Extreme heat waves, wild fires, the cost of living crisis, all good reasons to go camping in Cornwall this summer. But July has been a wet one. So far anyway. With our easy tips for camping in the rain, you’ll survive, and have fun too!
Firstly, don’t worry! Camping in the rain means you just have to do things a little differently…
It’s important not to camping dip, or near to a stream. Or not to not let objects inside the tent touch the tent walls, it’ll only make your bedding feel cold.
Keep your wet weather gear outside the tent, to keep the inside as dry as possible. Use fully sealed plastic storage for items that will spoil when damp, like salt, tea bags, spices.
A Bell Tent awning can give you a covered area to enter and exit the tent and will keep the immediate ground outside the tent from going muddy. Door mats are great for wet boots.
Our Bell Tent awnings provide a huge outside space for keeping your eating/socalising area dry.
Keep your guides ropes tight so that your Tent canvas has the best chance to repel rain droplets.
Cooking outdoors can be a bit more of a challenge in the wet, but we recommend Cobb ovens and Kettle BBQ's, both have lids so you can cook outside without the rain spoiling your camping meal. Our recommended campsites usually have visiting food vans, so you can avoid cooking altogether when it's wet at the campsite.
Pack books, cards, word games, iPads and phones, so you can relax while you listen to the rain on the canvas. It can actually be a beautiful atmospheric experience!
Some of the best campsites have designated spaces to provide additional shelter in rain. Like Anchor Barrow's large barn, and covered food preparation area. Mount Pleasant Eco Park's atrium and bar. Henry Campsite chill-out lounge.
Here are some great rainy day activities in Cornwall for when you're camping:
- Visit the massive covered Biomes at the Eden Project and trek through the world’s largest indoor rainforest.
- A grey day is a perfect excuse for a long lunch. Find a cute window seat and watch the world going by. We love the Blue Bar in Porthtowan, perfect if you’re camping at Mount Pleasant Eco Park too.
- Go shopping in St Ives, Penzance or Falmouth. There are lots of camping and outdoor shops in Cornwall if you need to update your waterproofs or buy some emergency wellies.
- Drive to a headland and cosy up to watch the swell with a camping blanket. Or try a trip to the cinema, Newlyn FilmHouse is our favourite.
- Don’t let rain dampen your spirits. Go and drink some instead! Visit Tarquins distillery, or find a Cornish Farm shop and spoil yourself with some delicious Cornish treats.
If you're thinking about camping but don't want to pack away a wet tent, then our Bell Tent hire service could be a good option for you. We will pitch and furnish your tent and return to take it away so you don't have to worry about drying your tent in your garden or flat when you get back from your camping holiday. Our hire Bell Tents withstand almost everything the Cornish weather can dish out, too. We never pitch in dips or low down. All of our recommended campsites have well drained soil. The upside of our granite landscape means camping pitches have a great ability to drain quickly! Many of our hireable extras are designed to make your camping experience easier in wet conditions.