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Going to Scotland in April 1009
We intent to go in April 2009 for 2 weeks. Is it good weather and suggestions?
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"<i>Is it good weather </i>" No way of knowing. You could have sunny, clear, crisp, warm-ish, cold, rain, sleet - or all of it.
"<i>suggestions?</i> Suggestions for what? |
Where are you flying in to and what are your interests? Have you booked any accommodation (don't worry if you haven't, unless there's somewhere you specifically want to stay over Easter weekend
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My suggestion is to ask a specific question. Even the weather can be somewhat different from area to area. I would not pack beach clothes.
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My intention is to spend 14 days in Scotland.
A rough plan is 3 days each in Edinburgh and Glasglow. The rest will be at the Highlands and Islands. My wife is a bit scare of the cold! |
As Janis says, you are likely to encounter everything that weather can provide. I have been in April and have had gales, rain driving in at 45 degrees to the vertical, snow and beautiful sunny, crisp days. The down side is that you could get all of these in the same 24 hours. Why is your wife "scared of the cold"?
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Have you done a search here on Fodors? There are lots of threads on the subject. Click on my name and you'll find three just in the past few weeks. Click on Janis's or Sheila's name and you'll find dozens.
As for the cold, if you really want to avoid the cold, go in July or August. |
My first trip to Scotland years ago was in April. The first day there I almost cried because it was so cold in the bathroom. I thought "I could be on an island somewhere." The rest of the trip was wonderful, however. We had mostly sunny days, the daffodils were in bloom and I even got a little sun on my face one day. We also experienced a snow storm on our way up to the Highlands. I've been back to Scotland 5 more times. With that said, I think Scotland is great any time of the year but the weather is definitely better in the summer. If your plans are set just prepare for the uncertain Scottish weather. I think if you know ahead of time what you can expect you won't be scared but will see it as an adventure.
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if your wife does fear cold weather -- maybe we need a definition of terms here. What do you consider cold? It probably makes a huge difference where you are from. Someone from Canada or the upper midwest USA would not think Scotland is very cold at all.
But if one is from someplace like the tropics or SE Asia, then they might find it VERY cold. April will not be warm though. Let us know what sorts of temps would put you off . . . I'd click on DESTINATIONS above on this website. It will give you a lot of info, and then we can give you more detailed help. Also, after Edinburgh and Glasgow - how do you plan on getting around? Driving a hire car or taking trains and buses? |
According to the comments made by a proprietress of one of the B&B we stayed at, May (she propounced it "Me") is the best month to visit Scotland in terms of weather. Maybe least rainy?
We went last September and it was fine: sunny sometimes, rainy sometimes, gloomy many-many times.. But we loved it - really did. We did not love Glasgow. Just did not appeal to us, or maybe we were tired since this was our last stop before heading back home. If I went again, I would definitely concentrate on the countryside (e.g., Highlands, Skye), which is drop-dead gorgeous. Anna |
Anna:
According to the weather statistics, June is the LEAST RAINY month. That doesn't mean it's dry, just that it's the "least rainy". |
Like I said, May/Me was not my idea. This really gracious lady at a B&B in Inveraray insisted that we MUST come back in May..
Now, I did not find anything wrong with a little rain. But for the rain, stuff would not be so green and gorgeous. Anna |
When I was in Scotland in July 2008, it felt like winter outside. As a point of reference, I am from New York and am used to Northeast U.S. weather.
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Another thought. Try www.weather.com and compare your weather to Edinburgh. That will give you an idea of how different the weather is from where you live.
Have a great trip! Take an umbrella. |
Just mucking up the thread with another post on "it is all relative!"
Spent a glorious time in Edinburgh April '08, the third week of the month. Went from below freezing weather in Maine to 40s in Edinburgh, some afternoons must have been pushing 50F. It was beautifully sunny the first 3 days, cloudy with sprinkles and then bright sunshine in the afternoons for the last 3 days. it was gloomy the morning I left, but I was leaving, so it reflected my feelings :-( It will be interesting to find out I get for weather this April, again the 3rd week of the month. I just cannot imagine that it will feel like winter .. winter, to me, is 20F below 0 to 20F. Even if the temperature on the thermometer is in the 10-20F range (as it was today), the wind is wicked enough to make it feel way lower. hmm, as I type, 0F on the thermometer, 34F in Edinburgh. Beam me over! The good thing about 0F? It makes me appreciate 34F :-D |
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