Rainwear in England

I tried that 12 years ago and got wet. ; ( I was walking on Hadrian's Wall and got soaked. I bought a new jacket the next day. I think if you really plan to do walking and you don't want the weather to stop you, you need the jacket and the rain pants. You could buy some cheap rain pants in the UK. I got some in Scotland a few years ago on sale for 5 pounds. My friends were tired of me always having wet pants. ; ) BTW it has to be water proof not water resistant. I recommend a hood so that your hands are free for pictures. When I've walked in the UK you can have rain in the AM and sun by mid morning and rain again just after lunch. It's the most changeable weather patterns in the world and all very local. On the other side of the hill the sun can be out while you are walking in the mist. Pam

I always take a raincoat and a folding umbrella to the UK. For our upcoming April to June trip I got a new knee-length raincoat from LLBean which rolls up into its own pocket. A poncho should work for you. I also take gore-tex footwear.

In England, we usually have a raincoat and umbrella. But that would not work on a walking holiday.

I live in a very wet climate, have never owned rain pants, and don't know anyone who does. If you get a hooded, waterproof raincoat (parka or longer), wear synthetic pants that dry quickly, wear waterproof shoes with socks that dry quickly, and have a waterproof daypack, you'll be set.

It all depends on how wet you are able to tolerate. Pamela has the best answer - but may be happy with a poncho. Remember the wind changes and your legs and feet will probably get wet.

A good poncho, over you AND your daypack, is as good or better than a rainshell. The key is waterproof. I'd also add waterproof walking shoes, wool socks, and pants that dry quickly if they get wet (jeans would be the worst). My experience in England is to never get further than arms length from your rain protection. Even if it looks beautiful out, it may be pouring an hour from now.

Of course, a poncho over a daypack screams "American tourist" much more than a baseball cap or tennis shoes.

Really, the only way not to look like a tourist is stay home. Better to just not worry about it and have a good time. When it comes to staying dry, function beats form in my book. Full disclosure, I just bought a really nice Marmot precip jacket, so I guess form still has some value.

Okay, I also had a rain cover for my back pack that I purchased in Edinburgh. My rain pants, my backpack raincover, and my midgie net each came in their own cute little pouches and weigh next to nothing. ; ) Pam

Think (un)fashionable gortex, rain paints, walking boots. Up in the north we live in gortex.
S

I hike in a wet envirnoment, Pacific Northwest, and in my experience goretex or other breathable rain pants are a good investment, because they keep 50% of you dry, if you're out for more than a short time in serious rain.