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chjones Mar 5th, 2003 04:29 AM

clothes in march for scotland
 
hello,<BR>you were all so very helpful on my last question and so i thought i'd ask your help for the next stage of our trip. as i mentioned before, my husband and i will be in scotland in march for about three weeks. (i did reserve a hotel in edinburgh for our three day visit there, thank you.) i was wondering what clothes and should we bring? we will be driving and touring all over the country and thought perhaps we'd bring sweaters, long sleeved shirts, khakis, dress shoes for our outings in the city, jeans and sneakers for scrambling about, and a skirt set/suit and tie for our evenings in edinburgh. will we need hiking boots if we intend to explore the countryside,or will sturdy sneakers work? we wondered, should we also wear short sleeved tops underneath for a layered effect? will we be warm enough or too warm? we expect it will be cool enough to wear layers and the sweaters. would this be ok for edinburgh as well as the countryside? <BR>we are very excited about our trip and really want to be well prepared, sartorially and otherwise. ;)<BR>again, thank you for any and all input.<BR>regards,<BR>cherie jones

trvlgrl Mar 5th, 2003 05:30 AM

If you intend to do any hiking, you will probably be happier having a good pair of hiking boots as you will most likely encounter some wet boggy conditions as well as rocky paths. Also, you might consider either bringing or buying there a pair of rain trousers in addition to your layered goretex jacket for hiking in the possible rain conditions. (They will also help keep you warm if it is windy climbing those hills...). Sounds like you have the right idea for layers of clothing, especially when you are going hiking. Please be careful up there, make sure you bring food and water, as weather conditions and cloud-cover/fog conditions can change in an instant, especially at this time of year. It is such a beautiful part of the world and there are some WONDERFUL hikes to go on. Enjoy!!

wlongman Mar 5th, 2003 05:50 AM

Hi Cherie - Spent a month in Scotland 2 years ago in March - rain rain rain rain! I think we had 2 over cast days, but to this day I am convinced Scotland has never been graced with sunlight! :)<BR><BR>Layering is right. I'd forget the warm jacket and go with a water proof, wind proof rain coat or slicker. (OH those ferry rides in the Highlands can be bone chilling!!) If you are in the car driving a lot, you don't want a bulky coat. <BR><BR>I do wonder what you will be doing that your travels require a suit and dress shoes - the opera perhaps? Staying in 5 star hotels and restaurants? If you haven't plans to do these things - leave the business casual and suits at home. (But we are the masters of travelling light!!) We got by for a month with khaki's and jeans only. After years of packing too much, I have a rule - ONE PAIR OF SHOES ONLY! (Strange for a woman to say that, huh??!!) The B &amp; B's we stayed at would always wash our clothes for 5 Quid.<BR><BR>Have fun - it was one of my most favorite trips - I ADORE Scotland and her people! Don't forget your travel umbrella! :)

trvlgrl Mar 5th, 2003 06:27 AM

Chiming in again. Wlongman is right, just one caveat. If you intend to go hiking in Scotland, you will need two pairs of shoes - your hiking boots and one pair of general walking around shoes. (Your hiking boots will be muddy and not much fun to drive around in or walk around town in or go to dinner in... and as much as I love my hiking boots, it always feels great to take them off at the end of a nice long ramble in the hills!).

janis Mar 5th, 2003 09:23 AM

No dress shoes or heels; no suit (good excuse to buy a wonderful Harris Tweed jacket). A skirt/dress isn't necessary unless you are more comfortable in them. Dark wool or blend slacks will be warmer and just as stylish.<BR><BR>Good dark walking shoes can double duty as &quot;dress&quot; shoes. Tennis shoes are pretty useless for hiking or serious walking. Take good sturdy walking shoes or hiking boots instead.<BR><BR>And layers/layers/layers! It can be cold and blustery and then the sun comes out and it is glorious. LAYERS!<BR><BR>A good waterproof jacket or coat is more important than an especially warm one (if it is cold you just add more layers under the watherproof).<BR><BR>And don't rely too much on jeans. take maybe one pair each - but be sure to have other trousers. Denim takes way too long to dry and are not as warm as some other fabrics.

jsmith Mar 5th, 2003 10:42 AM

100% WATERPROOF JACKET WITH ATTACHED HOOD. Don't bother with a short sleeved shirt. Take a polar tech vest and a polar tech sweater for layering - both full zippers. They are light, warm and dry quickly.<BR><BR>An unsolicited plug - cabelas.com - for a huge selection of outdoor footwear and clothing.

SugarPlum Mar 5th, 2003 11:07 AM

Cherie, I was in Edinburgh for 4 nights at the end of February. We at at some spiffy places (Cafe St. Honore, The Witchery, Dome) and I was perfectly acceptable in black gabardine trousers/turtleneck/scarf with my husband in khakis and a nice turtleneck. I think that you can easily skip the suit and tie. We lucked up and had beautiful weather -- sunny and in the 40s F everyday, and we wore jeans or khakis with a cotton turtleneck and wool sweater everyday. I wore black suede &quot;all weather&quot; clogs everywhere and was very comfortable for the city walking and touring that we did. I took a dressier pair of boots to wear out to dinner, but actually could have done without them. Have a wonderful trip -- Edinburgh is beautiful and the people are charming.

chjones Mar 6th, 2003 05:22 AM

thank you all for the helpful and useful suggestions. i am making adjustments in planning my wardrobe and using your ideas. this is great!

Isobel Mar 6th, 2003 05:53 AM

Your advice has been excellent. I live in Glasgow, Scotland, and today is a beautifully sunny day with blue sky but a cold wind. A good anorak is definitely the answer - will keep you warm and also good if it rains. We can have a lot of rain but equally we get nice dry sunny days.<BR>Winter is not as cold in Scotland as it used to be.<BR>I am sure you will enjoy Edinburgh.<BR>If you want a beer,wine, coffee, tea, lovely sandwiches and chips, go to Frasers Bar which is housed in the Dome Restaurant in George Street, street running parallel behind Princess Street or if you want a better lunch, go into the Dome but instead of turning left into Frasers Bar go straight ahead. Its an old bank and has a very nice atmosphere.<BR>If you want total tranquility for morning coffee, afternoon tea or a drink, to to the Balmoral Hotel at the end of Princess Street. Enter by the main front door on Princess Street and walk straight ahead towards the back of the hotel and you will find a beautiful room, relaxing sofas (sometimes a harpest playing).Its tranquility at its best - a wee bit pricey but worth it even for a coffee to relax after a day's shopping. I havent been to the Witchery Restaurant beside the castle, but it has a very good name for good food and atmosphere although pricey.<BR>

Sylvia Mar 6th, 2003 06:04 AM

I go to Scotland almost every year in September when the weather is similar or perhaps a bit warmer than March. I go hill walking quite a lot but don't climb. The Highlands are very different from places like the Lake District where much of the area is controlled by the National Trust and paths are maintained. Paths can be rocky and uneven and almost inevitably involve a bog or two. What I take is a good pair of walking boots, a thickish pair of trousers a warm jumper and a goretex jacket with hood. Being quite elderly, I also take a walking pole, the kind that retracts. I don't think jeans are a good idea because they don't seem to dry very well.<BR>I also take a lightweight pair of laceup shoes for walking in town and a nice pair for dinner in the hotel. I also take a couple of nice dresses with jackets for the hotel. That's just me, after getting mud up to my eyebrows all day I like to soak in the bath and then look elegant in the evening.<BR>Personally, I find umbrellas a pain. In cities, they can poke people in the eye and in the country they blow inside out!<BR>Of course it can sometimes be gloriously warm and sunny, just be prepared for the mud!

janis Mar 6th, 2003 09:50 AM

Sylvia has explained it very well - just one translation for the American readers: A jumper is a pullover sweater (not a sleevless dress)

sfsteach Mar 8th, 2003 07:45 AM

On my trip to Scotland 3 years ago, we went at the end of March, first of April and encountered snow. It canbe very, very windy as well, be sure to take a nice wool muffler--that wind can be absolutely brutal and mine was a blessing because my face was freezing. I bought a lovely plaid muffler as a souvenir and it will go back with me every time.<BR><BR>Oh, and take gloves, too. I took layering clothes, but wore the long sleeves most of the time.<BR><BR>Enjoy--it is an absolutely gorgeous country!

chjones Mar 9th, 2003 06:53 AM

again, thank you for the great info. i will check out the edinburgh restaurants suggested and really appreciate the muffler/glove suggestion.<BR>this has been most helpful!


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