JUST WALKIN' IN THE RAIN: There's no such thing as bad weather – just inappropriate clothing – so put on the waterproofs and boots then head on out for a long walk. Forest walks are especially suited to wet weather and you can always shelter under a
tree for a spot of picnic lunch and a warming cuppa. Queen Elizabeth Forest Park in the Trossachs is a good starting point and if it all gets a bit too wet there's coffee and home-baking available at the David Marshall Lodge nearby.
WONDER OF THE WATERFALL: One of the best things about continuous rain is that waterfalls become more wonderful when they are in spate. Falls at Inversnaid by Loch Lomond, Rumbling Bridge east of Dollar and the Falls of Leny near Callander are all easily accessible and spectacular after heavy rain. If you feel more energetic a walk up by the Burns of Care and Sorrow in Dollar Glen is a wonderful way to spend a wet afternoon, but remember footpaths will be slippery.
BIG-SCREEN THERAPY: Miserable weather can mean a guilt-free way of taking yourself off to a warm dark cinema in the afternoon, watching the latest blockbuster and escaping from the reality of a Scottish summer for a couple of hours. After all, the weather is too wet to work in the garden, cut the grass or paint the outside of the house anyway.
A LEISURELY LUNCHEON: Take yourself and either some good company or a favourite book for a long lazy lunch – lots of restaurants do very good value two- or three-course lunches, that and a glass of wine is an excellent way to pass a pleasant afternoon. Or head somewhere like the Park Farm and Bistro on the canal near Linlithgow where you can feel you've earned your lunch by having a damp stroll along the canal side first.
BOOK IN: Visit your local library – if you're not already a member it'll be free to join and you'll be surprised at the changes that have taken place in libraries over the years. Apart from the huge variety of books on offer you can also borrow music, movies, talking books in a variety of formats and even access the internet; plenty to keep you out of the rain for a few hours with the opportunity to borrow enough to keep you amused through many more rainy days.
The full article contains 414 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
