One Week in London in October

I was in London last year in October and a raincoat was fine. I brought a mix of sweaters and long sleeve tees and found the temperature very pleasant

I was in London for the first time last October and the weather was unusually beautiful. Everyone talked about the weather and that it was not normally like this.

I am in my 70's and dress casually always. Wore Chaco sandals the whole time and simple dresses / skirts.

Rain gear is a must, and so is a sweater or two and a light jacket.

I went to the V&A museum which you have probably also been to but across the street is a Natural History Museum and another museum. Both were uncrowded and free. Not very discovered so it seems.

Have you been to the Serpentine Museums? There are two and I went to one. It was not crowded and I think also not very discovered. It is at one end of the Serpentine, the end that is away from Kensington Gardens. or Bayswater Rd. I really liked this small museum and wish that I could have made it to the second one. They are near one another.

Added: Here is a link to the Serpentine Galleries should you be interested

https://www.serpentinegalleries.org

For that time of year in London, I like a trench coat because it's so practical and it's easy to layer underneath for warmth. For shoes, that really depends on what's comfortable on your foot for a lot of walking and your style.

For off the path places, what are your hobbies and interests?

I never wear boots unless there is snow on the ground. For city visits, I prefer a pair of leather walking shoes. My current Clarke's loafers have stood the test of time. I prefer packing layers, so for fall will bring a light waterproof jacket, a hoodie, and a black cardigan. Dark wash jeans and black slacks. Plus assorted long and short sleeve tees. A couple of scarves to dress up the basics for evenings out to a nice dinner and the theatre. And at least one pair of dressier, trouser style pants for evenings.

You need layers. A waterproof jacket is a must then bring a fleece that you can layer under. Also sweaters and t shirts. Then you can choose what you need based on conditions. A light puffa is handy as well but you can manage without.

The weather in October could be very pleasant or it could be cool and rainy. It’s probably not going to be very cold but that really depends on what you’re used to. Posters on here do sometimes find London much colder than I would expect because they’re used to warmer weather.

I live in London and adore the cooler autumns because I can wear layers, or toss on my MC jacket and not sweat to death. My husband, who has no body fat (drat him!), is positively miserable a lot of fall and winter days when the air is moist and the wind is whipping up from the water. (It’s a humid cold, mostly, which can feel more deep in your bones.) Which is a long way of saying that a lot of your comfort will depend on your personal physiology. :-)

That said, even if it is mild and sunny in the morning, you might get unexpected (and not forecasted!!!) rain squalls at any point during the day. I always always always have a brelly in my purse. Always.

Off the path? Wow - that is a big area to think about! What are things that you generally like to explore? This community has tons of excellent suggestions if you give us more of a hint.

You say you are not new to London, so here are some random, intermediate level thoughts:
* Have you explored Brixton?
* Have you been to Little Venice?
* How about Whitechapel, Brick Lane, east London in general?
* I don’t know if you like walking tours (I don’t) but a lot of folks here swear by London Walks, and from their suggestions on this board I gather that London Walks has some really cool and funky itineraries, so you might check them out.

In London in October I tend to wear my usual hybrid walking shoes (a pair of Goretex Merrells that work for city and country). Depending on weather I’ll either pack a light rain jacket and walk around in t-shirt and fleece - or if it’s a bit colder, I’ve got a knee-length thin waterproof puffa coat from Uniqlo that folds up small enough to go into a day pack.

Note: I am also a youngish 60 year old woman.

I was in London in early October some years ago and brought a lightweight trench coat, which was perfect for the weather. I liked that it had pockets and it was easy to take off if it got too warm. Plus it was light and easy to pack, and it was great against the wind and rain (although there wasn't too much of that). I also brought a lightweight rain hat but didn't use it that much.

Posters on here do sometimes find London much colder than I would expect because they’re used to warmer weather.

Ha ha, I'm the opposite! Coming from Duluth, I'm used to colder weather, so London felt pleasant to me. :-) But that's a good point. mleigh831, if you are from Florida or another very warm climate, you might need to dress warmer than someone who's from the cold north. :-)

Throwing a shout out to Amazon for their Amazon Essentials puffer vest. It folds up into it’s own pouch. Interior pockets are great. Use one for my mini iPad.

November is when I visit London, a bit cooler than October but often blue skies and sunshine.

I adore my comfy Lands End Fleece. Light weight and provides the warmth I need.

I’m a decade older….and dress in my black Gloria Vanderbilt jeans, lightweight turtle necks, Keen shoes ( slip ons and or their low cut Targhee hiking boots ).

Lastly I’ll wear a lightweight men’s Ex Officio hooded raincoat. I wear the men’s because of the interior pockets, the hood detaches and the coat is roomier. I’ve never liked that women’s coats are made to accent a woman’s waist. Meh.

Give me comfort, practical pockets, and a better price!

Lastly, been visiting London since Nixon was in office. Never bores me. Always find something new to see and neighborhoods to explore.

Have you been to Bletchley Park? Mudchute Farm?
Sir John Sloane museum? Seen the Crystal Park Dinosaurs? Toured a London Theatre? Visited the Crossrail Roof Garden?

Taken a London Walk? www.walks.com

Lots to see and do in London as it’s always changing and always the same.

Some off the beaten path outings we have enjoyed over many visits to London include Brixton, already mentioned, and we carried on to Dulwich and the art museum there. We also enjoyed Richmond for a day outing and liked it so much we plan to stay there upon arrival on our next trip. We often take a bus (or tram depending on the city) to its final stop and back to get a bit of a taste of other neighbourhoods beyond the center of a town/city. We have done that in London several times and enjoyed it.

I am a huge Uniqlo fan. They sell everything you need to survive the UK weather at very reasonable prices. I have loads of things from there but I especially find a very lightweight collarless puffa is really useful. It packs up small and I can wear it under another coat without it showing if it gets cold, or if I’m going to be outside for a while. They do great waterproofs as well plus the best thermals.

I was in London last December and was too hot in the winter clothes I brought, the same ones I wear here at home in West Coast Canada.
The big shops keep their heat up high in colder weather, so layers are what you need if you are going in and out of shops, museums, theatres etc, as you will be undressing a lot!
Take a tiny fold up bag to carry any layers you take off.
Rain jacket with a hood as umbrellas can be awkward on crowded streets, light puffer jacket or light fleece under it, gloves, a scarf and some waterproof walking shoes.
And…….London shops are all full of everything you might have forgotten….!

Another vote for London Walks, I’ve taken many over the years and all have been great.

https://www.walks.com/

The Museum of London is really interesting, and not on the overcrowded tourist trail.
Walk through some of the many great parks for a break.