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Advice on dressing for northern Scotland riding in last half of April?

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Advice on dressing for northern Scotland riding in last half of April?

Old 01-13-14, 08:49 AM
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Advice on dressing for northern Scotland riding in last half of April?

Hello Folks. A quick search of the thread for advice on Scottish touring suggests woolen jerseys and rain/windproof gear - any other suggestions? We will be staying in B&Bs. cheers
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Old 01-13-14, 10:56 AM
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North Of the Great Glen/Oban to Inverness ?

1997 I (solo, no wife to need daily whims met) was on the Western Irish Coast in April , I lived in my Rain gear..
camping and Hosteling .. polar fleece preferred over wool for weight reasons ..
My woolen jerseys went smaller (washing) as I got older, 30 years ago, so I dont own Any.

North Atlantic Current has a profound effect on the west coasts there , which you dont Get in Manitoba, obviously.

what do you wear during spring thaw There [home]?
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Old 01-13-14, 11:07 AM
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Advice on dressing for northern Scotland riding in last half of April?

A kilt?

Gloves are probably a good idea, and some headgear for off-bike
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Old 01-13-14, 02:25 PM
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The weather at that time of the year can still be unpredictable but generally on the west coast the temperature should be slightly higher but it is usually wetter. Moving further towards the east coast it is usually colder but drier. Best to have warm clothes and wet gear also as the weather nowadays is even less predictable than before. In weather terms in Scotland, anything can happen.

Good luck.
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Old 01-13-14, 06:55 PM
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Originally Posted by onbike 1939
The weather at that time of the year can still be unpredictable but generally on the west coast the temperature should be slightly higher but it is usually wetter. Moving further towards the east coast it is usually colder but drier. Best to have warm clothes and wet gear also as the weather nowadays is even less predictable than before. In weather terms in Scotland, anything can happen.

Good luck.
Beat me to it I used to spend a lot of time up in the Angus Glens, and the weather can change darn near hourly. Loved it, though. Beautiful.
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Old 01-14-14, 01:53 AM
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Wool and waterproofs seems like good advice.
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Old 01-14-14, 02:07 AM
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Advice on dressing for northern Scotland riding in last half of April?

Have you checked out weather history?
www.wunderground.com/history
for example. I find the weekly reports useful for the last few years.
Aberdeen can be over 20 C during the day and nearly freezing at night in april.
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Old 01-14-14, 04:12 AM
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Originally Posted by decosse
Beat me to it I used to spend a lot of time up in the Angus Glens, and the weather can change darn near hourly. Loved it, though. Beautiful.
It is said that there is no "climate" in Scotland, only "weather" and this is true.

Some years ago a French friend visiting me here experienced brilliant sunshine, rain, snow and hailstones, all in one afternoon.
She would get to the front step, look at the weather and then dash back inside to change.
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Old 01-15-14, 10:35 AM
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thank you for the feedback. With our weather extremes here I am quite used to layering - it was -40 last week (no I don't ride on those days although some do here, and it's slightly below 0 F here today so I have fleece of every weight and configuration. Cheers
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Old 01-15-14, 11:45 PM
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I'd be inclined to lean toward fleece products due to my perceptions of them being easier to get dry compared to wool.
I'm keen to trial some merino wear but as yet most of my experience has been with fleece/polypropylene type products which I've loved due to its easy dry properties having lived in some wet climes.
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Old 01-17-14, 04:19 PM
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Originally Posted by onbike 1939
It is said that there is no "climate" in Scotland, only "weather" and this is true.

Some years ago a French friend visiting me here experienced brilliant sunshine, rain, snow and hailstones, all in one afternoon.
She would get to the front step, look at the weather and then dash back inside to change.
This probably is one of the reasons why I love Scotland... it is so much like Tasmania where I am from (we've had snow on Christmas Day in the middle of our summer).

Agree, entirely, that you need to take enough clothing to cover all climatic conditions in Scotland. We didn't encounter snow while we were there last year, but every other type of weather up to it -- wind, heavy rain, mist, warm temperatures, cold. I think we used our wet outers more there than any other time in our eight months around the world. But loved it.

I prefer polypro, but wool should also fit the bill both from a warmth point of view and for Scottish style.
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Old 01-17-14, 05:49 PM
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Originally Posted by jackwinnipeg
thank you for the feedback. With our weather extremes here I am quite used to layering - it was -40 last week (no I don't ride on those days although some do here, and it's slightly below 0 F here today so I have fleece of every weight and configuration. Cheers
I am quite familiar with Winnipeg's very dry -40C, having lived and cycled there for 13 years ... but in Scotland, you'll experience a new kind of cold. A chilly wet cold.

Whatever else you bring, bring a full set of rain gear.
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Old 01-17-14, 08:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Machka
Whatever else you bring, bring a full set of rain gear.
I would highly recommend some rain booties, wet shoes suck the big one, especially the next day or three if they dont dry out and keep getting wet.
MEC ones are good, Ive used a pair for years and they work great for the cold too. Highly recommended.
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