# Another cold snap for UK



## Carolinian (Feb 8, 2010)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/w...ep-across-Britain-with-more-snow-and-ice.html


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## thetimeshareguy (Feb 10, 2010)

I know from the article it's been an unusually cold winter in the UK. We're traveling to an area north of London (Rutland) for the last two weeks of March.

I know that no one can predict the weather but generally what would one expect the climate to be like at that time of year? We are two adults and three kids (ages 4 thru 14) and need to think upon what to pack, and don't want to bring excessive amounts of cold-weather clothing if it's like to be warm and "spring like" or vice versa.

Thanks in advance for any advice. (I know I can go on a weather website and get historical temperatures, but I'm really looking for some practical advice here from experienced travelers or residents.)

Also, at that time of year would a lot of attractions be in "shut down" mode? We're planning to take the kids to Warwick Castle, for instance. Would the re-enactors and so on be there, or do they only come out for more of the high season summer months?


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## helenbarnett1963 (Feb 10, 2010)

the weather could be doing anything....
I would pack for dull-and-damp-and-chilly and hope for mild-and-sunny. So layer, layer, layer the clothes and wear stout walking shoes, and take a waterproof coat.
If you get below-freezing-and-blizzards simply go and buy some extra layers.
You may even be blessed with warm-and-spring-like weather.

March (unless it is Easter vacation weeks) is generally low season for tourism in england.  In london and other major tourist centres things will be open, as will major sights like Warwick Castle.

You need to check the website for each individual attraction to see if re-enactors or other special features are happening - most places seem to keep thier websites up to date with current events etc
Also check opening times as some places open for shorter hours in winter and may be shut on certain days of the week.
warwick castle is www.warwick-castle.co.uk 
you will be able to find others easily enough via google


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## Keitht (Feb 10, 2010)

thetimeshareguy said:


> We're traveling to an area north of London (Rutland) for the last two weeks of March.



I had to smile when I read this.  It clearly shows the differing views of 'distance' between the USA / Canada and the UK.  The area you are visiting is over 100 miles north of London, and no Brit would ever think of it as 'an area north of London'.  That sort of terminology would be restricted to a 20 or 30 mile radius.  A few years back we stayed in Jasper for a few nights and commented about the lack of shops apart from those serving tourists.  The response from one local was that they went to another town (I can't remember the name), "It's only about 80 miles"!! Only!!!!!!!!  It was said with no sense of irony, just a different perspective  



thetimeshareguy said:


> I know that no one can predict the weather but generally what would one expect the climate to be like at that time of year?



This year has been exceptionally cold for the UK.  Typical temperature in March is around 10c or 50f so layering is definitely the way to go.


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## Laurie (Feb 10, 2010)

Keitht said:


> A few years back we stayed in Jasper for a few nights and commented about the lack of shops apart from those serving tourists.  The response from one local was that they went to another town (I can't remember the name), "It's only about 80 miles"!! Only!!!!!!!!


Does that mean you probably won't take us up on an invitation to drop over and say hello, when we're in the Lakes District in June?


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## Carolinian (Feb 10, 2010)

Keitht said:


> This year has been exceptionally cold for the UK.



I guess I was lucky on my November trip to the UK, as it was still above average for temperatures.  It think the cold arrived not long after I left.  I hope that it will be gone before my next visit to the UK in April!

But the exceptional cold has impacted all of Europe.  Here the last couple of winters, we had three or four snows, most melted within days, the longest in about a week.  This year, we have had snow on the ground constantly from late December until now, and it only got above freezing two days in January, and then just barely.  It is supposed to be back above freezing in a couple of days, so maybe we will finally get rid of the snow at least for a while.


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## Keitht (Feb 10, 2010)

Laurie said:


> Does that mean you probably won't take us up on an invitation to drop over and say hello, when we're in the Lakes District in June?



The Lake District is about 200 miles from where I live.  Distance in itself isn't the problem for that one, it's Britain's biggest car park, otherwise known as the M6, that's the problem.  The drive can take anything from about 3 1/2 hours on a good day, to double that when they run their roadwork training sessions :annoyed:


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## thetimeshareguy (Feb 15, 2010)

You are indeed correct about the different perceptions of distance between North Americans and Europeans.

I live in Toronto and my kids live with their mom most of the time in Collingwood, a two hour drive (assuming there's no traffic). I drive back and forth at least once a week to visit them overnight and think nothing of it. For me this is a short drive. My girlfriend lives in Barrie one hour north of Toronto, and I visit her a couple of times per week (thankfully, Barrie is on the way to Collingwood so makes a great rest stop).

We're driving to Stowe, Vermont for a ski trip next week, which is about a ten to 12 hour drive. I consider that fairly long. We'll stop half-way for an overnight stay on the way down to break up the trip (because we have a little one along) but will do the drive back in one big trip, weather permitting.

So the distances in England will appear to us quite short, I imagine.


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## tlwmkw (Feb 15, 2010)

Isn't there an old saying about English weather "If you don't like the weather just wait five minutes and it'll have changed".  We were there in March a few years ago and experienced snow in the north as well as warm spring weather in the south.  The clouds would blow in and it would rain and then the sun would come out and it would be warm again- all within a half hour period.  I think that is pretty typical so the advice to have multiple layers is excellent.  Generally unless the weather is really bad the English will just go on with things as if nothing has changed so don't worry about things being open or not.

tlwmkw


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## Keitht (Feb 15, 2010)

We don't generally get real extremes of weather in the UK, not for extended periods at least.  The 'Big Freeze' in January actually only lasted a couple of weeks for most of the country, and we certainly didn't have anything like what has been experienced on the east coast of the USA.


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