Disclosure: This is a collaborative post about a packing list for Scotland.
Scotland’s weather can be variable throughout the year, with the warmest months being between June and August. Although May and September often have the driest weather and are the best time time to visit outside of the busy summer months. Average temperatures in the summer are often around 20 degrees Celsius, although you can just as easily have rain during the summer! Due to the possibility of varied Scottish weather, even in the summer, we definitely recommend bringing a well packed travel wardrobe including a good rain jacket at any time of year. It’s essential to consider this packing list for Scotland on a month by month basis.
Check out our Scotland Packing List below! If you need some more ideas for your Scotland road trip, then check out this awesome Scottish road trips post.
Table of Contents
Spring Packing List For Scotland
Heeled ankle boots are the perfect choice for women visiting Scotland in Spring. They will be great for slightly warmer days in the cities, whilst keeping feet dry in any April showers. Also bring a good pair of walking boots for hiking along stunning walks around Scotland and perhaps 1-2 pairs of shoes that are comfy for walking around the city or when you would like to dress down.
Late Spring is one of the best times to visit Scotland when the weather tends to be drier and is also when I’m most likely to plan a Scottish holiday myself!
- Hiking boots
- Dressy boots (optional for a city break)
- Flat shoes
- Waterproof Jacket
- Waterproof trousers (optional, but useful if you are planning on a lot of hiking)
- Fleece jumper (for hiking)
- Woolly hat and thin gloves (optional, but useful If you plan to walk a lot and visit the islands)
- Cardigan or thin outer layer to keep warm, particularly in the evenings
- Trousers
- Hiking trousers or leggings
- Long skirt or dress for city visits (wear tights underneath if it’s cold)
- Several tops such as a tank top or cap sleeve tops
- Thin socks
- Underwear (obviously!)
Obviously you will need all your other travel paraphernalia including wash things, cameras, passports etc.!
Summer Scottish Packing List
In the summer you can probably get away with a carry-on suitcase when travelling to Scotland. Wear your hiking boots and an extra layer for warmth on the plane to save room in your bag, then pack all the smaller clothing items in packing cubes into your case. The most important things to remember will be a good, thin, waterproof jacket for rainy days and a reusable water bottle for outdoor activities.
- Hiking boots
- Flat shoes
- Waterproof Jacket
- Waterproof trousers (optional, but useful if you are planning on a lot of hiking)
- Fleece jumper (for hiking)
- Woolly hat and thin gloves (optional, but useful If you plan to walk a lot and visit the islands)
- Cardigan or thin outer layer to keep warm, particularly in the evenings
- Trousers
- Hiking trousers or leggings
- Long skirts or dress for city visits
- Several tops, it can get warmer in the summer so I recommend a mix of sleeveless and cap sleeves
- Thin socks
- Underwear (obviously!)
- Swimming costume, in case you decide to wild swim in one of Scotland’s fantastic outdoor locations!
Most people seem to visit the Isle of Skye in summer, however it can get incredibly busy on this small Scottish island. I highly recommend visiting the Isle of Mull instead, it has just as many beautiful and interesting places to visit, but is quieter.
Autumn Scottish Packing List
As it’s getting chillier in the autumn it may be useful to have some chunky boots to keep feet dry and cosy. I’d also recommend hiking boots as per the other months if you are planning on going into the countryside in some beautiful hikes. There is most likely going to be some days with heavy rain this month, wet weather is inevitable in the autumn months. However, you will definitely enjoy the beautiful colours in the forests at this time of year! Don’t forget an extra warm layer for cold windy days exploring the country.
For city breaks bring a pair of jeans, but don’t take anything that drags on the ground, they will just become saturated and heavy in the wet weather.
- Hiking boots
- Boots for the city
- Flat shoes
- Waterproof Jacket
- Waterproof trousers (optional, but useful if you are planning on a lot of hiking)
- Fleece jumper (for hiking)
- Woolly hat and thin gloves (optional, but useful If you plan to walk a lot and visit the islands)
- Cardigan or warm outer layer to keep warm, particularly in the evenings
- Trousers
- Hiking trousers or leggings
- Long skirts or dress for city visits (bring tights for underneath)
- Several tops, it can get warmer in early September so I recommend a mix of sleeveless and cap sleeves
- Thin socks
- Underwear (obviously!)
- Swimming costume, in case you decide to wild swim in one of Scotland’s fantastic outdoor locations! – maybe only in September, you’ll need to be brave to go in now!
Winter Packing List For Scotland
Despite it being winter you will still find sunny days. The best of these sunny days are when it’s frosty on the ground and the Scottish Highlands sparkles in the beauty! The top tip for packing to visit Scotland in Winter is to bring base layers for hiking, cold weather can really bite in Scotland, so it’s best to be prepared! The Scottish Winter is said to be different to Winter in other parts of the world, despite the temperature not actually being as cold as it is in North America, the wind certainly makes it feel colder!
- Hiking boots
- Waterproof Shoes
- Waterproof jacket (one like this North Face winter jacket is great)
- Waterproof trousers (optional, but useful if you are planning on a lot of hiking)
- Warm Fleece jumper (for hiking)
- Woolly hat, scarf and winter gloves (definitely needed in winter!)
- Warm jumper or cardigan to keep warm, particularly in the evenings
- Trousers
- Hiking trousers or leggings (fleece lined are best for winter)
- Long skirts or dress for city visits, bring tights or leggings to wear underneath
- Several tops, long sleeves are best for winter, but bring a couple of short sleeves for layering
- Underwear (obviously!)
- Wool socks for walking boots
Tips For Travel In Scotland
Don’t forget to ensure that you have good travel insurance when visiting Scotland. Also, please check that your credit cards are accepted in Scotland, Amex is not always accepted, but Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere. If you are visiting smaller shops in rural areas then make sure you have some cash in GBP, they may not have signal for credit and debit cards. Although Scotland is in the continent of Europe the currency is the pound Sterling, Euros are not accepted anywhere. Don’t forget to bring a battery pack to charge up your mobile phones and a universal adapter to charge all your equipment.
Enjoy your trip To Scotland! If you need any more advice on Scottish trips, then visit my Scotland section here.
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Pin A Packing List for Scotland in All Seasons
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