London in November
Sep 22nd, 2004, 03:18 PM
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London in November
Is it worth planning a trip to London in Nov.? I don't want to go and have terrible weather. My husband and I have been before in early Oct. and had great weather.
He works for an airline so we are flexible about where to go, but we are trying to paln a "adults only" trip before our second child is born (April so Nov. is far enough out for int'l travel). I don't really want to go to France, Italy or Spain since I'm not drinking and those place are definitely known for great wine.
Any thoughts?
Thanks
He works for an airline so we are flexible about where to go, but we are trying to paln a "adults only" trip before our second child is born (April so Nov. is far enough out for int'l travel). I don't really want to go to France, Italy or Spain since I'm not drinking and those place are definitely known for great wine.
Any thoughts?
Thanks
Sep 22nd, 2004, 03:41 PM
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HI!!!
My very first trip to the UK was in November, close to Thanksgiving. I live in New England and the weather was very similar to what we have here. Bring gloves and a heavy coat. We had a great time. London was just starting to put up it's Christmas lights and they were raising the tree in front of the Hard Rock Cafe...it was all so beautiful and festive!!!
My very first trip to the UK was in November, close to Thanksgiving. I live in New England and the weather was very similar to what we have here. Bring gloves and a heavy coat. We had a great time. London was just starting to put up it's Christmas lights and they were raising the tree in front of the Hard Rock Cafe...it was all so beautiful and festive!!!
Sep 22nd, 2004, 03:55 PM
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I have been to London the last 2 Novembers and will be going again this Nov. The fall is my favorite time of the year to visit London or Europe.
The airfare is cheaper, the museums are less crowded - I love walking through the parks with very few people around. A lot of what is worth seeing in London is indoors - musuems, galleries, churches etc. If the weather gets too be too much you can pop into a pub for a nice break.
Jacket weather is my kind of weather. I keep my umbrella in my pocket. I really do come to London for the weather. I live in a warm climate and take every chance to get out of it.
The airfare is cheaper, the museums are less crowded - I love walking through the parks with very few people around. A lot of what is worth seeing in London is indoors - musuems, galleries, churches etc. If the weather gets too be too much you can pop into a pub for a nice break.
Jacket weather is my kind of weather. I keep my umbrella in my pocket. I really do come to London for the weather. I live in a warm climate and take every chance to get out of it.
Sep 23rd, 2004, 01:22 AM
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Depends what you're used to and what you want to be doing. Days are shortening, temperatures will be dropping to the high 40sF, skies will probably be mostly overcast and there is always a chance of rain. If you're happy to be doing indoor things, it shouldn't be a problem. If you prefer to be out hiking in the country, your options are a bit more limited (though even that's not impossible if you have the right clothes).
For a proper English moan about the weather, try this from Thomas Hood (1844):
No sun - no moon!
No morn - no noon -
No dawn - no dusk - no proper time of day.
No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,
No comfortable feel in any member -
No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds! -
November!
For a proper English moan about the weather, try this from Thomas Hood (1844):
No sun - no moon!
No morn - no noon -
No dawn - no dusk - no proper time of day.
No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,
No comfortable feel in any member -
No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds! -
November!
Sep 23rd, 2004, 01:55 AM
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Thomas Hood clearly didn't have central heating. And there really has been a climate change since 1844 - which (like the world Dickens was describing) was in a period now known as the "Little Ice Age"
As most of the earlier posters mention, if you're in London sun, or its absence, really is a non-issue. If you have the sense to get out and walk in the country, you'll find the Dickensian gloom just doesn't exist any more. You're more likely to find wonderful crisp days, rarely overcast, with crunchy leaves underfoot. And, from Nov to Feb, a surprising problem the cliche-writers haven't discovered yet: because the sun is so low in the sky for so much of the day, being blinded by the glare is a real issue. Driving after dawn or before dusk can be a real pain, and some people now need sunnies even during the day. October/November really can be among the best times of the year to see most of England.
Do remember, though, that November isn't just a period when we tend not to be on holiday: it's also a popular period for Continentals to weekend here. So a lot of things we use - like theatres, the opera, restaurants, blockbuster art shows and the tube - are a great deal more crowded than in the summer when we leave the place to visitors.
As most of the earlier posters mention, if you're in London sun, or its absence, really is a non-issue. If you have the sense to get out and walk in the country, you'll find the Dickensian gloom just doesn't exist any more. You're more likely to find wonderful crisp days, rarely overcast, with crunchy leaves underfoot. And, from Nov to Feb, a surprising problem the cliche-writers haven't discovered yet: because the sun is so low in the sky for so much of the day, being blinded by the glare is a real issue. Driving after dawn or before dusk can be a real pain, and some people now need sunnies even during the day. October/November really can be among the best times of the year to see most of England.
Do remember, though, that November isn't just a period when we tend not to be on holiday: it's also a popular period for Continentals to weekend here. So a lot of things we use - like theatres, the opera, restaurants, blockbuster art shows and the tube - are a great deal more crowded than in the summer when we leave the place to visitors.
Sep 23rd, 2004, 05:36 AM
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Thanks, flanneruk, for reminding me of the low sun in November. I'd asked about getting to Norwich and Colchester on a previous post and I'm now convinced the train is the best alternative.
kellykankruise, FYI historically November is the wettest month of the year in London, there are 15 wet days and an average of 2 sunlight hours. You can get other climate data at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/c...ml?tt=TT003790
We don't find weather much of a deterrent by staying very flexible and have made numerous trips in October, November, February and March. We're flying to London from Boston on Nov 3 and continuing to Paris on the 10th before returning home on the 17th. Maybe the election will be settled by then.
kellykankruise, FYI historically November is the wettest month of the year in London, there are 15 wet days and an average of 2 sunlight hours. You can get other climate data at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/c...ml?tt=TT003790
We don't find weather much of a deterrent by staying very flexible and have made numerous trips in October, November, February and March. We're flying to London from Boston on Nov 3 and continuing to Paris on the 10th before returning home on the 17th. Maybe the election will be settled by then.
