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The seven destinations that are better in the rain

Which destinations pass Mark Jones’ rainy day test?

Wednesday 26 February 2020 12:50 GMT
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Some Scottish islands are said to be more atmospheric in the rain
Some Scottish islands are said to be more atmospheric in the rain

It’s raining in the Maldives. The forecast is for more rain and dark skies, until the sun makes a brief appearance in the middle of next week.

But I’m not in the Maldives. I’m in a luxurious eco-cabin called 57 Nord above a loch overlooking the Isle of Skye. It’s raining here too. “Raining” is too weak a description. There are 70mph gusts of horizontal wet stuff that hit you in the face like shards of freezing glass. Occasionally, the rain turns to hail. The foam is ripping across the loch and the long grass at the edge of the property is stiff as steel wire in the wild breeze. The barbecue firepit is currently a small pond.

And I couldn’t be happier. The log burner is going nicely and I’m wearing a cosy cashmere cardigan I bought yesterday (off-season is bargain time for Scottish knitwear). If the weather clears, I’ll go for a hike. If not, I’ll just hunker down with a big book, a coffee pot and a bottle of Dalmore. It’s February in Scotland, for heaven’s sake.

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