What to pack for your tour of the UK
8 min read

What to pack for your tour of the UK

Britain's weather has a mind of its own. Sunshine, showers, and a chilly wind can all show up on the same day, whatever the season. The good news is that packing for a UK tour doesn't need to be complicated. Layers and a decent waterproof cover most eventualities.

What the weather actually does, month by month

Thirty-year averages from the Met Office. Pick a nation, then choose temperature or rainfall.

The mildest of the three. Even so, overnight lows sit near freezing from December to February, so warm layers earn their place in winter.

05101520°CJan in England: average high 7°C, average low 2°C Feb in England: average high 8°C, average low 2°C Mar in England: average high 10°C, average low 3°C Apr in England: average high 13°C, average low 4°C May in England: average high 16°C, average low 7°C Jun in England: average high 19°C, average low 10°C Jul in England: average high 21°C, average low 12°C Aug in England: average high 21°C, average low 12°C Sep in England: average high 18°C, average low 10°C Oct in England: average high 14°C, average low 7°C Nov in England: average high 10°C, average low 4°C Dec in England: average high 8°C, average low 2°C 21°2°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average daily highAverage daily low
Show the numbers
England: monthly averages, 1991–2020
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Avg high 7°C 8°C 10°C 13°C 16°C 19°C 21°C 21°C 18°C 14°C 10°C 8°C
Avg low 2°C 2°C 3°C 4°C 7°C 10°C 12°C 12°C 10°C 7°C 4°C 2°C

The driest of the three, but never actually dry. Autumn and winter bring the most rain. A waterproof earns its place in the bag in every month of the year.

060120180mmJan in England: 83mm of rain on average Feb in England: 66mm of rain on average Mar in England: 58mm of rain on average Apr in England: 56mm of rain on average May in England: 57mm of rain on average Jun in England: 65mm of rain on average Jul in England: 66mm of rain on average Aug in England: 75mm of rain on average Sep in England: 69mm of rain on average Oct in England: 90mm of rain on average Nov in England: 92mm of rain on average Dec in England: 92mm of rain on average 92mmJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average monthly rainfall
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England: monthly averages, 1991–2020
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Rainfall 83mm 66mm 58mm 56mm 57mm 65mm 66mm 75mm 69mm 90mm 92mm 92mm

Very close to England for temperature, a shade cooler in high summer. The difference between the two is rain, not warmth.

05101520°CJan in Wales: average high 7°C, average low 2°C Feb in Wales: average high 7°C, average low 2°C Mar in Wales: average high 9°C, average low 3°C Apr in Wales: average high 12°C, average low 4°C May in Wales: average high 15°C, average low 7°C Jun in Wales: average high 18°C, average low 9°C Jul in Wales: average high 19°C, average low 11°C Aug in Wales: average high 19°C, average low 11°C Sep in Wales: average high 17°C, average low 9°C Oct in Wales: average high 13°C, average low 7°C Nov in Wales: average high 10°C, average low 4°C Dec in Wales: average high 8°C, average low 2°C 19°2°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average daily highAverage daily low
Show the numbers
Wales: monthly averages, 1991–2020
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Avg high 7°C 7°C 9°C 12°C 15°C 18°C 19°C 19°C 17°C 13°C 10°C 8°C
Avg low 2°C 2°C 3°C 4°C 7°C 9°C 11°C 11°C 9°C 7°C 4°C 2°C

Noticeably wetter than England in every single month, and wettest of all from October through to January. Waterproof footwear matters more here than anywhere else on our routes.

060120180mmJan in Wales: 155mm of rain on average Feb in Wales: 120mm of rain on average Mar in Wales: 103mm of rain on average Apr in Wales: 88mm of rain on average May in Wales: 87mm of rain on average Jun in Wales: 92mm of rain on average Jul in Wales: 99mm of rain on average Aug in Wales: 112mm of rain on average Sep in Wales: 112mm of rain on average Oct in Wales: 158mm of rain on average Nov in Wales: 162mm of rain on average Dec in Wales: 176mm of rain on average 176mmJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average monthly rainfall
Show the numbers
Wales: monthly averages, 1991–2020
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Rainfall 155mm 120mm 103mm 88mm 87mm 92mm 99mm 112mm 112mm 158mm 162mm 176mm

Cooler year-round, with average highs in single figures from November to March. Even in July the average high is only 17°C, so pack the fleece whatever the month.

05101520°CJan in Scotland: average high 6°C, average low 0°C Feb in Scotland: average high 6°C, average low 0°C Mar in Scotland: average high 8°C, average low 1°C Apr in Scotland: average high 10°C, average low 3°C May in Scotland: average high 13°C, average low 5°C Jun in Scotland: average high 16°C, average low 8°C Jul in Scotland: average high 17°C, average low 10°C Aug in Scotland: average high 17°C, average low 10°C Sep in Scotland: average high 15°C, average low 8°C Oct in Scotland: average high 11°C, average low 5°C Nov in Scotland: average high 8°C, average low 2°C Dec in Scotland: average high 6°C, average low 0°C 17°0°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average daily highAverage daily low
Show the numbers
Scotland: monthly averages, 1991–2020
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Avg high 6°C 6°C 8°C 10°C 13°C 16°C 17°C 17°C 15°C 11°C 8°C 6°C
Avg low 0°C 0°C 1°C 3°C 5°C 8°C 10°C 10°C 8°C 5°C 2°C 0°C

Wet all year, with a soggy peak from October to January. Even the driest month, May, is wetter than an average English January.

060120180mmJan in Scotland: 178mm of rain on average Feb in Scotland: 141mm of rain on average Mar in Scotland: 124mm of rain on average Apr in Scotland: 93mm of rain on average May in Scotland: 89mm of rain on average Jun in Scotland: 93mm of rain on average Jul in Scotland: 104mm of rain on average Aug in Scotland: 120mm of rain on average Sep in Scotland: 123mm of rain on average Oct in Scotland: 168mm of rain on average Nov in Scotland: 165mm of rain on average Dec in Scotland: 174mm of rain on average 178mmJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average monthly rainfall
Show the numbers
Scotland: monthly averages, 1991–2020
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Rainfall 178mm 141mm 124mm 93mm 89mm 93mm 104mm 120mm 123mm 168mm 165mm 174mm

Source: Met Office HadUK-Grid national series, 1991–2020 averages. Averages are a guide, not a forecast. Any given day can and will do something else.

Luggage allowance

On extended tours, passengers are limited to one suitcase (max 15kg) and one carry-on such as a backpack. Minibuses have limited luggage space, and keeping bags manageable means a smoother journey for everyone. Any excess luggage can usually be stored at your pick-up hotel.

On day tours, a small daypack is all you need.

For extended tours (2 to 5 days)

Pack for layers rather than bulk. A base layer, a mid layer, and a waterproof jacket will see you through most of what Britain throws at you.

Clothing

Light, breathable tops. A warm fleece or sweater. Trousers or jeans. A waterproof jacket. A scarf is worth throwing in for spring and autumn, and gloves and a hat if you're travelling in winter.

Footwear

Comfortable walking shoes, ideally water-resistant. Some of the paths and villages we visit can get muddy, and you'll be on your feet for stretches of the day.

Accessories

Sunglasses, sunscreen (yes, even in the UK), a compact umbrella, and a reusable water bottle.

Essentials

Toiletries, your phone charger (our minibuses have USB points at every seat), and a power adapter if you're travelling from outside the UK. British plugs are Type G.

For day tours (1 day)

Keep it simple. A small daypack with:

A waterproof jacket
Warm layers if it's cold
Sunglasses and sunscreen
A reusable water bottle
Your charging cable
A snack or two for the road

One last thing

We visit some genuinely special places on these tours. Villages, countryside, coastlines that people have been looking after for centuries. Please take your litter home with you. Leave things exactly as you found them.

Packed and ready? Have a look at where we could take you.

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