Tour Scotland Travel Tips

A few travel tips to help you with your packing for touring Scotland. To enjoy Scotland fully, it is best to be prepared for large daily variations in temperature, and for rain, though it rains far less in Scotland than you might imagine. Scotland's climate is highly unpredictable. Weather patterns shift all the time, and the climate can differ widely in places only a short distance apart. As an experienced Scottish Tour Guide, I'm highly aware of these fluctuations, and that's the main reason for suggesting keeping any itinerary flexible.

Always pack a mixture of warm-weather and cool-weather clothes. A raincoat or parka with a hood is far better than carrying an umbrella. Good walking shoes, already broken-in, are essential. Gloves and a scarf will take up little room in your suitcase, and yet may make all the difference on a cool evening. To pack well for Scotland, you need to grasp the concept of "layering," adding and removing layers of clothing as the climate changes throughout your Tour.

It has been my experience that group members will typically start each day wearing; good shoes or sneakers, casual pants or jeans, a t-shirt, a sweater and a hooded jacket or coat. As the day warms up they will typically dispense with the jacket and sweater, or maybe add the gloves and the scarf if the weather takes a turn for the worst. The secret of packing for an enjoyable vacation is including the right kind of clothing which will keep you comfortable regardless of the weather.