There is one important thing that I learned during my visits to Scotland and that is…it is necessary to be prepared. Whether you are just hopping over to Edinburgh for a couple of days or spending a week road tripping around the country, you need to be ready for sun, rain, and plenty of wind (especially on the Isle of Skye ) – even in the summer! Don’t worry, this Scotland packing list will have you as prepared as a Boy Scout for whatever comes your way.
I’ve visited Scotland twice, once in late June to early July and the other in early September. Both visits blessed me with a mix of beautiful blue skies with warm sunshine and, unsurprisingly, rain and wind (especially in June/July.) If you are visiting Scotland in the summer, you can expect average temperatures in the mid 50s to mid 60 degrees Fahrenheit, with the cooler temperatures in the northern Highlands and islands.
Remember that Scotland has a cool, damp, rainy, and windy climate most of the year. It can be the perfect place to beat the summer heat waves that have plagued Europe in recent years. Although I’ll admit being rather desperate for air conditioning when I was in Edinburgh in early September.
With this Scotland packing list I’ll walk you through what to wear in Scotland in the summer and other items to bring along to make your trip more pleasant. And, you can even download and print out the handy, dandy Scotland packing list PDF to be sure you don’t forget anything.
While you are preparing for your trip, be sure to check out my post on how much a Scotland trip costs in order to create your vacation budget.
Scotland Packing List
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As you begin to pack, think carefully about what type of suitcase you will use. We found that many accommodations in Scotland were in old buildings without elevators. If you can pack light, not only will your bags fit easier into the boot of your rental car, but it will be easier than lugging a heavy suitcase upstairs. Even a carry-on-size roller bag with a small tote or duffel would be better than carting around a large, hard-shell suitcase.
Outerwear
The name of the game in Scotland is layering. Trust me when I say that the wind can absolutely get cold enough to make you grab your down jacket, hat, and gloves. But somedays you may just have a light shower or need a thin top layer like a sweatshirt. To be prepared for everything, pack layers. In outerwear this should be:
A packable puffer jacket like the Heavenly jacket with a hood from Columbia that uses Omni Heat reflective technology to keep you warm while still being lightweight (plus it comes in cute colors)
A lightweight rain jacket with a hood that is large enough to layer over your puffer for rain and wind protection, like the Hikebound rain jacket from Columbia
A l ightweight fleece or sweatshirt
A warm knit hat and light, insulated and water repellant gloves
This waterproof bucket hat I bought in Edinburgh also came in extremely handy for keeping rain out of my eyes
A blanket scarf , ideally in a nice plaid that will stand out in pictures in the perfect Scottish way
Tops
The nice thing about Scotland is that everything is quite casual, outside of the fine dining options in the cities of course. You can get away with just one nicer top or a light wrap or cardigan to go over a base layer for any dressier dinners. For tops you will want to bring:
One or two long-sleeve wool base layers . Wool is excellent for moisture, warmth, and being rewearable without washing (or smelling!) I really like the long-sleeve merino wool base layers from WoolX. I have extremely sensitive skin and I’m still able to wear these without irritation.
One long-sleeved t-shirt for casual days.
Two short-sleeve moisture-wicking layers like the WoolX Mia v-neck t-shirt or the Columbia Boundless Trek t-shirt .
One flannel shirt and/or hiking shirt for layering. I love the Lucious plaid shirt from Aventura because it is so soft and cozy.
A cardigan for layering or lightweight summer sweater to go out to dinner.
One ¾-sleeve shirt or blouse for warmer days or evenings.
Bottoms
In Scotland you can easily get away with exercise leggings, hiking pants, and a pair of jeans. Maybe you want to bring one pair of shorts or a summer dress just in case you luck out with really warm weather. Be sure to pack:
Rain pants that you can pull on over leggings for rainy hikes. Trust me, it is worth walking in a little rain to see some of these views!!
One to two pairs of hiking pants that can also double as travel or dinner pants. I love the Halle pants from Prana.
Fleece-lined leggings like the comfy Dogwalker leggings from Aventura (with convenient side pockets) or some good wool leggings like the Piper Pocket leggings from WoolX.
One pair of jeans to go out in the evenings or non-active days.
One cotton or wool dress that you can wear on warm days or put a sweater over and leggings under when it is cooler but you want to still look nice (like for afternoon tea.)
I also brought a pair of linen pants but only because I was also then spending a few more weeks in France after my trip to Scotland
Footwear
There is no need to bring a bag full of shoes to Scotland. A good pair of waterproof hiking boots or shoes, a pair of sneakers, and one pair of sandals will suffice,
Waterproof hiking boots or shoes with a good grip for wet, slippery paths. I’m a big fan of the Merrell Moab 3 hiking shoes or boots.
A c omfortable sneaker , ideally one that is waterproof like these from Vessi and I’d avoid white if you don’t want to get them too dirty.
Sandals that are good for walking but can also be worn with your dress for an afternoon tea.
If your sandals won’t work as flip flops , I’d throw a pair of those in your bag too in case you decide to take a dip in the Fairy Pools.
Good wool socks that are good in the damp, like my favorites from Darn Tough socks .
Under Things
Don’t forget the other necessities!
Good travel and active underwear that can dry quickly such as these from Exofficio or OnGossamer
Two sports bras and one standard bra
Bathing suit in case you want to take a swim or use the spa or sauna
Pajamas – don’t go too heavyweight in case it ends up being warm because most accommodations do not have air conditioning
Extras
Now that we have covered what you need to bring to wear in Scotland, let’s make sure you don’t forget some other necessary items.
Quick dry travel towel
Sunglasses
Travel umbrella
Waterproof day pack or travel-safe sling bag
Belt bag for short walks
Refillable water bottle
Bug repellent to protect against midges (we got lucky and didn’t encounter any midges on our trip)
Sunscreen
Hand cream / moisturizer to protect windburnt cheeks and hands
Lip balm
Toiletries — keep in mind that many accommodations in the U.K. are quite simple in terms of the toiletries they provide. Often there is just soap and an all-in-one shampoo/conditioner/body wash. I’d suggest bringing your own lotion, conditioner, make up remover, and even face cloth if you need it.
Travel Fabreze to refresh clothing if needed
Travel laundry detergent like Sink Suds to wash anything needed on your travels
UK travel adapter or a universal adapter
Back up power bank
Extra charging cord for the car
Extra camera batteries and SD cards if you are using a regular camera because you are going to take so many pictures!! If using your phone, make sure you have plenty of memory space cleared out.
Travel tripod. If you are into photography, I’d recommend the Peak Design travel tripod , especially if you want to stake out a spot to wait for the “Hogwarts Express” at the Glenfinnan Aqueduct. However, if you are a more casual photographer, this selfie stick/tripod with Bluetooth remote works well for capturing memories.
A credit card that doesn’t charge international fees because most places take credit card.
At least £100 in GBP, preferably in small bills and change for the parking meters or shops that don’t accept cards.
UK eSim for unlocked phones, such as Textr , may save you money on your international data plan while in Scotland.
Headlamp – yes it stays light in Scotland quite late in the summer, but if you are staying in a glamping pod or campground, you may want to have a headlamp in case you find yourself walking outside after dark.
Scotland Packing List PDF
Download the Scotland Packing List PDF here .
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