To not understand why people go abroad on holiday in the summer?

[Dogscanteatonions]

My social media is full of people on holiday abroad at the moment. It's glorious here and I've got a few days off work so I've just been for a walk round my village and will spend the afternoon in the garden reading in the sun with a couple of glasses of something.

Britain is lovely in the summer - I'd far rather go abroad later or earlier in the year when the weather is not so good here and make the most of the weather here while we have it.

I've never really understood the desire to go abroad while it's nice here. Anyone else with me?

Sitting on a beach reading a book, walking along the shoreline followed by curious seals parallel to you in the sea, swimming in clear blue seas, doing watersports kind of gorgeous!!

Like this.

Yes. But you have to wear a cardigan - that’s the issue.

We have had a lovely week in the Peak District, I don't think I would have fancied France, temperature is about 40c according to news

Thank you! Those holidays you describe sound perfect

So… mild then. Not really ‘gorgeous’ or ‘glorious.’ Just mild.

I think most people like a range of things though don't they?
We usually do one family holiday abroad which is mainly about the beach/pool but must be near 'things' so we can go sightseeing etc.
but we also enjoy the UK seaside, the lakes and Scotland.
Just because you enjoy a beach/pool holiday doesn't mean you don't also like other types of holidays.

So what is gorgeous or glorious then? Love my Scottish hols but quite happy that not too many other people do 🤣🤣

I understand your point OP. Why leave the UK over the only period when we 'may' get some nice warm weather? Its cool/cold and miserable for 8-9 months of the year - why not go on holiday then instead? You're almost certain to get better weather in the UK in July, then in say November..

That's the thing though, nobody is saying that Scotland/The Lakes etc isn't beautiful and a great place to holiday, but a decent spell of dry sunny weather in summer is extremely rare. If you enjoy stormy skies and walking in the rain etc as well as sitting outside at a cafe having an ice-cream then fab. You would be more likely to get a nice spell in April but that would be mild rather than beach sunny.

We have holidayed at home in Scotland and the lake district as much as we've been abroad and yes we've had sunny weather, but not even a full week of it. We've not had any of that sun you've had down south this week for example.

But many European destinations aren't particularly warm in November and not everyone can afford long haul. Plus many of us have to work around school holidays!!

I love Scotland in autumn and would choose to go then, rather than the summer

We usually go to the Canary Islands October or November, either before or after half term as the weather is generally about right, I wouldn't go there in the Summer

I work around the school holidays, generally by avoiding them

Well I explained that in my post. Guaranteed sunshine hot enough to splash about in the sea then lie out for hours reading. Staying warm into the evening, warm enough for long walks without a Mac packed. I’ve never experienced an entire week of ‘glorious’ Scottish summer!

Why is glorious being equated to “hot”?

But as I’ve said I do agree Scotland is beautiful. It’s my home country! But gloriously hot it is not.

Because being hot and then plunging into the cool sea is one of life’s ultimate pleasures! Sitting on a beach in a cardi slightly damp while the wind whips sand in my face isn’t.

@ForestFae

Because the poster I was responding to was referring to it as gorgeous summer weather/no rain/lovely weather. Generally in the UK lovely summer weather is understood to mean hot/warm weather. I did specify that I was talking about MY idea of ‘glorious’ weather. But if your idea of glorious weather is cloudy and windy with a chance of pissing it down later then yes Scotland has glorious summers.

Scotland is an amazing place to live and visit. But the weather is mostly shite.

This thread is about why go abroad when the weather is great in the UK.

It's not great across the UK - it's great in England.

For those of us who live in Scotland please forgive us for wanting a bit of sunshine.

You need to come on holiday with me then 🤣🤣 that particular beach was from two years ago. It was idyllic. In two weeks we had one overcast day. Was just post lockdown so it was quieter than usual. The next few photos after that one are of the kids in their costumes in and out of the sea. Last year we did Northern England and I recall the coolest day we had I sat in the garden of the holiday cottage reading for most of the day, no cardi required!

I recall Scotland holidays as a kid where it rained quite a bit. And I also recall visiting the most beautiful beach I’ve ever seen on the hottest day ever - but I can’t remember where that was!

We were in north east England last summer. Brrrr!

Yes maybe I’ve missed all those glorious and beautiful days. Only open to holidaymakers perhaps?

It's not great across the UK - it's great in England.

No, imo it’s only great in the South! The North is cold; and the NW is much wetter!

No, imo it’s only great in the South! The North is cold; and the NW is much wetter!

Exactly! Hottest day of the year yesterday yet where I am in the NW it was cold and windy by 5pm. We had to abandon the planned bbq as it wasn't warm enough to sit out and it was too windy.

Surely you realise that you've been lucky though Paper Monster? Those of us who live in the kind of places where you've probably had your glorious weather will acknowledge that weeks like that do happen from time to time but they are not the norm. We are just about to go out on our boat for the afternoon and I am looking at the forecast and debating whether I need a thermal base layer on or not. That is a commoner decision to be made than whether shorts will be ok.
It is beautiful here. I love it and wouldn't want to live anywhere else. The secenery is gorgeous, there's plenty of activities to do and if those kind of things are your interests it's a great place to holiday. But it rains. A lot. And there is plenty of meterological evidence to back that up, it's not just people's perception. You might get a consistently hot sunny week in the summer - they do happen - but it's more likely that you won't.
And of course hot weather isn't essential for everyone's holidays , but a lot of people like it and that is why people go abroad in the British Summer. The weather is just not reliable enough for those for whom hot sunny weather is important.