Hi ,
     My boyfriend and I have booked a weeks holiday off work in the last week in November. We are taking Rosie too and really wanted to go to Scotland ( found a lovely cottage , enclosed garden , open fire etc ) but were a little worried what the weather would be like and road conditions for driving around there.
    
     We live in Shropshire so i don't want to drive all that way if i'm going to be scared about driving about when we get there. I have the image in my head of a little cottage with fire going while snow is falling outside ( obviously ! :rolleyes: ) but have a feeling it won't be like that.

     So ...  was just wondering of those who live in Scotland , or have holidayed there at the end of Nov , what it was like? Or whether we're better to leave it till the spring? The other option is going to Cornwall , but would prefer Scotland.

Many thanks in advance , Kate

The weather is fine generally in November, cold and wet but shouldn't think it'll snow. January is probably the worst (or best) month for snow. You may have to scrape ice from your car in the morning, but wouldn't think the roads will be icy, and if they are it will be gone by 9am usually.

Where abouts in Scotland are you going? If it's very far north, or very high up I reserve the right to change my forcast...lol.

I've booked a cottage at Wester Ross in the middle of November :)

OOh brilliant , that's put my mind to rest a bit - thank you!!

The cottage is near a place called By Tyndrum ( was going to say it is near the A85 - till i realised it went all the way across! )
I think it's in Argyll and Bute - if that helps!

Oh Tyndrum is famous for it's Green Welly restaurant. If I'm heading north I'll often go west first to stop there for lunch :) That'll be a great spot for a base for exploring the west coast or north to Glen Coe etc

Tyndrum is very nice.

THe only snow that has fallen in Scotland in 2 years around my neck of the woods has been March. I don't think I have seen snow in November is years. I mean years and years. :-)

Forget Cornwall, you must go to Scotland, I think all of us in the UK should go to Scotland at least once. :-P

A friend of mine used to go to Scotland every year, (sorry can't remember where) and she used to come home with the most fabulous photographs of the real wilds of Scotland, the castles, the lakes, beautiful.

So.......... I too used to tell hubby how much I would love to go one day, well whilst I was 7 months pregnant one year with my second son (our oldest was 18 months) and as I refused to fly whilst pregnant we knew we would holiday in the UK somewhere, well hubby surprised me with a holiday to Scotland :-) I was so excited so looking forward to staying in the wilds in a lovely hotel or castle, hubby would not tell me where we were going it was to be a wonderful surprise.;-)

After hours in the car and being 7 months pregnant not really enjoying the long drive at all :-( but putting on a brave face with my visions of Scotland, we finally arrived........at Butlins:rolleyes: it was a real dive, I hated it, no scenery, no Scotland, hubby had thought of our son, (bless) and me wanting to see Scotland and booked us in, couldn't be too mad but I hated it........so if you can go and see the Scotland I never got to see, Goooooooo.........

Maybe I'll get to go back too one day.

RFLMAO
That is a real good tale, what a thoughtful man planning a surpise holiday for you!

Karen

That holiday must have been a long, long time ago, as there are no Butlins holiday camps in Scotland any more.   I have a static caravan at the old butlins (nothing like what it used to be) in Ayr, and we have wonderfulll views and scenery even from my caravan, its a great base to explore "Burns country" all coastal routes down to Stranraer and going the other way to Largs along the coastal roads with loads of scenery. There are castles not far from the camp i.e. Culzean Castle, outside of Maybole and Dean Castle in Kilmarnock to name 2. Oh ! forgot Loudon Castle which also has a theme park alll within a 15/30min drive from Ayr.

Well my son is now 16 and daughter 20.  We did Butlins holidays from when he was 3 and before my daughter got to 14.  So it would be between 6 and 13 years ago, probably 10 though

Ah I did the Scottish Butlins as a single parent non driver with two small children it was perfect, but of all the Butlins it was a dive, and I did all of them except for Bognor Regis (where I had visited when I lived in London so nothing new there for me).

We did go on a coach trip from there to Edinburgh which was lovely.

Stayed at a lovely B+B near Kelso when going with a friend and our dogs to Hound Ass of Scotland in 2005 and it was lovely too.

but of all the Butlins it was a dive

Was it also the Ayr one? :-D  I can happily name it as I see from Marguarites post it is now closed. I'm not surprised it was closed down it really was awful. :-(

Yep, though is it was sold on it was probably not being kept up.  I liked the area and I loved the Welsh Butlns that has also gone now, again to Haven I think.

For me with no transport and two small kids it was the all in and on site aspect that appealed with Butlins.

It depends on where it is, Scotland is a big place. Weather on the east coast is very mild compared to the west.  Very north is colder than southern Scotland.

I have never in my life dog stuck in the snow, infact Weather in England 2 years running for rain and snow has been worse that where I live in Scotland. East coast. 25 mins from Edinburgh. :-)

Remember that by that time of year its dark by 6pm and not fully light til after 8am. I doubt you will get snow not seen it in November for a long time, although the mountains around will probably be white capped by then :) (stunning views). Tyndrum is nice - lots of walking in the area too - on the West Highland Way. Take a warm coat and some gloves,stout shoes and a hat and you will be fine. You may well find that you get some lovely winter sun but if anything like normal you may have all weathers in one day :D

Killin is quite near and very nice - Falls of Dochart are lovely especially in winter.
Hope you have a fantastic time
marion

I've always wanted to go to Scotland....I keep promising the hounds I'll take them one day....one of my pups has gone to Scotland, they brought me a great calendar of some beautiful areas and now I REALLY want to go....

I know someone who has log cabins on Mull.....hmmmm

The old Butlins camp in Ayr is now a Haven holiday site and Marguerite is right about the wonderful views across to Arran.We  have been a couple of times with the grandkids and there is plenty there to amuse them. Right enough ,we live in Glasgow so its only 30 odd miles away.Ayr is a great town for all your shopping and restaurants and if you want scenery just follow the coast road .Its a spectacular view,and the electric brae is there where you appear to be going uphill when in fact you are going down and vice versa Its an optical illusion.The weather in Tyndrum should be as someone else stated as its not that far from Glasgow either,but a bit wilder and colder in the middle of winter. Last November was very wet and windy but all the forecasters are saying it's to be colder this year,which means a bit frosty,but hopefully clear and bright for you to get out and about. Better than wind and rain.
Hope you enjoy your stay

jean

Thank you everyone for all your replies and suggestions.

   The cottage we were looking at near Tyndrum has now been booked for the end part of the week but we have seen another at a place called Letterfearn  , Ross-shire. Which on multi map looks quite higher up! Someone said that the weather should be chilly but fine near Tyndrum but was just wondering if the weather would be much different that bit further North.

Thanks again , in advance , for your help!
Kate.

Ooh , also , does anyone know this area at all - and what it is like?

I prefer the area of your first choice. 2nd one is very far up and in my opinion not as nice as the first area.

Some areas around Tyndrum will catch even the most cynics breath.  Even those that live near it.

I've been to Rosshire once as we have family there, but it was about 9 yrs ago. Stayed at North Strome near Lochcarron. It's lovely up there too but it's more remote than Tyndrum area, takes longer to get to, and you may well be a bit more hit & miss with the weather.