Clothes for summer in Scotland?

[ElizabethinherGermanGarden]

Planning a driving holiday around the northern highlands of Scotland end of July-beginning of August - will have an open top car.

I know that questions about the weather in Scotland are a bit moot but I need some advice on what to bring. I've literally never been on any kind of outdoorsy holiday before.

I only have a smart wool coat and a light joules anorak that wouldn't keep anyone warm on its best day. I think I probably need to get a good practical coat that's warm enough if we get cold weather (I'm basically a lizard and can't hold my own body temperature, plus I live in the West Sussex microclimate where it's almost always quite warm).

Advice on good coat for long walks, driving mountain passes etc plus any other advice on what to bring with me would be very much appreciated. I am going with the boyfriend so don't want to look shite but also don't want to be that girl who moaned about being cold the whole time.

@LtGreggs I’ve lived in Scotland 40 plus years and never shopped in Mountain Warehouse and don’t expect any of my family have either. What a strange statement!

I live in the Highlands for context, and also feel the cold. You could need anything between a t shirt and shorts and a waterproof and wind proof light winter jacket. You might get a winter jacket reduced ATM.

Take a scarf and gloves as you never know and also layers. Be wary of ticks as they are rife in the Highlands (high incidence of Lyme disease) so take some light weight trousers and a tick remover as well. This is the best midge/tick repellent according to a study by a local microbiologist.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mosi-Guard-Natural-Insect-Repellent-Stick/dp/B004M9MKUI/ref=sr11_12?crid=364QOBPVJGV92&keywords=autan+mosquito+repellent&qid=1556470110&s=gateway&sprefix=Autan%2Caps%2C161&sr=8-12

Hope you have a lovely time.

I'm so appreciating the time and detail that so many of you have put into your posts. Thanks very much - I'm taking copious notes.

I live in Scotland (admittedly in a big city) and I have never even heard of Mountain Warehouse.

OP, we had a holiday on the west coast a few years ago, and I took my normal clothes. I had a leather biker jacket, and a cagoule type thing I could put over it ifit was wet. I wore jeans, a denim skirt, dungarees, t-shirts, cardigans, trainers, brogues, and Chelsea boots. I did bring sandals but didn’t wear them. We were in a very nice lodge/cabin type place, and did a lot of day-trips, including on boats, but people were not dressed in “outdoor” gear. This was July, and the one thing I regretted not bringing was something for slinging on over pyjamas if we were knocking about in the evening rather than going out to eat - a big jumper or hoody.

We had Avon Skin So Soft as insect repellant, which worked brilliantly on me, but DP didn’t find it was great for him. It was also the one time in my life I have felt properly car-sick, because some of the roads were really small and wind-y. I had to get tablets from a chemist on Mull!

Thanks for the tip about the car sickness - I will stock up!

A hat that will stay on your head in the car. I got sunburn on my forehead in a softtop on the West Coast a few years ago. (Was wearing SPF).
Otherwise layers, be prepared!

Layering works best. Get lots of waterproofs.

Look at the weather month by month for Scotland in the month you’re going on and compare it to where you live.

I would think zipped fleece instead of a cardigan and a light waterproof will be fine. With jeans and trainers.

It is Scotland but it is still summer.

I’ve done it for you. So think about what you’re wearing right now, warmth wise, with some extra in case it’s windy.

Thermals in August?? I live in Edinburgh and don't even own thermals. Have also never bought anything in Mountain Warehouse.

Fleeces, waterproof jacket (10,000 hydrostatic rating) walking trousers, walking boots and socks, long sleeved tee shirts and summer clothes in case you get lucky

Ive just bought this for our couple of weeks in Scotland and will layer up and down as needed www.joules.com/Women/Jackets-Coats/Coast-Cosy/Sherpa-Fleece-lined-Waterproof-Jacket/Marine-Navy?id=204989|MARNAVY

Also from Scotland and have never been n mountain wearhouse. I would agree with others -layers are the answer. Nice vest , t- shirt/ top over that . Cashmere jumpers are great . I wear a Barbour anorak type jacket with a hood in the summer ( works except in sideways rain )
Trainers are great . If you are going for long walks get proper walking boots - you can get some that look like heavy trainers.
Could also be scorching so you need to pack for all weathers

I'm Scottish and never shopped in Mountain Warehouse! I would say take jeans, trainers, waterproof jacket, lots of clothes for layering, sandals
as you never know! Protected Species are really good for being both stylish and completely waterproof and they're a Scottish company

Its not freezing, last year we had a hot July and August as far as i remember. You will want some long sleeve tops, maybe a fleece, good walking shoes or waterproof shoes a d waterproof coat, i think you would be too hot with a warm coat.

www.protected-species.com/

We went round Nova Scots in an open top car a few summers ago, in very similar weather to home in Scotland. Most of the time we were quite warm with the heater on, we didn’t wear any special clothes, just a thin quilted jacket (like the Uniqlo ones) or a fleece. We put the top up when it rained, obviously. We weren’t expecting a convertible so had made no preparations. You would be very unlucky to need thermals in Scotland, I haven’t owned any except for skiing since I was a student living in draughty tenements. A waterproof would be useful but it doesn’t need to be very techie unless your planning serious walking (in which case you would probably already have one). Lots of layers, like everyone else had said, is the way to go. I’ve found my thin down jacket useful on lots of holidays, but it’s no good in rain. I don’t often choose to go out for long in rain though.

Take many many layers and a waterproof, wind proof coat.
We went last August and I wore 2 jumpers and a coat on the beach.

You might have had a hot summer in a July but when I went up the first week in August it was torrential rain one day and overcast a lot of the rest of the time. As was the previous three years.
It can get pretty warm when the suns out but I wouldn’t say the evenings are warm in the same way as the South, Someone else said dress as if it’s September. I think that’s right. Nothing too summery looking - that’s more June/July.

Honestly?

A warm, waterproof, zipped and hooded coat that at least comes to under your bum!

Umbrellas are pointless as it gets too windy.

Good waterproof shoes too. And warm socks.

Layers for underneath - 4 seasons in one day not unheard of.

Scarves (I hate a cold neck, plus they're relatively small and light to carry, also handy if very windy and your hood needs help staying put)

I live here and I've been known in one day to be wearing a vest top, t-shirt and cardigan under a coat and go from wearing the lot to just the vest top and everything in between in the one day one location.

A topless car seems to me asking for trouble! Not only the topless aspect (heavy showers can quickly drop on you out of nowhere!) but roads aren't the best up here and that type of car could well struggle with potholes, ditches, flooding, steep hills etc.

Never heard of mountain warehouse.

13°c here today and where I am that's considered "taps aff" weather almost.

I'm like you, I feel the cold, especially at night. Remember bedsocks and maybe a cardi you can wear over Jammies in bed.

Thermals! - it's Scotland, not Antartica!

You'll need rainwear for sure and decent shoes that keep the water out, but they can be trainers. You only need proper gear if you're planning on proper hillwalking, if you're doing the N500 and stopping for wee trips you'll be fine with normal clothes and a decent waterproof jacket. Agree layers are a good idea.

Also if you're doing the N500 in August it'll be so rammed you'll be lucky to get above 30 .

lonny some of these posts are making me laugh. I really feel the cold, live in the North-east of Scotland, but have never owned anything thermal, or what would be classed as a “proper outdoor coat” beyond a winter parka from a “fashion” shop like Topshop.

That's me told on the Mountain Warehouse thing. I will amend my statement to 'many of the people of my middle class demographic in small town Scotland where Nice High Street Shops are but a distant pre-recession memory and a trip to a proper city sounds like hard work find Mountain Warehouse a good place to dress their families for every day outdoors stuff, and this is why our children all have matching coats' 😁

North Coast 500 was not rammed last summer. It's probably loads busier than it used to be, but we did many miles at a time on single track roads without having to use a passing place. It's not like holidaying in Cornwall etc.

I am Scottish and don't wear thermals even in winter. It was scorching last summer. I also don't shop at Mountain Warehouse although i do have good walking trainers and outdoors type clothes for dog walking. Just light layers, a decent, light waterproof and sensible shoes if you plan to do any walking.