When to travel to Scotland for your tour: weather and seasons

Weather in Scotland can be described as brisk. The Scots have a reputation for ruggedness, and it's easy to see why. Balmy is not an adjective that springs to mind when describing the Scottish climate. The eastern coast is often drier and cooler than the western, but the weather everywhere is highly variable, often windy, misty and cold. Braemar in Aberdeenshire has the distinction of having the coldest recorded temperature in Britain: -27.2 C on 10 January 1982.

That said, you may experience some exhilaratingly fine, sunny days in summer and it stays light late, especially in the north. The best time to go is from May to September, but travel prepared for inclement and often chilly weather. Layers are the name of the game, and bear in mind the type of clothes the Scots are well-known for...

Expect average monthly daytime temperatures in July and August to be around 17 C, May 13 C and September 14 C (South of France it ain't!).

Here are some useful links to the UK's Met Office , which provides the latest UK and international weather forecast (and also global weather services for business and the public). They also put out all official UK weather warnings:

• UK Weather Forecast Today and Outlook:
  Current and future UK weather with detailed forecasts for the regions of England, Wales and Scotland.
• UK Climate and Weather Statistics:
  These webpages are a great source of information for those interested in the climate of the UK. Check out the likely weather when you'll be visiting.

Current weather in Scotland

EVENTS

There are quite a few events worth looking out for during the summer. Edinburgh becomes impossibly crowded during the festival in August, and you will have to book a very, very long time in advance if you're not travelling with a tour company.

Calendar (opens in new window)

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Our other Scotland pages:

Travel to Scotland - not only a Europe tour for the brave-hearted!

Tour Routes in Scotland

Map of Scotland

Useful facts, dates and links to help you plan your tour of Scotland

Book your sightseeing tours or day-trips in Scotland online

Book your hotel in Scotland online

TRAVEL TO SCOTLAND WITH US: PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS