5 Reasons Why Spring is the Best Month to Visit the UK
Spring is one of my favourite seasons to experience in the UK. Fields and forest floors are covered by wildflowers, the days are warmer and brighter and it’s the perfect time of year to enjoy a walk in the gorgeous nature of the UK countryside, without the cold chill of winter.
Spring in the UK is beautiful and enchanting. The air is buzzing with excitement as local events and festivals start up again for the year, daffodils and other wildflowers are popping up everywhere and cherry blossom and magnolia trees start to bloom. If you’re an animal lover, springtime is also when the British forests and oceans are filled with wildlife spotting opportunities, with newly born babies everywhere. Spring really is the best time to plan a visit to the UK and here my top 5 reasons why:
1. Blooming Wildflowers
Most tourists focus on busy cities when they visit the UK and, while you will be treated with some beautiful local flowers that have been planted around the towns, you’ll want to make sure to get out into the natural beauty that the UK has to offer, especially to experience the gorgeous blooms of the spring flowers!
Snowdrops, daffodils, bluebells and wild meadow flowers all mean one thing in the UK – spring has sprung and warmer weather is on the way! Seeing the spring flowers start to pop-up all-over England, Wales and Scotland feels like a warm hug after the long, dark winter. The vibrant colours of the flowers and fresh new leaves on the trees create an atmosphere of whimsical romance, which just adds to the historic charm of the UK.
The gorgeous wildflower meadows scattered with red poppies, yellow dandelions, white daisies and purple foxgloves make a drive through the countryside feel romantic and fun, plus they make for the best photo spots! The UK is also known for some amazing coastal walking paths, which are made even more beautiful by the spring meadows dotting the green cliff paths.
During spring, the forest floors all over the UK come alive with the deep purples of bluebells and whites of wild garlic, while the trees of the forest canopy are all filled with fresh, budding leaves. The forest becomes the perfect place to find peace and relaxation and hikes through the woodlands are always better with spring flowers covering the floor.
Whether you drive through countryside fields, walk along the gorgeous coastal paths or hike through the lush woodlands, make sure your next visit to the UK includes some time in nature, so you don’t miss out on the beauty that the spring wildflowers will add to your time here!
2. Less Rain
The UK is famous for being rainy, grey and gloomy. If you think you’ll escape the rain by visiting in summer, I’m sorry to say that summer gets warmer, but the rain is still very much around. There is a chance that you’ll get lucky and arrive when there’s summer sunshine and blue skies, but mostly the skies are grey and cloudy and the rain comes and goes during most summer days. The best time to visit the UK if you’re looking for less rain is actually spring.
If you’re planning a few weeks for a summer vacation to Europe and have the UK on your itinerary, consider booking a spring vacation instead. If you’re set on summer, schedule your time in the UK for the start of your vacation in early summer, before setting off to mainland Europe, because June is less rainy than July or August.
The driest months in the UK are March and April, making spring the perfect time to book a vacation here. The temperatures are cooler than in summer, but at least you’ll be able to enjoy your sightseeing, with less of a chance of needing to use an umbrella!
3. British Wildlife (Plus the Babies!)
I don’t know about you, but seeing wildlife and their babies is something that makes any day a special day. Spring in the UK is peak baby animal season, when you’ll see baby lambs, fox cubs, badger cubs and deer fawn. The wild birds also become active again in spring and you’ll be able to spot goslings, ducklings and cygnets swimming around the many ponds, lakes and canals all around the UK.
Another wonderful wildlife experience Spring brings is seeing the bees and butterflies flying from flower to flower searching for nectar. These little insects are so important to our ecosystems and don’t get enough recognition for all they do. I love being at rest while watching the bees and butterflies in Spring.
If you take a drive through the Cotswolds, Lake District, Wales or Scotland in Spring, you’ll pass hundreds of green farmlands scattered with white fluffy sheep and loads of the cutest baby lambs! I love seeing them as we drive past, hopping and running, sleeping peacefully, and trying to learn the way of the sheep from their moms. If you’d like to experience the cuteness on a more personal level, spending a night or two on a working sheep farm during lambing season would definitely add more cute-factor to your trip!
You can find some highly rated UK farm-stay accommodation options that are close to London, or Edinburgh, here:
- Foxglove Farm – 2 hour train journey from London
- Sheepdrove – 40 minutes train journey from London
- Craigduckie Shepherds Huts – 2 hour bus journey from Edinburgh
4. Shoulder Season
If you have wriggle room in deciding what time of year to book your UK vacation, definitely try avoid the summer and Christmas seasons, for one main reason – tourists! Summer and Christmas break are packed with tourists that come to the UK from all over the world. Tour busses and huge crowds fill the streets of big cities like London and Edinburgh, as well as quaint and charming Cotswold villages, making exploring really difficult to enjoy.
When you have a limited amount of time to authentically experience a new country, the last thing you want is to drown in a sea of other tourists at every sightseeing stop you make, which will definitely be the case if you visit the UK (and every other European country) in peak season. Accommodation in England is also quite expensive, and gets even steeper during the summer months.
If you plan your UK holiday for the shoulder seasons of Spring or Autumn, you’ll experience less tourists and more locals. Your experience will be much more authentic and you’ll have time to really enjoy your trip without the pressure of the summer crowds. You’ll be free to walk the cobbled streets of the historic villages at your own pace and pay less for accommodation and attractions in the big cities. I love traveling Europe during shoulder seasons for this exact reason – you get more peace, more value for money and you can truly take in the sights without feeling the stress of the huge tourist crowds.
If you’re a fall girlie and would prefer the cozy vibes of Autumn in the UK, instead of a Spring vacation, check out this blog about one of my favourite Autumn destinations, the Lake District in England.
5. Skip the Midges
If you don’t know what midges are, they’re tiny, winged flies that swarm around areas that are close to fresh water during summer, with peak swarms happening around July and August. The Scottish Highlands are particularly bad, with some people complaining about swarms of midges ruining hikes and enjoying time at the lochs.
The Scottish Highlands is one of the most beautiful and enchanting areas of the UK, and is my personal favourite, so I would highly recommend including a visit here during your UK vacation – just not during midge season.
I’ve personally experienced midges all over the UK during summer hikes, so they’re not only found in Scotland. They are not pleasant to deal with, especially when they bite! If you’re planning on getting out into the great British countryside and want to do some hiking, without the midges buzzing around, planning your vacation during Spring is the perfect solution.
If a charming British vacation is on your travel list, then throw in some extra romance and make sure to plan your trip in Spring. The weather is perfect for hikes and walks, you’ll be surrounded by gorgeous wildflowers, bees, butterflies and baby animals, there’ll be less tourists and less rain and you’ll get better value for money too! Spring in the UK is something every romance-lover needs to experience, because it really does feel like being in a fairy tale.
