You can’t beat dismal weather on a British Bank Holiday

As you read this, you’re probably sitting in a lusciously tended garden, under a perfectly stylish parasol, sipping rosé – ready for the hottest Bank Holiday Monday in living memory. Or perhaps you were one of the vast numbers who hit the roads, heading for a beauty spot or the coast. If you’re not still sitting in traffic, you’ll be on a beach with a perfectly prepped picnic surrounded by giggling children and the best of friends.

The thought of all of this is making me really quite anxious. Because the thing about Britain and the weather is that, complain as we do, bad weather is just so much easier to cope with. It’s so normal, it’s almost soothing.

During the never-ending cold snap, I wasn’t worried about others “making more” of the drizzle and hail than me. There was no dash to Homebase because it’s urgent we “do” the garden, or race to Sainsbury’s to stock up on BBQ bits for a Nigella-worthy-invitethe-neighbours bash. No. On cooler days you proceed as normal.

With warm weather comes FOMO – the fear of missing out – a fear everyone is making so much more of the weather than you are. If you have a lunch reservation indoors, do you cancel? What about those who have to work? When it’s rainy, none of this is an issue. It’s so much more relaxing.

The key is to avoid the biggest Bank Holiday cliché of all – panicking over how to do it right. Running yourself ragged trying to maximise the weather is a peculiarly British trait. I understand entirely, because who knows when we’ll see the sun again? But beware: excitement can ruin what should be a glorious few days.