Now that I’ve covered the essentials of sleeping, eating, and sightseeing/doing in Part I, I hope to answer a few other questions I was asked in this posting.

What should I pack for a November/December trip to Scotland and England?

First off, let’s just say that it will be cold in November and December there. Although the temperatures were not as low as we were used to at home in New Hampshire, it is a damp cold that just sort of seeps into you. That being said, I would recommend packing:

wool - lots of wool (skirt, sweaters, scarves, hats, etc.)
cashmere wrap (makes a great shawl for a nice dinner out, super warm scarf throughout the trip, and a blanket for the plane)
waterproof jacket (waterproof, not water resistant)
umbrella
wellies
heavy jacket (wear this on the plane to save luggage space)
blazer (pairs well with jeans or a nice skirt)
scarves
very few accessories (I wore the same, antique bracelet every day, and alternated between a pair of simple, gold, hoop earrings and pearl earrings, and it was all I needed.)

We quickly jumped out of the car to snap some photos of the sweeping view in the Cairngorms National Park (Scotland), but we were cold! I believe it spit snow a few times this day.

What shops do you recommend? We love the following:

Walker Slater in Edinburgh for fine woolens, quality scarves, and (easy to tuck into a suitcase) socks. There is a menswear and a womenswear store on the same street, a short distance from each other.
All the touristy shops on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh for great prices on wool and cashmere — scarves, sweaters, blankets.
Daylesford Organic Farm in the Cotswolds for all the beautiful things for home and table! Great ornaments at Christmastime, too!
Cutter Brooks in Stow-on-the-Wold in the Cotswolds for distinctive fashions and beautiful pieces for home, table, and desk.
Choosing Keeping in London. This upscale stationers will make your journal-, pen-, and paper-loving heart swoon!
Fortnum & Mason in London. For ALL the things! I really love the downstairs Food Hall, and could not be coaxed away before I’d bought a Scotch Egg. This I ate while strolling down Regent Street, which was probably frightfully American of me (we eat on-the-go), and enjoyed until I got to the runny yolk, and then it completely lost its appeal, and I dumped it in the closest rubbish bin. But you should at least try one! It’s probably just me. You might like it!

Do I have any budgeting tips? Here is what works for us:

A good, VISA travel card that accumulates points is worthwhile. With our points, we covered the cost of our rental car and more.
Having a rental house where you can eat breakfast, or staying at a hotel that includes breakfast, will save you money on food.
Incorporate the money you would’ve spent at home on groceries into your travel budget to help with meal costs. Do the same with gas money.
We generally skip lunch (in favor of a snack…so many bakeries!) and then we have a nice dinner. Paying for just two meals a day (and only paying for one, if breakfast is included with your room), saves so much money.
For a trip of this complexity, with a lot of advance reservations/payments, we always take out trip insurance.
I keep scrupulous (to the penny) daily accounting of our expenses at the end of each day, so I can be sure spending is within the bounds of the budget for the trip.

To see a visual history of our trip memories, visit my archived stories on my Instagram account. They are labeled: Scotland 2019, England 2019, and Trip Q & A.

Happy trip planning! Traveling creates the greatest memories!

I’d sincerely love to hear about your experiences traveling to England and Scotland, so please do leave a comment!

Travel Guide to Scotland & England in Nov./Dec. - Part II

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