There’s been a lot of doom-mongering in Scotland as of late. Not anything ‘four horses of the apocalypse’ related – although wouldn’t they be a sight gallopingacross the rugged Highland landscape?! No, we’re talking about ‘weather doom-mongering’. Numerous newspapers have been claiming this to be the worst summer in years, with temperatures barely reaching above the 16-degree mark.
Here at Ariescape, however, we’d beg to differ. For one, Scotland is still reeling from the brief heatwave that struck between June 26th to June 28th. Granted, it only lasted two days, but the ‘Iberian plume’ was a gift for tourists and locals alike, leading to some beautiful scenes as people were out and about enjoying the rays. Secondly – and perhaps more importantly – while the sun hasn’t been out every single day since summer began, that’s not really what summer is about in Scotland.
Scotland Summer Breaks
If you’re planning on renting a motorhome in Scotland this summer, the chances are you’re not expecting sunshine. No one does. Without being too stereotypical, Scotland is often as damp and rainy as they say. But that makes our summers all the more intoxicating.
Because when the sun does finally shine, you really feel it. It’s quite apt, for instance, that we’re writing this blog from our Edinburgh office, looking out at the city streets that are currently baking in sunlight. T-shirts are on, shorts, sunglasses, smiles. Down at Princes Street Gardens, hundreds of people are lining the grass, a book in their hands, headphones in their ears – playing football beside the National Gallery.
All of them are well aware that, by tomorrow, this sunshine could easily be long gone. But that makes days like today all the more special because they’re not taken for granted. Take it from us, if you’re from out of town and you’re travelling to Scotland for a summer break, you’ll catch an energy and a vibe that is quite unlike anything you’ve experienced before.
The Forecast for this Year
In addition to this, Scotland’s summer of 2024 hasn’t been rainy. We’ve probably jinxed it now, but while there’s been a spattering of rain here and there, it’s not like there’s been a constant downpour. In fact, on many occasions, it’s been quite bright. Just not too warm.
But that’s to be expected. Because Scotland is located at a relatively high latitude, we get less direct sunlight than countries closer to the equator. It’s also worth noting that we’re surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea, both of which keep land temperatures relatively mild, with predominant winds also coming in from the west. So while it might not be boiling hot temperature-wise, the sun has still been shining.
And it looks set to continue shining, too. According to long-range weather forecasts, the Scottish sun is going to stay out for the most part, with a bit of rain dampening late July and early August. In terms of temperatures, we’re going to be getting up to 17 degrees on occasion, with the lowest set to be around 9 degrees on August 13th. The summer days are very long, too, which means you’ll get a whole lot of daylight to play around with. It’s not great, that’s for sure. But it’s certainly not bad.
What Summer is All About
As we mentioned previously, Scotland’s summers aren’t determined by ultra-hot weather and baking sunshine anyway. If you’re travelling the country in a motorhome this year, it doesn’t matter if it rains every day – although, of course, we hope that doesn’t happen – because it’s all about the adventure. The scenery, the beauty, the energy.
The rain, in many cases, can even determine what to do when you’re undecided yourself. If you’re only spending a couple of sunny days in Edinburgh, for instance, you could spend them in the Royal Botanical Gardens, wandering around Princes Street, or climbing Arthur’s Seat. If you’re spending a couple of rainy days in Edinburgh, however, you could spend them investigating the Edinburgh Vaults, walking around the Scottish National Museum, or taking a tour of the gorgeous Holyrood Palace.
As we mentioned before, Scotland is very used to damp weather, so you’ll always find something fun to do in the rain. You’ll also find that many parts of Scotland look even more beautiful and dramatic when the sky is overcast and there’s a crisp chill in the air. This is a place of majesty and history, after all – both of which always shine through, even if there’s no sunshine to speak of.
