When I was 17, I worked in possibly the most depressing place known to man – a Thomas Cook complaints call centre. Day in, day out for one miserable summer, I sat in a windowless box off a roundabout at a now-derelict industrial estate and listened to folk moaning about sun-lounger wars and sub-par all-inclusive buffets. It was enough to put me off package holidays for life.
But interestingly, the complaint I’d hear most often went like this: “It rained the whole time. If I wanted a holiday in the rain, I’d have stayed in Scotland!” And I suppose they were right enough. It’s reasonable to expect, when dropping significant sums on a luxurious hotel resort stay in Spain in the height of summer, that it’ll be hot and sunny.
On the flip side, it is unreasonable – in fact, it is ludicrous – to expect summer sun on a Scottish staycation. And yet, it would seem people do. This week, saying ‘misleading headlines’ about bad weather were causing folk to cancel their stays.
And I completely agree with Mr Donaldson that the ought to quit it with the unwarranted gloomy icons. Let’s be real – most sunny days in Scotland still include a bit of rain somewhere. What we want to know is, is it paddling pool weather, or should I take a jacket in the car? If I put my washing out, when should I bring it in? Weather apps would be wise to start serving people usable information in their headlines.
But that point notwithstanding, I want to know who is booking holidays in Scotland and then cancelling them because it “might” rain? C’mon, now. Before the hounds come a-baying, Scottish holidays are by no means cheap, so I understand why folk might be disappointed by spending money and annual leave days on a potential washout. But the way I see it, Scottish summer is one huge gamble.
If you waited on the promise of warm and dry conditions, you’d be waiting all the way to your grave. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that rainy holidays are a cultural touchstone of Scottish summer. Some of my best breaks have taken place in an anorak.
I’ll never forget giggling at the pitter-patter of seagull feet on the caravan roof in Dunbar, as my parents and I huddled round the wee electric fire and played Snap while the wind battered the metal sides. Or how hard my cousin and I laughed when we spent an hour boiling the kettle to make Pot Noodles in a cottage up in Pennan, the electricity flickering on and off during a spectacular lightning storm. I’ve never felt more alive than when the wind whipped salty seawater into my eyes as I swam during a random rain shower on Mull, or when I parted the misty gloom over Loch Lomond.
And on a wet walk in Ayrshire, when my partner and I had the gardens of the spectacular Dumfries House to ourselves, you better believe those hedge mazes saw their share of competitive maze-running. Rain is part of Scottish summer, and Scotland looks just as beautiful in her moody greys and greens as she does in her bright blues. So go to the beach when it’s misting, go walking in the wind, and stick to your plan to go camping even if there’s a chance of rain.
You’ll not melt. It’s just Scottish summer..
