Packing report- Winter travel in Oxford and London

Lynda! What an excellent packing report! Your weather sounds like what we've had recently in North Idaho but I'm sure England was more humid which can make it feel colder (to me!).

I know you'll have a wonderful time on the VI tour. I suspect it will be warmer than you think until maybe the last night in Orta! Yes to the athletic shoes for that tour! I found streets in Siena surprisingly slippery so I hope they have a good non-slip tread on them.

Thanks so much for posting! You KNOW I love to read packing reports, lol.

Thanks for sharing, Lyndash!

I saw a lot of black puffy coats in southern Spain- even on days when I wasn’t wearing a coat and was plenty warm. I did throw in my thin fleece Columbia jacket and wore it several evenings but had no rain.

I hope you have a great time on the Village Italy tour! I was just purchasing a few of the Super Economy train tickets for an Italian trip coming up in a few months, too. Exciting!

Thanks Lyndash, I always love a good packing report!

Thanks Lyndash! Enjoyed your packing report and made notes for England and Ireland for July.

Your 82* day sounds wonderful. It was so cold and rainy in Phoenix today. I got a chance to try out my new rain coat (kept me dry but not warm enough) and sweater (who doesn’t like pink!).

You’ll love the VI tour. The hill towns were a little cooler than I thought they would be in early September. And it poured rain in Carrera.

Thanks, Lyndash, for the detailed packing recap! I've got a trip to London and Dublin in exactly one month so it was very helpful.

Today in Tucson it was 45-55 degrees and windy with occasional light rain. We rarely get that type of weather so I used the opportunity to test out different outerwear combinations for my trip.

Have fun on your upcoming tour!

Glad to hear your packing corresponded well with the weather.
How do Columbia and LL Bean compare to Lands End for you?

The weather is so much nicer now than in January or February which are so dark and grey. Everywhere is coming alive and people are feeling more cheery with plans for weekend walks and trips to the coast. I would not recommend coming to England in winter if you can avoid it.

What a great report; thank you, Lynda!

I love the detail. I also consider 40 degrees cold, and love my silk long underwear. (Also from Lands End, BTW.) We were in London in February a couple of years ago, and except for the knee high boots and socks, our packing lists were pretty much the same.

Have a wonderful time on the Village Italy tour. We enjoyed it so much, my husband wants us to take it again next year! But yes to two sweaters and sneakers with good traction. There will be a lot of walking.

Were you hot indoors with long underwear on? I must admit I associate long underwear with outdoor sports like skiing or sledding.

But I was in England in April and I was cold. I did not bring my packable down jacket and wish I had. But maybe I could have done well with some silk underwear!

@Horsewoofie and Sherry - You AZ gals are cracking me up! BUT this is an excellent way to figure out what layers work for what temp ranges!

@Beth - If you don't want to go for silk base layers, look at the inexpensive 32 Degree brand base layers. I have them and often wear the all winter even in the house. This winter it was not really cold so did not need them much but other years, yes.

avirosemail, I think LL Bean, Eddie Bauer, Columbia are all on a par with Lands End. I really like having the option of a removable liner. I have 2 all weather type coats like that. In fact my ‘winter’ coat here in Texas is a mid-calf long all weather coat with a removable liner that I’ve had for years. You also used to be able to order London Fog coats online. They are/used to be good quality.

Helen, when it was 40s all day with a breeze I wrapped my wool muffler around my neck and ears and kept on going. I agree it wasn’t great but walking into St Paul’s or the V&A almost by myself is why I keep traveling to Europe in the winter. Still more folks in the National Gallery and the British Museum than my last February trip in 2019 but you could still walk in with no or hardly any wait.

BethFL, I don’t get overheated with the long undies I wear. If the interior temperature of wherever I am is too warm I unbutton my coat and sweater and tie the scarf that is around my neck on my purse and I’m fine. But that happened only once I think. I found museum temps to be quite comfortable this trip. And just that thin under layer makes a big difference to me so I don’t need or want a down/puffy coat. You should give it a try. I also think having silk for a top layer is a bit more breathable than the polyester of Cuddl Duds or 32 Degrees.

Jane, you are the reason I was in Oxford and London this February!! I did a big solo UK trip in February of 2019 and thought I was ‘done’ with it until I read your trip report of your Best of London in 2023 (?) and thought, hmm….maybe not! Then my husband read the tour description and decided to come along. We had a great time.

I am heading to England on Wednesday and have all my items out ready to pack. Highs in the 40's are expected for next week so I appreciate the packing report. I had already packed gloves but I will throw in a scarf. I was there in March last year, so I know how chilly it can feel in the dampness but its hard to pack for cold weather when its 65 - 70 degrees here.

It’s so dark here in the winter, that’s the main problem. Today has been 15C (60F) and sunny which is considered extremely pleasant here. I’ve been to Bath shopping with my daughter and had coffee and pastries sitting outside. Lots of people in the parks and a lovely atmosphere everywhere.

@Lynda -- I had a great thrift store find London Fog coat with zip-out liner that was great, until for some reason it seemed to shrink as my metabolism changed. ;-P

Thanks to the forum here I this winter started looking at Duluth Trading for some clothing -- dowdy maybe but very functional

Avirose, I’ve had the same thing happen to me! The nerve of that mystery shrinkage!

Yes, I shop Duluth too. They make yoga type pants I really like that I can get in tall. I used to order them from LE but the quality for that item has slipped I think and the Duluth ones are better. Noga is the pants I think. Great for airplane travel or long car trips.

Thanks for this; I am also packing for an early spring trip to Cornwall, the forecasted temperatures for which seem not to get out of the 50s, if that, with rain daily, although not necessarily all day. I am dithering over bringing a relatively heavy (but primaloft-lined) LLBean raincoat, which reaches almost to my knees and has a hood, vs bringing a much lighter but possibly less waterproof coat and trying to layer it. My current thinking is that, while it takes up a biggish chunk of my roll aboard, if I carry it going home I’ll have room for yarn and other souvenirs!

Lizgstein, my vote is for the LLB coat, I think the liner is pretty close to the weight of mine and should serve you well. I was in Cornwall last spring and it was very breezy which made it cooler than I thought it would be. Yes, carry the coat, pack the yarn!

Lyndash, I laughed when I read your response to me. I love it when people make plans based on my trip reports and reviews. And I'm always spurred to go back and reread the report, which brings the trip alive for me again, so thank you!