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Original poster

To remind myself of how hot the last 2 UK summers were

60 replies

Meadowland · 27/02/2021 07:48

Ok, we've just emerged from a long winter, and holidays abroad seem attractive.
But it is easy to forget how lovely the weather was during the last 2 summers in the UK.
And think, why go abroad this summer ? Crowded airports and planes etc.
Yes holidays here can be expensive, but we're thinking of lots of day trips, exploring places we haven't been to before.

OP posts:
RampantIvy · 27/02/2021 08:49

It was glorious for the majority of the summer in most of the UK last year and the year before.

It was glorious for the majority of the summer in parts of the UK last year, and glorious for some of the summer the year before - the end of July and the August bank holiday being extremely hot.

Generally the media talks about the weather in London and the South of England, forgetting that the north, Wales and Scotland exist.

Last year spring and early summer were glorious, July was miserable, August was mixed with some very hot days, and September was lovely. We had a dry autumn, and then have had quite a lot of snow and some very cold weather since the new year.

Thirtyrock39 · 27/02/2021 08:56

2019 was insanely hot at times, it was the summer where it was over 40...it freaked me out and made me make a lot of changes in my life re climate change. I also had a terrible hangover one really hot day which must have been the heat/dehydration as i had only had three glasses of wine in the garden and was sick in the middle of town the day after !! I remember my kids were swimming in the local river and never been warm enough for them to do that before or since

RampantIvy · 27/02/2021 08:58

2019 was insanely hot at times, it was the summer where it was over 40.

It was. It even reached 38 degrees in Sheffield! However, this wasn't all summer, just a week in July and a weekend in August.

ClashCityRocker · 27/02/2021 09:00

If I recall correctly, in my part of the UK (North Yorkshire) 2019 it was scorchingly hot for most of May, June and July and then broke late July and pissed it down for most of the summer holidays. We do seem to be getting the best of the weather between May and July, I think it was similar last year.

IndecentFeminist · 27/02/2021 09:05

We won't be going abroad. Isle of Wight in summer is pretty good for a holiday!

Doomsdayiscoming · 27/02/2021 09:05

Climate change paying dividends.

I’m buying a holiday home in Scotland. It’ll be the new Med in 2040.

shouldistop · 27/02/2021 09:06

@JackieWeaverHandforthCouncil there will be no point in coming up here this year. If wee nippy gets her way we'll be in lockdown forever.

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 27/02/2021 09:07

Hoping it will be nice here again but not risking going abroad this year regardless. Still too much virus around, masks, SD, quarantine subject to change etc.

Laiste · 27/02/2021 09:07

@doctorhamster

Just as a heads up, it'll be pissing it down and freezing in Devon from 7th August for a week because I'll be on holiday there.
Grin

My warning is rain in Dorset for the week commencing 16th July.

Potterythrowdown · 27/02/2021 09:08

I think the problem with the UK is the inconsistency - it can be hot and sunny one week and then back to average temps and pouring down the next. I've book a place in Devon in mid June so it'll obviously chuck it down then.

Runwithtorches · 27/02/2021 09:09

No way I am getting on a plane unless I am vaccinated and even then, I would want to be sure the country I was travelling to has good health care, just in case. All in all I don't think it's worth the risk this year.

notveryhappyhere · 27/02/2021 09:12

Thinking UK this summer and then maybe a week overseas in October half term or Christmas...

BillyAndTheSillies · 27/02/2021 09:12

This was our thinking as well, and with two DC's - one who is 18 months and doesn't like to sleep past 5am - we will stick to being at home this summer with occasional days out or spontaneous weekends away (as spontaneous as covid restrictions allow anyway). DS1 is hoping to go camping with my parents, and he may accompany IL's to their home country for a week or two.

We looked at going to Dorset for a week in summer, and were quoted £2,500 for a week on a holiday park which just seemed mind blowing.

CornishPastyDownUnder · 27/02/2021 09:14

hehe and im over here absolutely gagging to wake up to rainy grey skies and sleep with a duvet on-it was 33' at 7:45 am as I drove to work smorn..urghhhhhhhh

Maryann1975 · 27/02/2021 09:15

I think it depends which bit of the year you class as summer. Last year as I remember, lockdown was lovely as was June. As soon as we got to the school holidays (so second half of July and August), the weather changes. I think that is pretty consistent every year.

I don’t remember needing a great deal of suncream for our week in Wales last August.

Lovewinemorethanhusband · 27/02/2021 09:15

I've looked at holidays for end of the year but it's so so expensive abroad and even Uk based are silly prices now, I'm in Devon so will be just doing national trust and other days out with my children, I'm lucky that as long as there's a park and a cafe my kids will say it's the best day ever !

MrsMoggy · 27/02/2021 09:18

Going abroad isn’t all about the weather though, it’s a lot cheaper than holidaying in this country in my experience and that’s the travel, accommodation and price of eating out etc.

Last year we holidayed at butlins in August, the weather was boiling some days and rainy the others, all activities were outdoors so we got wet quite a bit. It was around £1200 just for the chalet for a week for 5 people, and it was during eat out to help out so we saved on meals.

This year the same holiday at Butlins is being advertised at £2500. And restaurants etc will be full price. An alcoholic drink is over £4, soft drinks around £2.50.

Cheaper to go to Spain all inclusive and not have to worry about costs when there. It’s even cheaper to go to Disneyland paris than it is Butlins. And both places likely to have better weather.

If we are allowed to go abroad then I’ll definitely be on that plane!

Orangelover · 27/02/2021 09:20

The thought of another hot summer is keeping me going. My plan for the next few weeks is going work on our garden so that if all I end up doing this year is sitting in it again I'll be ok if the sun is shining.

Definitely not attempting an abroad holiday, getting married in November so saving our money for that seeing as it might now go ahead. Was contemplating a uk break in Sept but the prices are Hmm

TheMoth · 27/02/2021 09:22

I don't remember lots of hot weather in 2019.
Trouble is, if it's hot in this country, you can't just jump in a pool or swim in the sea. It's not the same. And if you live within 20 minutes or so of the beach, you can't get there cos of all the holidaymakers clogging up the roads. What should be as easy as nipping to the supermarket, becomes an epic journey.

Tal45 · 27/02/2021 09:26

I just booked a load of holidays, desperate to go somewhere! A couple in the UK and a couple abroad. UK hols can be fantastic if you get the weather but unless you can just book it that week knowing the weather forecast you just have to hope you're lucky.

Everywhere tends to get packed as well and it makes the journey awful to get there. We've had to turn back before trying to get to Devon on a bank holiday as the traffic was so bad, and the narrow roads in Cornwall are just hell in the summer IMO. It should take us 4 hours to Snowdonia, took us over 6 - it takes us less to get the airport and fly to Spain.

Original poster
Meadowland · 27/02/2021 09:33

We won't be going abroad. Isle of Wight in summer is pretty good for a holiday!

Agree - love the Isle of Wight ! Some of the beaches are spectacular.

OP posts:
HerringGull · 27/02/2021 09:33

Well it wasn't for us. April and some of May was nice, but I'd call that spring, not summer. June was mostly wet, we got a few days of sun in July I think, and the rest of July and August it pished down. Pretty standard year! This is the Highlands, and we usually get this 😒

Avaganda · 27/02/2021 09:36

I live in Devon and the weather changes every 5 minutes. My weather app can never keep up.

Love your comment about wanting to avoid crowded airports and planes though Grin You can't move here in the summer, it's always heaving and this summer will be even worse!

the80sweregreat · 27/02/2021 09:45

@Saywhatyoumeanandmeanwhatyousa

I hate the hot weather and I'm dreading another hot summer ☹️
Me too! It's only on this forum I meet like minded hot weather haters. Others mock me when I moan about it. One week in August last year it was so hot I just wanted to sit in a cold bath and never get out again. I know it's hotter in other countries and it did get cooler eventually, but the thought of another week like that feels me with absolute dread. How people can sit out in it I don't know not to mention boring and I just feel so hot and bothered. Sun cream is the work of the devil. A nice sunny warm day is pleasant enough but it's either boiling or humid in the UK where I live. It can do one and leave me in peace!
lynsey91 · 27/02/2021 09:58

Summer 2019 was pretty good but 2020 certainly wasn't.

We had about a week of very hot humid weather which was awful and a few nice sunny days but we had loads of rain. We went to quite a few animal places last year and castles etc and on most of those days it poured. We got so soaked at one animal place we left after less than 2 hours which we would never normally do