Scotland - visit Easter or Summer?

[PileOfBooks]

Hello!

We are hoping to come upto Scotland for a couple of weeks. (likely 10 days if we travel up either end) and was wondering whether to go at Easter or Summer.

We are tied to English holidays. When do Scottish kids go back to school - I was half wondering if we could go end August and if it would be any cheaper/less busy or if that isn't a thing?

We aren't great with crowds and busy and will mainly try and do outdoor things, but would like to see Edinburgh and do a bit of sight seeing too! The bridge from Harry Potter, Loch Ness... etc

We will be on a budget - any ideas welcomes :)

If you are venturing in to the Highlands or the west coast I would suggest Easter. The midgies haven't arrived yet and while it's not warm, there is no guarantee it'll be warm in August either.
Scottish schools tend to go back mid-August so if you do choose to come up in the summer then aim for late August and it should be less busy.
Edinburgh will be busy for the whole of August due to the festival.

It varies a little area to area but we go back around the middle of August 17th ish usually for Edinburgh

To add it will be heaving and super expensive though as the festival is on til end August

We will probably only do a day in Edinburgh, and hope to travel a bit in a loop- glen coe/loch lommand... We both have places we have been forever ago and would like to visit, so it won't be too Edinburgh focused - just want not to miss it out. A bit of a crazy tour.

Would end of August be midgier than Easter? I always get bitten!

Sometime we the first week of September off - so could visit Edinburgh then I guess. Or Easter!

Edinburgh is always busy, to be honest (I live here) but it's particularly rammed in August because of the festival. It's comparatively quieter after the English August bank holiday weekend but still busy IYKWIM because it's just one of those places that gets a lot of tourists regardless of the time of year.

I don't think end of August will be much cheaper, if any, because it's still peak holiday season in a UK sense even though (some) Scottish schools will have gone back.

August can also be quite wet, certainly on this side of Scotland, IME. We seem to get nicer or at least more reliable weather in May and June, and September and sometimes into early October.

August will definitely be midgier, yes. A pp makes a good point also that not all the schools go back either. Many of the private schools follow English terms and there are plenty of those in Edinburgh. September likely better. There are definitely still midges atm though, although not bad at all here in Edinburgh I'm aware of their presence. Easter could be amazing weather wise or a complete washout. At least in August it's usually warm rain

Thanks everyone. I'm sure we will have a fab time whenever we come up!

Warm rain :)

Easter would be my suggestion OP.

My parents live near Glasgow and we visit at both the Easter and summer holidays every year and have had better weather at Easter before. It’s also not as busy when you go to the more touristy areas.

Thanks Catrin. I'm sure we will still have a lovely time even if it rains for 10 days!

You can have great weather at Easter or it can still be the middle of winter!

Definitely Easter. Summer it is absolutely heaving all over Scotland. I know several people up there right now who can't get on to camp sites.

Join the NC500 on Face book.

To be fair we've had absolutely no issue getting last minute camping here in Scotland. The trick is to AVOID the NC500 I'd say

We've done similar and up as far as Fort William and out to Oban and onto Mull for the past two summers. Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling and Loch Lomond. Last week of English school holidays incorporating the August bank holiday weekend. Outside of Edinburgh, busy but not packed. We did avoid weekend traffic to and from the Glasgow to the coast though.
Weather both times has been exceptionality good. By the very end, sunny days had turned into a pattern of v misty mornings burning off by midday. We encountered midges around waterfalls at the foot of Ben Nevis. V Bad. I'd avoid Fort William completely at that time of year as it felt humid and a little oppressive both years.

Easter. We've done the NC500 in April and weather was great. April is usually a good month weather wise. August can often be very wet

Good budget tip for Edinburgh. We just went up for the first weekend in September and had such a lovely time. We stayed at thr premier inn in Leith. It’s right on the water and thr bus to the city goes every twenty minutes from right outside and takes about twenty minutes. As premier inns go it was nice and really quiet and cost us less than £50 for a family room. We went for a day in thr City and did the museum of Scotland which was amazing, walked up Arthur’s Seat and downloaded a treasure trail for the old city that thr kids loved and gave us lots of history. All these activities were free and we then had money for coffees , cakes and a gorgeous meal
Out. We needed to book at lunch for dinner though as restaurants were heaving. We had such a good time and I loved it!