So... If I went to Scotland's Highlands in September, what kind of weather might I run into? Anything that might make me regret renting a car, like snow, 24/7 fog, or endless gales?
I was there umpteen years ago in early May. No problems other than uppity sheep.
Greetings
Anything is possible in Scotland, but September is usually fine. The worst that's likely to happen is rain or fog, and temps may dip down into the 30s farther north later in the month...or it could be warm and pleasant. The uppity sheep are still here :o)
Kate
I agree - it might get hazy or a bit wet, but not cold. The only time you need to worry about cold should be when you're out hillwalking. This summer has been cool and wet, but August and September (fingers crossed!) are a bit drier, normally. Enjoy your trip! kathleen
Why rent a car when the trains and buses of Scotland are so easy to use? We just returned from a 2 and 1/2 week visit, with most of our time in Scotland. The few bits that we couldn't access by train, were available on day tours! We have been to the UK more than 41 times and love to travel by train. Driving on Scottish roads can be difficult in the best of weather- they drive on the left, many "main" roads have sections that are single track,and wind, rain showers and fog are constant threats and things are often farther apart by road than by train. The Highlands are beautiful- you wouldn't want to miss something just because you had to focus on driving- leave the "worry" to someone else and enjoy the experiece!!!
Toni, it's heartening to see you were happy using trains and buses. You're right about the roads being challenging sometimes. It's difficult to enjoy mountain scenery when you are concentrating on not falling down the side of one.
When I drove in the Highlands before, I'd been living in the UK for a few years so the left-side-of-the-road bit was second nature by then. Driving does allow you the freedom of stopping any time you wish and going down any road Just to see where it goes (my idea of a good time) but that loses its allure when the weather turns sour.
As it turns out, I've decided to skip Scotland. The dates were bumped to October, so the weather gets more iffy. I don't want to spend the money only to see it turn wet and nasty for the duration. Too much of a risk, for me at least, so I'll spend my time and money in London on this trip.
