Weather and Climate in Scotland:
The most constant thing about Scotland's weather is its unpredictability. Therefore, it's best to prepare for anything, good or bad.
Just keep in mind that if it does rain, it probably won't last long. Besides, sunset in summertime is around 11pm, so you'll still have plenty of time to get out and enjoy the beauty of land. Layer your clothing and always take an umbrella.
Afternoon temperatures during summer usually will not exceed 75 degrees. Winter time the high is around 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit.
When preparing for an outdoor excursion to Scotland, the most important item to have in your knapsack is a strong insect repellant to protect against the Highland Midge.
Midges are tiny, gnat-like insects. They travel in swarms and only the female will bite. The bite isn't all that painful, less than that of it's cousin the mosquito, and midges do not carry the West Nile Virus. Most people find the insect just aggravating and annoying. Of all the repellants, Avon's Skin So Soft seems to work best, but you may have your own preference. If a repellant works well on mosquitoes for you, then it should work on midges.
Here are a few tips for minimizing your exposure to Scotland's Midges:
- Wear light colored clothing.
- Avoid areas that are wooded, damp, dimly-lit and still. Midges do not like sunlight and wind.
- Midges are more active early in the morning and late evenings.
- If you're in a midge-prone area do not leave windows or doors open in early morning and late evening especially if you have a light on in the house.
- Use of a good commercial insect repellent on the exposed skin is advised.
However, I'd be remiss in my duty as a historical traveler if I didn't include the following information: herbal deterrents have been used for centuries. Romans used camphor, pomegranate skins, cypress extract and camphor on the skin with some reported success.
Scotland Transportation Options:
While traveling around Scotland there are several modes of transportation available. If you're flying in you'll land at either Edinburgh or Glasgow. Both are modern and comfortable, with restaurants and shopping.
But if you're like me, you'll grab your bags, get out of the airport, and begin taking in the sights.
In both cities you have the availability of car rentals, however, if you're nervous about driving in an unfamiliar country you do have several other options. The usual taxi cab or bus will be at your disposal. Buses connect many smaller towns, but the service can be slow and limited at times.
If you're traveling on a low budget they're perfectly good, but you may find they slow your pace, and you may not be able to use them to visit more remote attractions.
One of the most popular way to explore the countryside is by rail. Railway trains used to connect very many towns throughout Scotland, but in the last thirty years the service has been pared down to main routes between major cities.
Essentially there's one North-South route on the West, and another on the East. Traveling in Scotland by train can be a great way to get a flavor of the country in a limited time: some routes such as the west coast line north of Glasgow, are especially scenic.
This article is part of the Historic Travel series on The Scotland Traveler.
