What time of year to travel to UK/Ireland/Europe?

[rogerg (Roger)]

G'day all,

We're considering a 6 week trip to the above locations. We've been suggested two time periods: April/May/June, and September/October.

Some say the early summer months are best, others say to steer well clear of the crowds and enjoy autumn in Sept/Oct. We're now confused!

We're interested in general sightseeing, will probably do a couple of long tours (one for UK/Ireland/Scottland/etc, one for Europe), but are both landscape & nature photographers so will be making some extra time for that component.



Thanks,
Roger.

[Octane (Humayun)]

Roger,

April/May is superb. The weather is splendid.

Regards,
Humayun

[Liz]

Hey Roger ......congrats, am very jealous!!
Just got back from Europe and reckon that Oct/Nov are spectacular. The autumn colous blew me away .... even for my friends in Victoria, the colours were glorious.
Also, as Humayan says, April/May are also great with Spring.
As you know, dont go June/July/Aug/Sep ...... either side should be great!!
Keep us informed

[Waxing_Gibbous (Peter)]

Octane's optimism!
April can be a lottery. When its good its great, but when its bad......
Late May - mid/late June or September-mid /late October. Definately.
Lived there 22 Years.
July - August are seething with tourists and London espescially is 'orrible.
Have an escellent time!

[Octane (Humayun)]

I must have hit the jackpot when I went, then?

It rained for just two days whilst I was in Vienna and Budapest. The rest of the time was immaculate! This was around April/May last year.

Regards,
Humayun

[Louwai (Bryan)]

Feb is THE WORST month to be in the UK. What ever you do don't go then. Which looks like what you've already ascertained.

[rogerg (Roger)]

Thanks for your replies everyone, much appreciated. October is perhaps shaping up to be preferred right now, as April/May is a much tighter time frame in which to organise the trip and it seems October is highly rated. But still trying to decide.

thanks,
Roger.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

I went in July, the weather was superb.
But, if I went again, I'd go a month later to coincide with the salmon heading up stream to spawn, August/September. (this was in Scotland btw)
I only captured a couple of images last time. I'm obsessed with getting the perfect shot now.

[tlgerdes (Trevor)]

April can still be a little crisp in the mornings. I have been twice in the May/June timeframe and weather was excellent right across europe. If travelling toward the mediterranean then place it into the June timeframe.

[JimmyH155]

I am a pommie, so lived in Buckinghamshire 35 years.
Jimmy's recommendation:

West country in September. We always had 3 weeks holiday in Sept in Cornwall. LOVE those wild blackberries.
July in Scotland still light at 10 pm We went there - 1995 and it was a heatwave
May in southern England - beaut, all the blossoms are coming out, but there can be frosts up till end of month.
November, December, Jan, Feb - forget. Cold, dreary, fog, look now on the news broadcasts. Gets dark at 3pm.
March? As they say... "In like a lamb, out like a lion. In like a lion, out like a lamb." Daffodils and snowdrops pretty though.
AVOID LONDON AT ALL TIMES. NO longer the England I remember.

[Irish stargazer (John)]

September and October also have a few good star parties going on (UK/ Ireland). The weather can be a bit iffy though but continental Europe should be OK. The tourist season tends to finish in September so this helps to keep costs down.