Is travelling to Britain in Dec/Jan worthwhile or is it too cold?

Question

I am from Queensland and have not travelled much and would love to travel to Britain this Dec/Jan. However I don't want to waste my money going if it is freezing and there is not much daylight. I am mainly wanting to see historical and natural sights. Please help!!

Answer 1

I travelled to the UK in December and January of 2005/2006. You will find that most of the major historical sites are closed for the winter months. There are still a few that remain open to the public, but those are the ones that you don't need to pay to enter.

It can be very cold and wet, and the UK is not the most attractive at this time of year. There is a lot of slush and mud on the roads.

We experienced snow 2 days after Christmas and the coldest day was minus 6 celsius.

Daylight hours are usually from around 8am to 3.30 or 4pm in the afternoon. The days are very short.

I would suggest that Spring or Autumn would be the better time to visit.

Answer 2

Well, I know nothing about Queensland, so I can't make any usefull comparison, but I was in England in December of 06 and boy was I in shock! I am from California and definately not used to THAT kind of cold. They had something called 'freezing fog'...?! Fortunately I love the cold and rain lol. And it was absolutely beautiful I thought. I went to an old church that was surrounded by a large wrought iron fence....there were spiderwebs between the fence posts and the dew was all frozen! Quite lovely actually!
Good luck whenever you go! :)

Answer 3

If you are from Queensland visiting England will 'feel' cold to you regardless of the time of year you come.

December/January are two of the colder months and at times it is bitterly cold. It tends to get dark around 4pm/4:30pm at this of year also.

In general it would be very wet, cold, windy with the threat of snow and ice.

Britain's weather is very unpredictable, it can be summer and you wouldn't even know it. If the purpose of your travel is for historical sights then I would suggest waiting until at least May.

June and July would be your best bet but the cost of flights during these months are very expensive due to it being the holidays season.

Answer 4

December and January can be quite wet, yet also quite mild at times. Then again February is also usually always colder, but its much drier, the days are getting longer and (apart from the temperature) is a much nicer time of year. Better yet March is just as dry and slightly warmer, yet the coldest nights of the year often occur in march as the seas are at thier coldest. Remeber "driest" is relative, this is England!. Don't be afraid to come here when its cold, it will be refreshing to a northern australian providing you wrap up warm! its part of the experience of the country! ie if i went to Australia and it was cloudy and cool it wouldn't feel like Australia to me, if you know what i mean!

Answer 5

it doesnt get really cold unless you are planning a trek through the highlands. after having such a bad summer i dont think any of us is now expecting a bad winter lol. you will need to dress appropriatly for the season however with the usual hats, scarves, gloves etc. it is a great time of the year for visiting as many historical sites are less busy so a visit to the busy ones such as eg edinburgh castle can be appreciated more as there is less crowds. things can be a bit cheaper to due to the xmas sales. with lots of events throughout the country it is a good time to visit.

Answer 6

As others have said, it will be cold, damp and dark. Come in December rather than January - at least you will have the Christmas lights.

Answer 7

It will be cold and wet. Check out www.onevacationclub.com - an Australian website with good deals.

Answer 8

It willbe cold and wet