We believe Scotland is a fantastic holiday destination at any time of the year; however, in this article, we want to encourage you to visit Scotland during the winter months. We are confident you will have a great time. We fully believe Scotland is the perfect holiday destination all year round. We explain why it is worthwhile visiting during the winter.
Scotland is not the place for you if you want a winter break for sunbathing and warmth. However, if that is the type of holiday you are looking for, it probably wouldn’t be your choice in mid-summer either!
If you would like to spend a few days of site-seeing, visiting ancient castles, and seeing stunning scenery, then we believe you should strongly consider Scotland.
Scotland’s Weather
Unlike many countries, our temperature doesn’t change much from summer to winter. Yes, we get warm sunny days in the summer that can reach around 66 °F and cold, snowy days in the winter that get as low as 23 °F. You will find colder temperatures in the mountains and glens of northern Scotland. The lowland areas don’t get snow every year, so to see snow, you must go to the Scottish Highlands mountains. Weather statistics show that the average temperature in Edinburgh in January is 44° / 33° F, and in July
65° / 51° F. If you visit Scotland in the winter, you will need jumpers and a jacket. If you plan to travel to the Scottish Highlands and spend some time outdoors, a hat and gloves are advisable, but you don’t need to dress for an arctic expedition. If you live in a warm country and visit in the summer, you will probably need a jumper and a light jacket for the chillier days.
Touring Scotland in the Winter
The Hairy Coo operates many fun coach tours of Scotland throughout the winter. The times are the same as in summer except when you visit sites like Stirling Castle and the Quiraing on Skye and take part in a whisky tasting; it will be quieter. This means you can get great photos without lots of people in them spoiling the view. If you are lucky and it has been snowing on the mountains, you may get some stunning views with blue skies and white cliffs. Of course, we can never promise what the weather will be like in Scotland at any time of the year, so as long as you are prepared, you can enjoy your day out.
Another great benefit of winter touring is that there will be no midges. Midges are tiny fly-like insects that bite but aren’t dangerous. They are very annoying and often found in the north and west of Scotland during summer. They love still, warm, damp days. So during winter, you can enjoy Skye’s delights without midges or thousands of other tourists.
The summer in Scotland means long days and very short nights. This means that during winter tours, you will leave and return to Edinburgh in the dark. However, this is not all bad news, as you might view a stunning sunrise and sunset.