8 Reasons to Visit Scotland in Winter

A WINTER WONDERLAND

Scotland is a beautiful destination to visit all year round. But for us, there is something extra special about wintertime when it simply transforms into a winter wonderland.

With short days and long nights, a blanket of snow covers the highlands and freezes the lochs making it a picture-perfect experience. According to the Scottish tourism board, winter roughly ranges from mid-November till early March.

There is something exciting about being on holiday in the winter. The crisp air and frosty mornings make it even more enjoyable for when you come home to a cosy campfire and hot chocolate, or whisky!

So below are 8 reasons to visit Scotland in Wintertime.

Read our article 12 REASONS TO ADD STUNNING SCOTLAND TO YOUR BUCKET LIST for more reasons why you should visit Scotland.

The snowy landscapes

Although cold and icy, snow seems to make every landscape in Scotland look extra magical. Having the snow-capped mountains, they transform Scotlands iconic landscape into a winter wonderland.

Within all 365 days of the year in Scotland, they say you can experience all 4 seasons in 1 day. You can start off with sunny skies, have a heavy storm midday and by evening experience fluffy snow. So be prepared for very fickle weather, whatever season you visit.

The months of December, January and February are usually the coldest months, with the average temperature usually around 5°C (41°F). The north of Scotland and the west coast are most likely to receive snow in the country.

2. Illuminating Skies

If you’re fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time you can experience the natural wonder of the Northern Lights. Autumn and winter is when you’ll have the best opportunity to see them, with long nights that need to be cold and clear, with little light pollution.

North Scotland lies at the same altitude as Nunivak Island in Alaska and Stavanger in Norway which means (you’re very high up!) and you have a good chance of experiencing them.

Tips for seeing the Northern Lights

Visit AuroraWatch UK. You can keep up to date with their website or sign up for alerts on their app or social media. They’ll tell you, via the colour-coded system, whether or not you can expect to see the lights in your area at a particular moment in time.
Make sure you have the right weather conditions. A clear night with no cloud cover is important so make sure you check the weather forecast before heading out.
Similar to stargazing, stay clear from built-up areas with a lot of artificial light.
Stay warm! The Northern Lights usually appear during the colder months of the year. So while on your hunt for the lights remember to wrap up warm and bring a flask with a hot drink!

3. Cosy log fires & Whisky

A glass of whisky after a cold winters day is the perfect drink to warm you up. Add that with a cosy log fire crackling in the background and you’ve got yourself a perfect evening.

Scotland is home to over 100 malt and grain distilleries. This makes the country the greatest concentration of whisky production on earth, so it’s not hard to get your hands on a bottle wherever you are!

Sitting around a fire, with ice-cold winds coming off the loch and heat from the flames, was one of our favourite experiences we’ll remember forever.

Read our article ISLE OF SKYE- OUR TOP 7 PLACES TO VISIT

4. Fewer tourists

The peak season for tourism in Scotland is in the warmer summer months of June, July and August.

Every time we’ve visited the Isle of Skye, it’s been during the winter and we felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. When you visit popular locations like the Old Man of Storr and The Quiraing there are hundreds of parking spaces. Yet we and a few others were the only ones there. On our hikes, we came across the occasional dog walker and local but other than that, you don’t bump into other travellers. From reading online reviews from the summer months especially, these locations get heavily visited with crowds of people, which can diminish your experience.

5. More affordable

Relating to number 2, because winter isn’t peak season it’s much cheaper for accommodation, car rentals and flights.

In peak season accommodation can book up rather fast, but the off-peak season can be more available and affordable. Although we have found that on the Isle of Skye accommodation books up very quickly all year round so plan ahead.

6. No midges

There are over 35 different species of biting midge in Scotland. Thankfully midge season is typically May to September. So if you hate the annoying insects and want to avoid the ‘Midgey weather’ then we’d suggest you visit in Wintertime.

You can surprisingly check the midge forecast for where you are here.

7. Breathtaking Scenery

We’re cheating here as Scotland has photogenic landscapes all year round.

Head to the National Trust website for some incredible walks with wildlife-spotting highlights including their number 7 - Glen Coe. The area of Glen Coe in particular is absolutely stunning during wintertime. The drive is one that shouldn’t be missed as you wind between the snow-covered mountains.

8. Winter activities

Scotland has five ski resorts that offer the best outdoor skiing and snowboarding experiences in the UK. The snow-sports season is usually best from the months of January to April, depending on the snowfall that year.

For us, the price of skiing and snowboarding has always put us off, but having these winter activities in the UK makes the trip more affordable.

So go and experience Scotlands iconic mountain range with the crisp air and snowy landscape surrounding you!

The BBC has a “Scotland’s Winter Wildlife” page with videos of the fuzzy arctic hares, reindeers, eagles and more. We’re yet to see an artic hare but they’re high on our list!

A few negatives about winter

The days in winter are short. The shortest day is in December and the sun rises at 8.45 am and sets a 3.30 pm so you have less light to go exploring during the day.
The roads can be icy so be careful and also prepare your car. Some roads can close because of bad weather conditions so always have a plan B. We’d also recommend having snow tyres and de-icing salt depending on where you’re going just to be prepared in case. You can check road conditions with Transport Scotland before your journey.
It’s cold. Make sure you pack practical clothing, including thermals, a good pair of hiking boots and waterproofs.
Some attractions close over the winter months, so check their website before you visit.