Rivers, re your description of rainy Blighty. I've done a fair amount of bike touring, and don't mind biking in mountains or in challenging places or in great heat, but I readily admit that I'm just not that keen on riding regularly in rain.
I've got family in the UK, and have thought many times to fly to London and bike to Wales, or now, up to Scotland--but the expectation of regular rain riding has always put me off. Plus the narrow roads and traffic, but mostly the rain....
Our summers have been lovely, if not a bit too hot, the past 3-4 years. We spent 16 days in the Highlands in our van last summer, and it only rained twice I think. Wales is about 15 miles from me, so it's a fairly regular long day out (60-100 miles), and it's our plan for our trip this summer (out to the Brecon Beacons).
Before mid-October, we had normal amount of rain. It's just been non-stop since then, but it is winter.
the ultimate goal would be the North coast 500 in the Highlands or LEJOG. It's just convincing the wife to let me go out cycling for 2-4 weeks (I have the available holiday, but she likes it when we go away together and this doesn't interest her)
So come to the UK, before Scotland buggers off. Just wait until June