Summer plus School Holidays

baldeagle

Guest
We are coming to the UK from Australia in April 2011. Could someone advise us on when the SCHOOL HOLIDAYS are on plus what months are SUMMER. We intend to tour the UK in our Motorhome (currently in storage) for 6 months. We do a lot of "free camping" here in Australia which i think is similar to your "wild camping". Any advice on the best months plus holidays would be appreciated.
Baldeagle
Adelaide,,South Australia
 
OK - school holidays first.
Schools are usually off for two weeks at Easter. Easter Sunday this year is on April 24th so the schools are likely to be off from about Wednesday 20th April for two weeks.
The Bank Holidays are:
  • Good Friday 22nd April
  • Easter Monday 25th
  • Royal Wedding Bank Holiday Friday 29th
  • May Day Bank Holiday Monday 2nd May

So, that couple of weeks might be busy on the roads as it's really the start of the holiday season. However, because of our weather, the real holiday season doesn't get going until June.

The school summer holidays usually start around 20th July so the schools are off for the end of July, all of August, and the first week in September.
This is only a rough guide because school holidays do vary - but not that much.

Some people will try to tell you that there is no such thing as summer here in the UK. If, by summer, you mean hot dry weather then it's true that we don't really get much of that but I think that most people would reckon that summer lasts from June until the beginning of September.
Even in summer it can be cool here (think light coat or jacket rather than just a T shirt) and our weather varies from day to day so that it can be hot and sunny one day and really quite cool and wet the next.
I think it would be fair to say that summer here, as a general rule, is reasonably warm but usually wet.

If you're thinking of visiting Cornwall and Devon or The Lake District I would advise going in May or possibly June. During the height of the summer season we avoid those parts of the country because of the sheer volume of traffic but they are such a lovely part of the world it would be a shame to miss them altogether.

Hope this helps
 
The holiday period in Scotland is slightly different.

Spring holiday (Stirling Council area, this year) is 4th - 15th April.

We also have a Bank Holidays on the first and last Monday in May and first Monday in August.

School Summer holidays begin at end of June until mid-August.

Hope this helps
 
Although in Scotland we might try to deny all knowledge of the dreaded biting midgy when talking to visitors, you might just like to avoid July and August unless you have some secret weapon...in which case we'd all like to know about it....just in case the midgy does exist, you understand!:rolleyes:
 
I would suggest you consider September a good time to visit.

In my experience the weather is generally fairly settled, and fairly warm.

It might be somewhat cooler than June/July, but it's more dependable.

It also avoids the school holidays ...
 
Bear in mind that Englsh and Scottish school holidays are also different...in fact holiday dates for London are not exactlythe same as those my daughter meets in Taunton. Occasional days are often "saved up" to give a longer period away from school.
 
Thanks for the replies: Now those MIDGIES. We tend to get them up on the coast in Queensland. Some places are really bad. We tend to cover up or use an outdoor spray to deter them. If we get bitten we rub a bit of cortisone cream onto the spot and it relieves the itch somewhat.
Baldeagle
 
baldeagle said:
We are coming to the UK from Australia in April 2011. Could someone advise us on when the SCHOOL HOLIDAYS are on plus what months are SUMMER. We intend to tour the UK in our Motorhome (currently in storage) for 6 months. We do a lot of "free camping" here in Australia which i think is similar to your "wild camping". Any advice on the best months plus holidays would be appreciated.
Baldeagle
Adelaide,,South Australia
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Hi Baldeagle and a happy new year to you.

So glad you enjoy the site and that it is of help to you, I am sure all on this site would wish you a safe journey and if we can be of any help to you at any time just put in a message on this site and we all will do our best to help.
Have a good trip and enjoy our wonderful land.
 
Hi baldeagle,

The Scottish schoolkids go back to school early September. About 2 weeks before English kids.

We did a trip to Scotland once the little darlings were back under lock and key and had a great trip. The weather was very good (generally speaking). You might be caught by the odd midgie but the worst is over.

You could visit Scotland for a couple of weeks then head South as the other kids go back.
 
Maingate, see my post above.

The Scottish schools have always started back mid-August (e.g. on 15th this year) not beginning of September. The 7-week (ish) summer break starts at end of June.

Bev
 
You are correct Bev.

When we found out that they were already back to school we chucked everything into the van and shot off North. :D

It was then early September. Damn, we could have had an extra couple of weeks and made Magbrin's soiree earlier.

Won't make that mistake this year.;)
 
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