England in July/August
Jan 14th, 2010 | 08:06 PM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Feb 2004
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England in July/August
All the guide books and websites tell us to avoid traveling in England in July/August (summer holidays, peak season, very hot, very expensive).
When we did our own research,we found reasonably priced flight tickets (about the same price for May/June -- probably coz Jul/Aug is still months away) ; and the temperature was a maximum of 30degrees C (which is reguilar for us anyway).
Since we will be able to max out our trip if we travel those months as my son will be on school break then, we are thinking of going to England in Jul/Aug. 5 days in london ; and then another 1 1/2 to 2 weeks outside London (Cotswolds, Bath, Oxford, Cornwall).
What do you think ? Are we crazy to travel that time of the year ?
When we did our own research,we found reasonably priced flight tickets (about the same price for May/June -- probably coz Jul/Aug is still months away) ; and the temperature was a maximum of 30degrees C (which is reguilar for us anyway).
Since we will be able to max out our trip if we travel those months as my son will be on school break then, we are thinking of going to England in Jul/Aug. 5 days in london ; and then another 1 1/2 to 2 weeks outside London (Cotswolds, Bath, Oxford, Cornwall).
What do you think ? Are we crazy to travel that time of the year ?
Jan 14th, 2010 | 10:12 PM
#2
Joined: May 2005
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I would distrust any guidebook that says July / August in England is very hot.
These days it's just as likely to be 10C as 30C and based on the past few years you are more likely to get trenchfoot than a sun tan
But otherwise, yes the UK in July August is extremely busy due to all those pesky kids being on holiday and you've chosen the 5 areas of the UK which will be wall to wall people for that period
Personally if you can travel after the 6th June (previous week is a school holiday in England) you'd have a much more pleasant experience
These days it's just as likely to be 10C as 30C and based on the past few years you are more likely to get trenchfoot than a sun tan
But otherwise, yes the UK in July August is extremely busy due to all those pesky kids being on holiday and you've chosen the 5 areas of the UK which will be wall to wall people for that period
Personally if you can travel after the 6th June (previous week is a school holiday in England) you'd have a much more pleasant experience
Jan 14th, 2010 | 10:20 PM
#3
Joined: Apr 2003
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"All the guide books and websites tell us...England in July/August...very hot"
Only those written by Eskimos. Whose language I suspect you don't understand.
In the occasional hot summer - when temperatures reach levels many North Americans or Australians would regard as what you'd get in a slightly chilly spring though they might hit 30 at midday for a day or two some years - London doesn't deal with the warmth very well. In particular, the Tube is best avoided, though the bus system is now-user friendly enough for that not to be any kind of handicap: traffic is obviously lower in midsummer, so buses run faster.
July-Aug is peak season for foreign TOURISTS. But business travel falls, so London hotels overall are roughly the same price (business hotels cheaper: nice quirky places aimed at visiting academics pricier). It's a peak season for domestic tourism to domestic resorts: you definitely need to book ahead in Cornwall, where roads do get a lot more congested then. Many hospitality businesses - especially pubs - in Oxford and the Cotswolds actually get less business in midsummer, since the universities are on vacation and the people of the Cotswolds are on their annual mission to civilise the rest of the globe. But their hotels need prebooking.
Only those written by Eskimos. Whose language I suspect you don't understand.
In the occasional hot summer - when temperatures reach levels many North Americans or Australians would regard as what you'd get in a slightly chilly spring though they might hit 30 at midday for a day or two some years - London doesn't deal with the warmth very well. In particular, the Tube is best avoided, though the bus system is now-user friendly enough for that not to be any kind of handicap: traffic is obviously lower in midsummer, so buses run faster.
July-Aug is peak season for foreign TOURISTS. But business travel falls, so London hotels overall are roughly the same price (business hotels cheaper: nice quirky places aimed at visiting academics pricier). It's a peak season for domestic tourism to domestic resorts: you definitely need to book ahead in Cornwall, where roads do get a lot more congested then. Many hospitality businesses - especially pubs - in Oxford and the Cotswolds actually get less business in midsummer, since the universities are on vacation and the people of the Cotswolds are on their annual mission to civilise the rest of the globe. But their hotels need prebooking.
Jan 14th, 2010 | 10:23 PM
#4
Joined: Oct 2005
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"<i>and the temperature was a maximum of 30degrees C</i>"
The chances for having 30c is <i>possible</i> but not very likely. Sure, there are heat waves and it can get hot. But 20C would be much more normal. And there can be cool/rainy weather too.
Any month is good for traveling to the UK - and you can have a fine trip in July/August. You are not crazy at all. Generally the airfares are higher then. And you'll have to pre-book all your accommodations. But otherwise, you'll be OK.
The chances for having 30c is <i>possible</i> but not very likely. Sure, there are heat waves and it can get hot. But 20C would be much more normal. And there can be cool/rainy weather too.
Any month is good for traveling to the UK - and you can have a fine trip in July/August. You are not crazy at all. Generally the airfares are higher then. And you'll have to pre-book all your accommodations. But otherwise, you'll be OK.
Jan 14th, 2010 | 10:26 PM
#5
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 75,049
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I wasposting the same time as alanRow and flanner.
The guidebook is wrong and you will be just fine . . .
(BTW - IF you could go a different time that would be terrific. But if July/Aug means you get more time in the country - go for it)
The guidebook is wrong and you will be just fine . . .
(BTW - IF you could go a different time that would be terrific. But if July/Aug means you get more time in the country - go for it)
Jan 15th, 2010 | 01:22 AM
#6
Joined: May 2003
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The suffering from heat everyone experienced last summer in England is still vividly on my mind and my command of words just isn't sufficient to describe it - I may be wrong, though, as I like England and tend to glorify it.
Normally, as everyone has outlined already, the weather is rather civilised here. One could make an argument that with the exception of the last 3 weeks winter temperatures are not too far off from last summer's. And I do not imply that winter temperatures are especially warm. No frost in winter normally - and that's what makes the summer so pleasant, too.
Normally, as everyone has outlined already, the weather is rather civilised here. One could make an argument that with the exception of the last 3 weeks winter temperatures are not too far off from last summer's. And I do not imply that winter temperatures are especially warm. No frost in winter normally - and that's what makes the summer so pleasant, too.
Jan 15th, 2010 | 04:02 AM
#7
Joined: Jan 2008
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Average temperatures are just that--averages. You could catch the extremes of temperature or rainfall amounts when traveling anywhere. We've had 2 summer trips to England--mid-July and mid-June--and are going back this summer in late July-early August. We were almost never hot (suffered from no A/C only once, in Proms crowd). So I agree you're not crazy--like us, you have to go around the school schedules. Just make reservations very soon.
