We’re considering heading to England and Scotland for two weeks in February for our 25th anniversary. Are we going to be miserable with the weather? Are there plenty of things open or will we be out of luck? This is a first for us.
I’d only want to spend 2 days in London and the rest in Bath, Cotswold, York, and in between. I love historical places and beautiful outdoors so some of the national parks would be nice.
It depends how miserable you get with a bit of rain, I suppose. Admittedly, February isn't the best time for enjoying the great outdoors in the UK. It could also be cold with frosts, or even a bit snowy if you're really unlucky.
Cities are probably going to work best for you in February. More places to be in out of the weather, if it does happen to be poor.
As far as things being open, some National Trust properties like country houses or estates may be closed or have limited opening in February. You'd really need to check specific destinations on their websites before heading out.
Here is a current post regarding severe winter weather in England & Scotland:
Maybe the worst of it is over, or maybe the storms will continue. As cited above, for this year, staying in cities may be safer.
or even a bit snowy if you're really unlucky.
Anyone who has been following the news in Scotland knows that is a massive under statement in the Highlands. Even the local council in Orkney has used the term "snowmageddon" about recent conditions, with much the same being true in much of the Highlands- great for the skiing industry.
In the North of England National Parks you are going to struggle with walking due to flooding, and muddy conditions. Now is not the best time to come and see the Lake District. But this year has been truly exceptional. The same is true across the country.
Keep yourself in the major cities. If you did come up to the Lake District base yourself somewhere where you can pamper yourselves. Places like Bath and York will be very much open. In the Cotswolds maybe Bath or Oxford (where places will be open, and you can venture out into the country when the weather relents).
even down south here where I am there is just so much water on the fields that walking will be difficult and in some cases dangerous. February is usually a drab month anyway so I would always suggest limiting yourselves to towns and cities (York is very close to flooding again, so check) and bridges on many rivers are close to overtopping. We have a day of respite today - winds are down to 30mph now, with another wobble tomorrow.
It has been a conveyor belt of storms, and the medium term forecast is along the same line.
I wouldn't try to walk village to village in the Cotswolds at the moment. Best choice might be an organised small vehicle tour which will know where to go and where not to go. If you do go on a tour be sure you are ok of it rains or storms on the tour.
I would say that you will be fine in London but that's not where you will be for more than 2 days.
I hope you have a great trip...
You probably won’t want to go out walking across the fields. The amount of mud everywhere is unbelievable. There’s a huge swamp by every gate.
Country houses will have hard paths for following main routes so not so much of a problem. Larger places will be open but some less popular properties will not open fully until Easter.
Obviously the trees will be bare and no flowers in bloom. It’s pretty dark and grey. If you can delay until later in the year then I would.
None of the places you mention are actually in Scotland, but personally I'd steer clear of wanting to do too much walking in February. It's cold, wet, muddy and at the moment extremely windy. Cities like London, Edinburgh and York would be your best bet if you really must come in February.
Hi Nichol -
I’m going to agree that right now isn’t the best time in the U.K. to visit - small matter of getting airplanes safely onto terra firma currently! But that could change and probably will. It’s a very brave man that parts with his hard earned betting on the weather here.
Look, if it’s cold and wet, wrap up, use waterproofs and boots, and if very muddy invest in a cheap pair of knee length gaiters which you’ll be able to pick up once here, at a reasonable price. This for the countryside - the cities much the same but maybe not quite as heavy duty.
You can get sunny, if freezing, days in February and they are great for getting out in. If the ground is frozen solid, no mud! Mind how you go though, frozen also means slippery, at least in some parts. Exactly how cold you’ll feel though I suppose depends on whereabouts you are coming from. I was to talking to a Finnish girl who currently lives here and somewhat surprisingly, she said she’d never been as cold - my theory is that being close to water all the time in the U.K. means the cold is damp and it gets into your bones.
Many National Trust properties don’t open until the end of March, so check before setting your heart on something. NT properties like Fountains Abbey, not far from York, are largely outdoor experiences and the abbey ruins and water gardens are open nearly all year. The paths are good though and unless the River Skell floods, everywhere should be passable.
National Parks are protected areas that exist on maps - there’s no entry fee and they are open all the time, but the remoter they are the harder they are to access if the weather is poor.
Hope if you decide to come you have a great trip, and Happy Anniversary!
Ian
Ian, I’ve heard several people from Scandinavia say they feel colder in the UK than at home. It’s a very damp cold here. The temp isn’t really low enough to go out full ski wear style so you’re sort of stuck in the middle. Also our buildings aren’t as warm and well insulated so even when you do get indoors it can be less than toasty.
Don't underestimate how cold England can feel to those who don't live there. I once showed up in March and I was so cold and miserable, I swore I would never go back from January - March. (and I grew up there).
There is something about the dampness in the UK that chills you to your bone. In Mid Missouri we have just had an ice storm and very cold temperatures, but it's cold and sunny here, not damp and grey. Sunset is around 5:00 pm in February, so the chance of seeing the sun is pretty slim.
I would also comment that the heating in houses/hotels is also not quite the same. While radiators are effective, You are often in old buildings and the heat seems more patchy inside than it is in a US home. The good news is, that flights are cheap in March.
Helen - to be fair we were both in a snowy car park and neither of us was overdressed - she was coming back from a run and I was just setting off on what I laughingly refer to as a run!
mpaulynsettle - the flip side is there’s nothing like coming in from the cold into a warm pub with an open fire in an inglenook fireplace and the two armchairs in front of it aren’t taken…..
Our first trip to France, London and Scotland was in February and we went for almost 3 weeks. We had light snow in London, a blizzard in Scotland and then just a bit of rain in France. We had the best time! In Scotland we went to Edinburgh and then up to Aberdeenshire. Up there it was so cold that we had to stop into a small store to buy extra socks for the kids, and a warmer hat for our daughter, but that was no big deal. We went into a restaurant for lunch and yes we got stared at like "who are you and why are you here in the winter", but after a few seconds people realized we were not complaining and we had lunch just like everyone else. Some castles that were normally open in the winter were closed due to the extreme weather, but we still had fun wandering around the grounds. I would not hesitate to go at that time again, but we are also more winter people than summer, FWIW.
February is a depressing, miserable month in the UK which is why I often like to take a break to Spain at that time, I'll be in the Costa Del Sol for the first two weeks of February this year so that means I get to escape for half of the month. If you could postpone your anniversary celebrations for a month or two your experience would be better.
I always think end of November is as grim as it gets, the lack of day light.
Tne days are definitely pulling out now ,its borderline warm 54f yesterday.
That all said and its usually fleeting but the first week in April in the hills often has " lambing snows"
February is a good time to visit our cities. I think you should spend more time in London, where there is lots to see and do. Drop the Cotswolds trip, it won't be much fun out walking, for some reason gates and stiles are always in the muddiest part of the fields.
If a nice day is forecast, there are places just outside London or the other cities you intend visiting where you could take a train to for a country walk.
As mentioned, a lot depends on how you deal with wet, windy weather. Everyone is different in this regards. But the other thing to consider is how short the daylight hours are in the UK in winter. I don't know from where you originate, but you could experience considerably less Sunlight than that with which you are accustomed.
In 2019 I started in Edinburgh on February 25 and worked my way slowly south with stops in Haltwhistle (Hadrians Wall, I walked parts on 2 different days), York, Cambridge and London. Left on March 21st.
I’m a cold adverse Texan but with layers and smartwool socks I was very comfortable the whole time. Loved, loved the lack of fellow tourists and enjoyed everywhere I went.
So you can get unlucky with horrible weather or figure global warming could be your friend. I stayed in the cities for the most part and traveled by train. I had a great experience. Good luck to y’all.
So you can get unlucky with horrible weather or figure global warming could be your friend
Global warming/climate change for the UK means wetter, stormier winters which we've certainly experienced this winter so far. Global warming doesn't mean that everywhere experiences nice, warmer weather. Global warming is nobody's friend.
I have been in February. Make sure you have a scarf. For some reason the wind is biting on your neck. But in London underground stations you will be too hot.
