Best time to visit England
The further north you go the grimmer it is but that’s not to say you won’t be met with some of England’s most characterful and captivating natural scenes.![]()
If you’ve ever wondered why the English discuss weather so much, it’s because they haven’t a clue what's going on from one day to the next.
As a rule, it’s colder and wetter up north and windier along the coast with the west of the country also experiencing plenty of rain. Autumn and spring are the best times to visit England but there’s a lot to be said for beer gardens and cosy pubs so don’t discount the winter or summer, whatever the weather.
As a rule, it’s colder and wetter up north and windier along the coast with the west of the country also experiencing plenty of rain. Autumn and spring are the best times to visit England but there’s a lot to be said for beer gardens and cosy pubs so don’t discount the winter or summer, whatever the weather.
England Weather Chart
MIN °C
MAX °C
RAIN (mm)
JAN
2
7
55
FEB
2
7
37
MAR
3
10
49
APR
5
13
47
MAY
8
17
51
JUN
11
20
52
JUL
13
22
49
AUG
13
22
56
SEP
11
19
55
OCT
8
15
58
NOV
4
10
59
DEC
2
8
59
Devon self catering cottage in England
Cottage with lake view & wood burner on Devon nature reserve
From
£205 to £749
per week (sleeps 4)
Winchester to Canterbury Pilgrims way, England
Walk the Pilgrims Way from Winchester to Canterbury
From
£1875
15 days
ex flights
Walk the Lake District vacation
Northern Lake District walking vacation
From
US $2150
7 days
ex flights
Thames Path walking vacation in England
Self guided walk along the River Thames Oxford to Windsor
From
£744 to £1098
7 days
ex flights
England tour by train
Explore England's diversity and fascinating history by train
From
£2725 to £2975
15 days
ex flights
Shakespeares Way walking vacation, Cotswolds to London
From Stratford-upon-Avon to The Globe Theatre
From
£903 to £1386
8 days
ex flights
Things to do in England
Things to do in England...
Things not to do in England
England travel advice
FCO advice and England
FCO advice and England
Most visits are trouble free, however terrorism is sadly a reality of traveling in these times. England has suffered at the hands of terrorists’ activities, such as the attack at Manchester Arena in May 2017, London Bridge in June 2017 and also on Westminster Bridge in March 2017. The organisation Daesh (formerly referred to as ISIL or ISIS), claimed responsibility for these attacks. Two other terrorist attacks, one on Muslim worshippers in London in June 2017 and another on the late MP Jo Cox were carried out by extremist individuals. Always get up to date information at your embassy before traveling to England.
Dartmoor tips
Dartmoor tips
Paul Day, Managing Director at our supplier, Let’s Go Walking, shares his experiences of walking in England:
“One of my favourite walks is on Dartmoor. It only takes two to three hours but the variety of landscapes and quietness that you’ll find en-route from Okehampton to the village of Sticklepath, via Belstone, are simply stunning. Belstone’s a beautifully unspoiled village on the north edge of Dartmoor and the Dartmoor Inn at Sticklepath makes for a great place to start or finish a walk, no matter what time of year it is. In fact, the winter lets you explore more of the moors as the muddy, boggy areas tend to harden which allows walkers to wander a little further from the footpaths. Of course, the summer’s not bad either and if you’re a fan of wild swimming, seek out the Cullever Steps below Scary Tor for one of my favourite spots to cool off on a hot day on the moors.”
Our top trip
Devon self catering cottage in England
Cottage with lake view & wood burner on Devon nature reserve
From
£205 to £749
per week (sleeps 4)
Accommodation
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Where to see wildlife
Where to see wildlife
Paul Day, Let’s Go Walking:
“Another walking route in England that I’d recommend is the Purbeck Way which comes in from Lulworth Cove to Swanage via Corfe Castle. This is a great walk for wildlife as there’s usually deer, buzzards and rabbits around the area with loads of seabirds in Swanage as well as an occasional hare or two, if you’re lucky.”
“Another walking route in England that I’d recommend is the Purbeck Way which comes in from Lulworth Cove to Swanage via Corfe Castle. This is a great walk for wildlife as there’s usually deer, buzzards and rabbits around the area with loads of seabirds in Swanage as well as an occasional hare or two, if you’re lucky.”
Walking in Devon
Walking in Devon
Ian Ripper, owner of our supplier Wheatland Farm Eco Lodges in Devon, shares his experiences of walking in England:
“The Tarka Trail is a wonderful facility for all ages and abilities. An old railway line, it travels from the old clay pits at Meeth (now a Devon Wildlife Trust reserve) through deep countryside following the river Torridge to the estuarine habitat and then the sea. No big hills, good surface and fantastic scenery, with places to get refreshments in most towns along the way. For the more intrepid there are great back-lane rides (beware Devon hills) where grass grows in the center of the roads and you find gems like Honeychurch – the smallest church in Devon – or a litter of piglets squealing at a roadside gate. Huge views from the hilltops and pretty streams in the dips.”
Getting away from it all
Getting away from it all
Paul Day, Let’s Go Walking:
“Walking in England really helps put things into perspective and if you’ve had a bad day or are feeling a bit stressed then it really helps to make your arrangements, wrap up warm and get out the door to surround yourself with countryside.”
“Walking in England really helps put things into perspective and if you’ve had a bad day or are feeling a bit stressed then it really helps to make your arrangements, wrap up warm and get out the door to surround yourself with countryside.”
Ian Ripper, Wheatland Farm Eco Lodges:
“I'm always surprised by the contradictions. People love Devon because it is less developed; yet seem to want to have all the conveniences of the cities and urban conurbations. It's lovely because we lack those things! In rural Devon it is quiet and relaxed all year round. Very little traffic and no roundabouts. At night it is pitch black and the stars are amazing. I always get a sinking feeling when I approach civilisation and see the very man-made environment most of us live in. Yes, I am an outdoors person mostly, but I do like a few days in a city to remind me to take the straw from between my teeth.”
Packing tips
Packing tips
Paul Day, Let’s Go Walking:
My advice for walkers in England is always: do your research, wear good walking boots to support the ankles with two pairs of socks, and pack some chocolate and cereal bars to get you from one pub to the next.
My advice for walkers in England is always: do your research, wear good walking boots to support the ankles with two pairs of socks, and pack some chocolate and cereal bars to get you from one pub to the next.
Farming
Farming
Ian Ripper, owner of our supplier Wheatland Farm Eco Lodges in Devon:
“I was in the village butcher when a visitor asked the butcher for local lamb. He apologised and said he only had lamb from Broadwood Kelly, would that do? The visitor asked where that might be and he replied ‘more'n five miles on the road to Samford Courtney.’”
“I was in the village butcher when a visitor asked the butcher for local lamb. He apologised and said he only had lamb from Broadwood Kelly, would that do? The visitor asked where that might be and he replied ‘more'n five miles on the road to Samford Courtney.’”
Tips from our travelers
At Responsible Travel, we think the best people to advise our travelers are often... other travelers. They always return from our tours with packing tips, weather reports, ideas about what to do - and opinions about what not to.
We have selected some of the most useful England travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your vacation - and the space inside your suitcase.
We have selected some of the most useful England travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your vacation - and the space inside your suitcase.
In order to see whatever you'd like to see on the IOW, do take the bus and have a look around Shorewell, a nice little village with a lot of historic traces.![]()
- Stefan Woll on the Isle of Wight
"We had a pair of ducks visit us each night around 7 p.m. I thought they'd leave when we didn't feed them but instead, they hunkered down and kept us company as we barbequed our dinner and ate. It sounds a little thing, but it's rare to be so close to nature and it was a highlight of our trip.” – Kristine Buchanan staying in a shepherd’s hut in the Lake District
“There are walks from the door and the station is only a mile away so day trips to places such as Beverley are easy. The walk into Howden across the fields is a couple of miles and delightful.” – Helena Poldervaart visiting Yorkshire
“There are walks from the door and the station is only a mile away so day trips to places such as Beverley are easy. The walk into Howden across the fields is a couple of miles and delightful.” – Helena Poldervaart visiting Yorkshire
Bring walking shoes and a map to explore lots of good walks. Plenty of hills and views and if the weather is wet and windy the Tarka trail is good and mainly sheltered.![]()
- Bob Simmonds on vacation in Devon
“If possible try to use the local bus services. They are not particularly frequent but by intelligent use of the Vectis timetables, you can visit everything on the island without any difficulty." – Christopher Vasey on the Isle of Wight
“It takes time to get places by car as the roads are smaller however, the train service from Eggsford is great – we used it to get to the coast and we loved Dawlish Warren – lovely beach and a nature reserve (really reasonable with a family railcard). Eden Project has reduced entry Tues, Wed & Thurs after 3.30 pm & children free over school summer hols and is open until 8 pm. Take a torch for walking back from the pub at night and star watching.” – Heather McAdam staying in Devon
“It takes time to get places by car as the roads are smaller however, the train service from Eggsford is great – we used it to get to the coast and we loved Dawlish Warren – lovely beach and a nature reserve (really reasonable with a family railcard). Eden Project has reduced entry Tues, Wed & Thurs after 3.30 pm & children free over school summer hols and is open until 8 pm. Take a torch for walking back from the pub at night and star watching.” – Heather McAdam staying in Devon
More England articles
As with all good England travel guides ours has an excellent map & highlights section to enable you to make the most of your time.
While London may be the country’s most popular visitor destination, we encourage you to head further afield, to explore England’s coast, peaks, lakes and idyllic rural landscapes.
Discover England by rail. The train network connects the country’s greatest cities and countryside.
Read on to learn how to explore Devon on foot, on two wheels or even on the waves with a sea kayaking vacation.
Our England travel advice features specialist vacation companies and a selection of previous travelers, sharing their knowledge.
Where you travel, and how you get there can be big factors in how responsible your vacation in England is.
