Rain. As a British motorist, understanding how to drive in the wet and accepting the fact that we live in a wet country is simply par for the course if you want to drive here. But recent weeks have been testing the patience of the most precipitation-hardy.

While day-to-day living can be menaced by driving drizzle, the notion of having to deal with it whilst on holiday can be almost too much to bear. And yet many thousands of families will have booked trips in the UK, believing that the weather in July or August would be as reliably warm as the UK’s weather systems can offer.

Alas the weather men and women keep disappointing us, showing us satellite-assisted animations of wave upon wave of rain cloud.

So if you’ve booked a holiday in Britain this year, all you can do is prepare. Make sure you take wellies, anoraks and umbrellas to keep your group as dry as possible. If rainfall forces your band to remain indoors or in-car whilst away, make sure you take enough entertainment for your younger holiday-makers. Electronic games, DVD players and the like will all stave off boredom and might make a dent in sheer frustration.

But don’t forget to bring plenty of entertainment for the grownups either, as you’ll be stuck indoors too.

The optimist would tell you that this is a great scenario in which to spend some quality time with your loved ones, to play games, tell stories, and to really enjoy each other’s company.

The less positive might tell you to cancel your bookings, get as much of a refund as possible, take out some breakdown insurance cover and book yourself on the next ferry to the continent. The choice is yours.