Travel seasons

When it is high, low, and shoulder season in the U.K.?

The U.K. enjoys roughly the same seasonal calendar as North America, with weather similar to New England (though, yes, a bit rainier).

Summer is high season (nicest—or at least most consistently warm—weather, and, since school is out, families can take vacation); winter is low season (with the exception of the popular Christmas break creating a high season bubble); fall and spring are the shoulder seasons (temperate, though moody, weather and moderate crowds).

There are exceptions: Obvious seasonal destinations as seaside towns (crazy crowded in summer; dead in winter) and ski resorts (booming in winter—and yes, the U.K. has the ski moutains, mostly in Scotland but also in Wales and in the Pennines of England, mostly in Cumbria and County Durham).

For the purposes of pricing airlines tickets (and, especially in beach or resort destinations, hotel rooms), the travel industry basically recognizes three travel seasons: high season (for England: June 15–Aug 31 and Dec 15–Jan 6), low season (Nov-Mar, excluding Christmas), and shoulder season (fall and spring).

Not to belabor the obvious, but high season brings the highest prices, largest crowds, least room to bargain (and hottest temperatures; global warming has led even England to get too hot some summers, especially as many little B&Bs had never had to install A/C, so thigns can get quite stuffy).

On the plus side, high season is also often when you'll find the most festivals—plus, all the sights, restaurants, hotels, and other businesses of interest to tourists will be open and generally keeping their longest hours.

Low season has the lowest prices, smallest crowds, and most room to bargain. The downsides to low season are a chance for crummy weather—often wet in spring and fall and cold in winter, but not too bad, similar to the American Mid-Atlantic—and, especially in smaller towns and resort areas, the likelihood that many tourist sights and services will be shut down.

Shoulder season, as you might imagine, falls somewhere in between—not too crowded or too empty, generally pleasant weather, most things open—making it insanely popular among savvy travelers who are able to arrange their calendars to take advantage of it.