest.com/Chiselfcatering/things-to-do-with-kids-on-a-wet-day-in-sussex/

  • Menus

After a day of watching films and playing games, you may not feel like cooking a meal themselves. We have some menus to local takeaways and restaurants for an alternative option. Looking for luxury? Consider offering a local private chef service! We can organise this for you if given enough notice in advance. Various styles can be catered for. Please be in touch with Gayle directly about this.

  • Umbrellas and welly storage

I know that guests may not be prepared for the rain, so I keep a few umbrellas in the house to help you out! Both Living and Nature’s Elements have outside storage that you can let them dry in.

After a day of exploring in the rain, you will most likely have some dirty and wet wellington boots, as well as clothes too! There are plastic trays and a mat by the door to put your muddy and wet boots on and hoses outside to wash them off with. At Living Elements there is an outside shed where you can hang up wet outdoors clothes too.

  • Puzzles, crosswords and colouring books

The best thing about wet, cold, and windy weather is having the excuse to curl up on a sofa with a cryptic crossword or sudoku puzzle and a cup of tea and cake! Colouring books can be therapeutic for children and adults alike too. I provide a small selection of paper back crossword, sudoku and colouring books and pencils. Please make sure that the colouring stays on the page though!

If you have found other places to go or things to do on a rainy day – please share them in the comments below or on the Facebook page. Thanks! https://www.facebook.com/ChichesterSelfCatering/

© Gayle Palmer. Chichester Self Catering 2016

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