The climbing trip had been several months in the planning. We’d travelled a long way to be there. We hadn’t seen each other for a long time and it had been a lot of work freeing up and synchronising spaces in our diaries: so we were determined to have some fun. The view from the hut doorway that dark morning was discouraging. It had discouraged most people back into their sleeping bags. We began plodding; up towards the climb. Buffeted by wet wind and disappointed by the thaw we trudged on. Maybe there was still some ice to climb on higher up. All we could see was a small pool of head torch light at our feet or a disorientating beam of sparkling raindrops if we looked upwards.
After an hour of slushy ascent we reached the foot of our climb, donned tools and began to teeter our way up. There was no ice to climb, the rock was slimy and the snow was mush. We persevered. We adapted our route and style to fit the conditions. We got scared. We got wet. We shivered. We had to dodge sliding sloughs of soggy snow. We made it to the top. We felt elated. We might not have bothered.
Poor weather can be de-motivating when it comes to getting out there and having healthy fun. What is poor weather? Is there such thing? If, as one of my friends asserts, there is no such thing as poor weather – just poor choice of activity, then what we really need is a robust, flexible and creative way of thinking. Here are some ideas that may help you think differently and enjoy yourself whatever the weather.
- Develop new interests. If you enjoy kayaking, diving, cricket, Nordic skiing, sailing, cross country running and nude table tennis, when will there be inclement weather?
- Learn from the locals. I saw a man wearing a cabbage leaf on his head to keep cool in the hot sunshine. I tried it. It works.
- Relish the challenge. One day I was on my bike, straining uphill into a very strong wind. I was travelling so slowly that it was some time before I realised I had cycled into the back of a parked vehicle. I laughed a lot.
- Enjoy the solitude. Unpopular weather may mean you get the place to yourself.
- Get creative. On one very windy autumnal run we invented the sport of high velocity falling leaf catching. Great for developing speed and whole body coordination. Rather hard. Fairly dangerous. Tremendous fun.
- Be realistic – modify objectives. E.g. In some conditions just completing the route maybe as much an achievement as a PB.
- Welcome the chance to develop skills. Almost anyone can navigate in clear weather. Navigating in sleet swept darkness will hone your skills no end.
- Increase the quality, shorten the duration. Twenty minute’s hard rowing may be as beneficial to you as the usual hour circuit at a familiar pace.
- Collaborate. On one winter’s day the snow on the “all-weather” pitch lay deep and crisp and even. We played footy anyway. We spent an unusual amount of time in falling and fallen-over positions. We ached from the giggling as much as the falling.
- Change behaviour. In hot weather get up early to enjoy the cool of the day.
- Enjoy the sensory stimulation. Perspiration can be fun. So can strafing hail. Lightning strikes probably can’t.
- Watch out for chafing. Carefully attached sticking plaster can prevent a world of soreness when running in wet weather.
- Put together a mental or otherwise list of endeavours that will be fun in poor weather. E.g. Wet summer’s day? Go gorge walking / ghyll scrambling. Too snowy for golf? Get out the cross country skis – they leave no marks, even on the greens.
The weather isn’t the problem, our inflexible thinking is. Let's change our way of thinking. With the right approach and preparation we can enjoy high quality recreation whatever the weather.
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