If you’re anything like me, and especially if you’re living in a drier place, you might be wondering how to take more advantage of those days when it finally rains.

But you don’t need to be an ombrophile/pluviophile to take on this advice. Who knows, you might find that the solitude you can achieve in your walk is a fair reward on its own.

Therefore, I have compiled a few pointers I wish someone had given me long ago, accompanied by the gear that you might want to procure for those rainy days.

Low-Effort, Low-Cost Gear

Rain boots: that was the biggest game changer for me. As a teenager, I seemed to have lost the ability to dress appropriately for the weather. But when I was made aware of this rubber footwear, I found myself spending more time in the rain than I ever had before. Rain boots are not intended for challenging hikes, but you may use them safely for gardening and for easy to intermediate hiking. As a plus, they are fairly inexpensive, you can get some standard-quality ones for £15.

Overtrousers: now, after the finding of the boots, I kept searching eagerly. I had my eyes on rain trousers, because, let’s face it, no one likes feeling cold, wet cloth against his shins at every step. I found, though, none that met my expectations—not to mention budget—. Rain trousers seem to be that piece of gear oriented towards full-fledged hikers, rather than a more common-place feature. But, at the same time, I had found what I needed. You only wear the overtrousers on top of your regular ones, and sorted. They are cheap, just make sure to get a bigger size than usual.

Overcoat: at the time I’m writing this, I, myself, am in need of something to wear on top of my regular clothing to not get soaked. I considered an umbrella, but I’d prefer to have my hands free. I don’t know about you, but for me umbrellas have more of an urban, professional feel better suited to other aspects of my life. And like the rest of the items suggested, an overcoat is also inexpensive and can be used on top of your regular clothing, making it extra easy to step out of the house.

Pursuits for Rainy Days

After some time enjoying the rain per se, you might find that you are a bit stagnated. The answer for me was more of a knowledge I extracted from my non-rain hiking days, when, come spring, I would see people fishing in the river and picking fruit with wooden sticks. Certainly, I had seen the runners and cyclists, but those were not endeavours I’d be interested in. And so, I began thinking, and I came up with some activities that would make for an excellent hobby in the rainy countryside.

Mushroom hunting, fishing for chub or barb, rock collecting, and foraging are some of the pastimes you could engage in. As you can see, I’m limiting myself to hands-on activities that participate of nature, but feel free to add others, such as taking pictures or writing poetry, if you have a knack for it. Just don’t let them get wet! Also, it is always a good idea that you do some research about local plants or fungi that might grow in the rainy seasons in order to get better-tailored ideas.

While this section is quite focused on out-of-the-house activities, maybe you have a garden in which you find yourself wanting to work more often. This could be an ideal time for taking in the grass smells the rain brings out, for looking out for fauna that you might have missed, like toads. Maybe the rain worms will even attract some birds you haven’t seen before.

Location (City, Countryside, Coast…)

Several of those activities you may engage in both in the countryside and in the city. The last aspect that you need to consider is the location in which you will be spending time.

In the case of hiking, make sure that you take all the usual precautions when spending time in nature. Carry, preferably somewhere out of hand, a charged phone. Make sure you know the emergency numbers. It is also advisable to carry water and some snacks, like granola bars. If you’re stepping into somewhere new, then you might also need a map and a compass, but for now I’d advise you to spend that rainy time just in your usual day-hike place.

If you live in a city, you could go to a park for a stroll, or to a canal or river walk. Rain keeps most people out of those places, so you can have them fairly to yourself even in the midst of a large town. And if you simply happen to enjoy the urban landscape, wet days offer excellent opportunities to appreciate the architecture and the city dwellers’ change of routine. Cafes and restaurants also tend to be less crowded, even so the high street.

Beaches are on the list of places people will be deserting as soon as it starts to drizzle. Adding that to the fact that they are only frequented in the summer, it makes for an ideal spot to walk and marvel at the waves, take in the salty breeze, and enjoy the tricks the lighthouse lamps play on the clouds.

A Change of Mindset

Often, it is not the lack of know-how, but rather us, who limit ourselves to enjoy being outside when it rains. Even if you, like me, do enjoy the calming effect of the droplets hitting the rooftop and the window, you might still feel like that isn’t enough. Having a cup of tea while reading a book on the couch or watching a film with your partner is certainly something that I encourage you to do; nonetheless, you might want to force yourself to try new things, and experience old ones in a new way.

Man Stock photos by Vecteezy