January - March

Scotland retreats into the low season with the beginning of the year, and the low season continues through the middle of March. You will find the cheapest flights around this time, and accommodations tend to drop in price approximately 20%. In early January, many shops offer after-Christmas and beginning-of-the-year sales which may interest souvenir buyers. The weather tends to be rainy for most of the winter, with snow occurring from time to time. In the Shetland Islands, temperatures stay steady in the mid-40s during the day for most of the winter, with lows in the upper 30s. Inverness begins the year with highs in the low 40s and lows near freezing, but eventually warm to the upper 40s for highs and mid-30s for lows by March. Aberdeen sees roughly the same temperatures, but drier conditions since it is on the eastern side of Scotland. Similar temperatures and fewer rain days can be found in Edinburgh. Glasgow`s weather will be a tad wetter, with temperatures in the mid-40s during the day and mid-to-upper 30s at night. Conditions similar to Glasgow will be found in Dumfries and other areas of the Scottish Borders.

Holidays and Festivals:

January 1 - New Year`s Day. Many Scots recover from the night before (Hogmanay) with a nice steak pie. (Public holiday across Scotland.)

January 2 - New Year Holiday (Observed as a holiday across Scotland.)

January 11 - Burning of the Clavie, Burghead, Morayshire. An ancient Scottish rite, it is a bonfire that the townspeople light to celebrate the last day of the year (Hogmanay) as it lands on the Julian Calendar, which is January 11 on the current Gregorian.

January 25 - Burns Night. On Burns Night, many Scots enjoy a dinner of haggis and toast to the `Scottish Bard`, Robert Burns, who was born on this day in the year 1759.

Last Tuesday in January - Up-Helly-aa, Lerwick, Shetland Islands. This fire festival, held in the main port city of the Shetlands, celebrates the end of the traditional yule season.

Late January to early March - Scottish Snowdrop Festival, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. The snowdrop is a beautiful flower that blooms in the wintertime.

First Monday in February - Winter Holiday (Public holiday in Inverness.)

February 14 - Valentine`s Day.

March 1-7 - Whuppity Scoorie, Lanark, a festival celebrating the traditional start of spring. In decades and centuries past, children would run around the main church in Lanark and then dive for coins thrown by the adults who organized the event. Today, there is no longer a race, but many of the older customs remain, such as the gifting of coins.

First Monday in March - Winter Holiday (Public holiday in Inverness.)

Early-to-mid March - Scottish Fly Fishing Fair, Stirling. One of the largest events and trade shows dedicated to fly fishing in the world.

Mid-to-late March - Glasgow Comedy Festival, the largest comedy festival in Europe.

Last Monday in March - Winter Holiday (Public holiday in Lochaber.)

March or April - Good Friday (Public holiday in Aberdeen, Ayr, Dumfries and Galloway, East Dunbartonshire, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Inverclyde, Kilmarnock, Paisley, Stirling, South Lanarkshire, and West Dunbartonshire.)

March or April - Easter Sunday (closures)

March or April - Easter Monday (Public holiday in Ayr, Edinburgh, Falkirk, East Dunbartonshire, Glasgow, Inverclyde, Kilmarnock, North Lanarkshire, Paisley, Stirling, South Lanarkshire, and West Dunbartonshire.)

March, April and May - Golf season in Scotland.