Due South....

   If you enjoy camping in our green and pleasant Isle, you will be of a hardy breed who will come to expect our weather to be "variable". If you were camping for a week in mid summer, showers even a day of rain would be expected and we would just shrug our shoulders and show that British stoicism for which our nation is famous for.
   However the last couple of years I've noticed a change in our weather patterns, where cooler wetter summers are becoming the norm. This year has been the worst I can remember with records been broken for rainfall month after month and its still July. No matter what is causing this, the fact is spending a week camping (even in a Campervan) can become a miserable affair if it rains most days.
   So what do you do?..Well alas the reality is the further south you go the better the chance of good weather. But even the south west tip of Cornwall and Devon has had washout conditions this year and I know of dozens of outdoor events that have been washed out and even cancelled due to the horrendous conditions.
    It may seem treacherous to our wonderful British countryside but the only solution is to cross the channel going to France , Italy , Spain  in fact anywhere warmer than Britain. When you have children you quickly realise  that they want to be outside playing and not stuck in a damp Campervan playing on their Nintendo DS or watching DVDs.

   Of course such a holiday takes a little more planning , particularly if your Campervan is no longer in the first flush of youth. But with a good service a few carefully selected tools and breakdown cover don't be afraid of a little risk. Last year knowing the gearbox was dodgy and taking a spare  clutch with us we did 2000 miles down through France following the sun. Whilst Britain shivered in the rain and rioters rampaged through the cities , we were chilling on a French beach watching the sun go down.

  Does it cost a lot? I here some say...well it doesn't have to. We spent three weeks in France last year in the Campervan and everything and I mean everything from fuel ,tolls,campsites ,food, insurance ,ect ect came to less than £1500 for four of us...Now thats hard to beat. So if you're fed up going rusty in Blighty head due south and follow the sun.