In the UK, you never know what the forecast is going to say. It can be hot one minute then cold the next. English weather can be very beautiful but also unpredictable. So be prepared!
The best advice we can give any one who is visiting the UK, or who lives here, is to pack and wear layers.
How to pack for the UK in Winter:
Believe it or not we do get snow in the UK, which is usually between December and February, but can vary from year to year. This also depends what regions you go to as generally the further North you go the colder it gets. If you go to Scotland in the winter months then you are most likely to get snow.
We will list everything that would be useful in the Winter months to take to the UK. Then, mention a bit more about each item in the list below:
- passport;
- Shoes;
- Hat, scarves and gloves;
- umbrella;
- coat;
- Fitbit;
- phone;
- camera;
- underwear;
- medication;
- trousers;
- t-shirts;
- jumpers;
- socks;
- adapter plug;
- leggings;
- evening clothes;
- toothbrush and toothpaste;
- deodorant;
- razor;
- hairbrush;
- bag.
Shoes:
Shoes can take up a lot of packing room so it’s good to think carefully about which shoes you need to take. We would suggest taking some trainers as they can be useful just about anywhere in the UK. If you are going to be in the countryside then usually trainers will be all you need for a nice walk. If you are going somewhere like the lake district, Scotland or Wales, we would suggest some walking boots, as there are many beautiful scenic walks that involve rough terrain and quite a lot of hills.
Here below are some of the best walking shoes for men and woman.
As I said earlier, the UK’s weather can be quite unpredictable and there could be rain involved at anytime of the year. This can make it quite muddy and wellington boots are a great idea to take; especially if your going to the country side. The only downside to this is that wellies can be quite large items in your luggage. Unless you are going in the middle of nowhere, we would buy them when you get to the UK. Most places will sell boots and in most places they can be quite affordable.
If you are taking a city break, we would also suggest some evening shoes, as some places during the evening won’t let you in if you are wearing trainers; it’s also nice to get dressed up if you are going out.
Hat, Scarves and Gloves:
If you are coming to the UK during the Winter months then I would say that a Hat, a scarf and some gloves is a must. This is true if you are going to the country side of having a city break the chances are you are going to be mostly outside exploring the sights and theses extra layers are useful and will be a godsend if the temperature suddenly drops.
Umbrellas:
A small umbrella is also a must and will be incredible useful. We have a lot of rain in England so we all mostly carry an umbrella around with us in our cars or a bags. Some Hotels do supply Umbrellas to their guests and you can also buy one when you get to the UK but I would say its useful to pack one before hand as they don’t take up much room and you may even need it straight away.
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Coats:
A nice warm coat is a good idea to bring with you to the UK. I would get a warm coat that is also waterproof that has a hood. That way you are covered. It will probably be your biggest item to pack so I would wear it on the journey so you don’t have to squeeze it into your case. You may also want to bring a waterproof small rain coat ( in England we call them a Cagoul ) but they are also sold pretty much everywhere in England and can roll up really small to put in your bag.
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Cameras:
England is a stunning place and although you have your phone, we would normally recommend taking a quality camera out with you.
Clothes:
It’s very easy to over pack clothes when you go away. It obviously depends how long you are going for, but it is useful to pack lots of layers. You could be out in the countryside one minute and then in a warm English pub, sitting next to the fire, the next.
It is very specific to the individual person how long their trip is and where in the UK you be going. Some ideas would be :
- jeans;
- trousers;
- tops;
- dress;
- skirts;
- leggings.
Think to yourself what you will be doing if you have an itinerary and take it by the day and mix and match.
How to Pack for the UK in the Summer:
The UK in Summer months can get pretty hot. Sometimes it can reach around 30 degrees. The summer months typically start from May/June time and run through to August. It does, however, start to cool off in September. Theses days are the sunniest with the occasional heat wave and thunderstorms. The English summer can still be unpredictable and you can never know what kind of summer we are going to get.
A couple of Summer items, which we would recommend are as follows:
Shoes:
As it can get pretty hot during a Summer we would recommend packing some sandals and flip flops if going near a beach. This would be useful to quickly put on with any outfit and to keep you cool. As the weather can change so quickly, we would also take some trainers in case of rain.
Clothes and Swimwear:
There is such variety in swim wear that you can take with you on your travels. As the UK has some beautiful beaches, we would recommend taking the something that can easily be adaptable to the changing weather. A lot of the sea temperatures can still be quite low, so we would advise taking extra swim layers just in case. Some of the beaches in Devon and Cornwall are stunning and we would definitely recommend a visit.
We hope you found this useful and we hope you enjoy the UK.
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For the Love of England and the UK 