No, I have never before deemed it an essential! Air con in wales????? Ha Ha, a big umbrella I could understand the need.
My big difficulty is not the internal temperature so much but the total lack of any shade outside for the K9s to hide in. The big one does have the sense to get under the van and stay there for the day but the little one just does not seem to approve of this, instead, he wants to stay inside with me all the time. Having a very long, thick coat does not help when trying to keep cool. Normally, they would be having a daily douche in the cold mountain stream but that is just not an option where we are in the 'van.