I converted my car into a tiny home and take it on tour for summer 

For the other days, or for the showers that often pop in between bursts of sunshine, I must remind myself that I’m not made of sugar, as my grandmother would say. Or that “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing” as Alfred Wainwright more famously said. So throw away the dreamy Pinterest boards full of sun-soaked road trips — this is the warts-and-all, reality-check guide to touring our rainy island in a tiny campervan.

Drying awnings and tents 

I wrote a previous campervan feature  on my favourite accessories that made touring around in my micro camper comfortable and fun. My first recommendation was then, and remains now a drive-away awning. 

Driveaway awnings take a little effort to set up but it’s worth it as the need for additional living space in a micro-camper is even more pronounced on a rainy day. Not only to while away the wet hours but to have somewhere private to change out of your sodden clothing. 

That said, at the time of writing my previous feature I hadn’t yet faced the reality of having to thoroughly dry out my driveaway awning in between rainy trips. If you, like me, have a very small house, then you will similarly lack the space required to spread out your tent and let it dry fully. 

My awning (the Vango Tolga) is a wonderful piece of equipment that I still fully recommend, but it’s one of the smaller awning tents available and it still takes up my entire living room when spread out. Before purchasing any awnings or tents, make sure you have enough space at home to dry them out. Also make sure your tent has a waterproof base (especially if you or a friend are sleeping out there) or purchase a waterproof groundsheet if necessary.

Wet gear

In “The Land of Four Seasons in One Day”, you can be caught in a rain shower at literally any second without very much warning at all. So you need to be ready. It’s smart to always have head-to-toe waterproof clothing stored in your camper — I’m talking jacket with a hood, trousers, shoe covers, gloves, and a doggy mackintosh if your furball is travelling with you. 

But wait! Did you not say you had a micro-camper, Jenny? Where am I supposed to store all of this? Aha — this is where you need wonderful wet gear that folds up into tiny balls. Most outdoor shops will stock these, but you may miss them at first as they look so tiny you won’t believe they fold out to cover an adult human. Decathlon has a range starting at €11; I bought mine in Mc’s Outdoor Store in Dungarvan for not much more than that.

Portable heaters

Of course you can turn on your car engine and blast the heating if so needed, but you may not want to do that in a campsite — especially if it’s early or late — and you certainly don’t want your engine running all night on those frequent occasions where the Irish temperature suddenly drops lower than you were expecting. Investing in an energy-efficient heater that you can run on low will not only help you sleep, it will quickly dry out your wet gear — especially if it’s still raining outside. I bought the Outwell Katla portable heater from Charles Camping and it’s a super-efficient little device that stores away easily and doesn’t drain my battery.

Why we need hooks

I’ve said it before — I cannot overstate the usefulness of hooks when camping. I have a bunch of magnet-backed hooks that stick to the side of my car which are invaluable, hooks with clips on one end that I couldn’t live without, and carabiners which in my opinion are the greatest invention humans have ever come up with. Don’t let your damp clothes sit in smelly piles. Get hooks. Get lots of them!

Rainy-day activities

Plenty of campsites have communal rooms where someone will inevitably produce a guitar, but if you’re not at a campsite or you hate being told to “shhh” because “he plays this one lovely” then stock up on small items that will entertain you (and your friends) when sheltering inside. 

You can’t go wrong with books, but if you have friends with you then pick up a pack of Monopoly Deal (the size of a deck of cards) and watch your life become consumed with addiction to this game. It’s so much fun that you won’t even notice the rain! Most bookstores have small card games that are easily portable — I got mine in Dubray. 

You can always watch a movie on a laptop (or bring a small projector) but I think it’s nicer to keep screen time to a minimum when out in the wilds. Make sure you have good lighting in your van or tent. Portable fairy lights make everything feel cosy no matter the weather.

• Got a question for Jennifer or our Home team? Email home@examiner.ie