Scotland Guide
Weather
The summer months of June, July and August are Scotland's high season, with local school holidays making July and early August the busiest period. While the locals celebrate a single day of bright sunshine as "glorious", the weather at this time is, at best, unpredictable; however, days are generally mild or warm and, most importantly, long, with daylight lingering until 9pm or later. May and September frequently throw up weather every bit as good as, if not better than, the months of high summer. You're less likely to encounter crowds or struggle to find somewhere to stay, and the mild temperatures combined with the changing colours of nature mean both are great for outdoor activities, particularly hiking. The spring and autumn months of April and October bracket the season for many parts of rural Scotland. A large number of attractions, tourist offices and guesthouses often open for business on Easter weekend and shut up shop after the school half-term in mid-October. Winter days, from November through to March, occasionally crisp and bright, are more often cold, gloomy and all too brief.