Where to go in August: weather, events and holidays

Best for August: regions that pass every outdoor check

A region is listed when, in August, average highs reach 10°C, there are fewer than 12 days with 1 mm of rain, rainfall is under 80 mm and daylight lasts at least 9 hours. These are the same thresholds we use for packing advice on When to go.

Suit August on the numbers

The Jurassic Coast (outdoor-leaning): highs 20.3°C, 55 mm of rain on 8.2 days, 14 h 27 of daylight.

The Jurassic Coast in August · Theatre

Windsor (outdoor-leaning): highs 23.4°C, 53 mm of rain on 8.4 days, 14 h 31 of daylight.

Windsor in August

Cambridge (outdoor-leaning): highs 22.9°C, 56 mm of rain on 9.0 days, 14 h 35 of daylight.

Cambridge in August · Theatre

Devon (outdoor-leaning): highs 21.0°C, 62 mm of rain on 9.2 days, 14 h 27 of daylight.

Devon in August

Sheffield (outdoor-leaning): highs 20.8°C, 65 mm of rain on 10.0 days, 14 h 42 of daylight.

Sheffield in August

York (outdoor-leaning): highs 21.0°C, 62 mm of rain on 10.0 days, 14 h 46 of daylight.

York in August · Theatre

St Andrews and Fife (outdoor-leaning): highs 19.0°C, 69 mm of rain on 10.6 days, 15 h 02 of daylight.

St Andrews and Fife in August

Bath (outdoor-leaning): highs 21.6°C, 74 mm of rain on 10.7 days, 14 h 31 of daylight.

Bath in August · Theatre

Cornwall (outdoor-leaning): highs 19.0°C, 78 mm of rain on 11.4 days, 14 h 25 of daylight.

Cornwall in August · Theatre

Canterbury & Kent (mixed): highs 23.1°C, 57 mm of rain on 8.1 days, 14 h 30 of daylight.

Canterbury & Kent in August

Brighton & Hove (mixed): highs 21.0°C, 59 mm of rain on 8.5 days, 14 h 28 of daylight.

Brighton & Hove in August

Oxford (mixed): highs 22.5°C, 62 mm of rain on 9.0 days, 14 h 33 of daylight.

Oxford in August · Theatre

Norfolk and the Broads (mixed): highs 21.7°C, 66 mm of rain on 9.2 days, 14 h 39 of daylight.

Norfolk and the Broads in August

Stratford & Warwickshire (mixed): highs 22.4°C, 60 mm of rain on 9.3 days, 14 h 36 of daylight.

Stratford & Warwickshire in August

Newcastle and Gateshead (mixed): highs 18.3°C, 64 mm of rain on 9.9 days, 14 h 52 of daylight.

Newcastle and Gateshead in August

Leeds (mixed): highs 21.0°C, 62 mm of rain on 10.0 days, 14 h 45 of daylight.

Leeds in August

Edinburgh (mixed): highs 19.1°C, 72 mm of rain on 10.4 days, 14 h 59 of daylight.

Edinburgh in August · Theatre

The Cotswolds (mixed): highs 21.8°C, 67 mm of rain on 10.6 days, 14 h 34 of daylight.

The Cotswolds in August · Theatre

Bristol (mixed): highs 21.3°C, 75 mm of rain on 11.0 days, 14 h 31 of daylight.

Bristol in August · Theatre

Portsmouth and Southampton (city-leaning): highs 22.5°C, 59 mm of rain on 8.4 days, 14 h 28 of daylight.

Portsmouth and Southampton in August

Nottingham (city-leaning): highs 21.1°C, 64 mm of rain on 9.5 days, 14 h 40 of daylight.

Nottingham in August

Salisbury & Stonehenge (city-leaning): highs 21.6°C, 59 mm of rain on 9.6 days, 14 h 30 of daylight.

Salisbury & Stonehenge in August

Birmingham (city-leaning): highs 21.0°C, 68 mm of rain on 10.5 days, 14 h 37 of daylight.

Birmingham in August

Anglesey: highs 18.8°C, 69 mm of rain on 10.6 days, 14 h 42 of daylight.

Anglesey in August

Close: one or two checks tripped

Fewer than 2 of the three weather checks (cold, rain days, rainfall) tripped.

The Scottish Highlands (mixed): 12.3 days with 1 mm or more of rain.

highs 18.7°C, 65 mm of rain on 12.3 days, 15 h 08 of daylight

North Coast 500 (outdoor-leaning): 12.5 days with 1 mm or more of rain.

highs 16.3°C, 70 mm of rain on 12.5 days, 15 h 16 of daylight

Liverpool (outdoor-leaning): 12.2 days with 1 mm or more of rain.

highs 19.7°C, 72 mm of rain on 12.2 days, 14 h 43 of daylight

Orkney (city-leaning): 12.6 days with 1 mm or more of rain.

highs 16.2°C, 73 mm of rain on 12.6 days, 15 h 22 of daylight

Stirling and the Trossachs (outdoor-leaning): 13.0 days with 1 mm or more of rain.

highs 19.5°C, 76 mm of rain on 13.0 days, 15 h 00 of daylight

Think twice about, in August

Outdoor-leaning and mixed regions (more than 30% of the sights we tag are outdoors) that trip 2 or more of the three weather checks this month. “Think twice” means plan around the weather, not “do not go”.

Plan around the weather

Cardiff (mixed, 36% of tagged sights outdoors): 12.4 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 105 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in Cardiff All August figures

Glasgow (mixed, 45% of tagged sights outdoors): 13.9 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 95 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in Glasgow All August figures

Islay and Jura (character unknown, 67% of tagged sights outdoors): 16.0 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 107 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in Islay and Jura All August figures

Isle of Arran (character unknown, 50% of tagged sights outdoors): 15.3 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 124 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in Isle of Arran All August figures

Isle of Bute (character unknown, 83% of tagged sights outdoors): 15.3 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 124 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in Isle of Bute All August figures

Manchester (outdoor-leaning, 51% of tagged sights outdoors): 13.6 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 80 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in Manchester All August figures

Mull and Iona (character unknown, 33% of tagged sights outdoors): 16.8 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 130 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in Mull and Iona All August figures

Northern Ireland (outdoor-leaning, 50% of tagged sights outdoors): 13.5 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 85 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in Northern Ireland All August figures

The Lake District (mixed, 41% of tagged sights outdoors): 15.2 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 120 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in the Lake District All August figures

The Outer Hebrides (outdoor-leaning, 73% of tagged sights outdoors): 15.0 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 88 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in the Outer Hebrides All August figures

The Peak District (outdoor-leaning, 74% of tagged sights outdoors): 14.1 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 101 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in the Peak District All August figures

Wales (mixed, 38% of tagged sights outdoors): 12.4 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 105 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in Wales All August figures

August in numbers

Warmest highs: Windsor 23.4°C, Canterbury & Kent 23.1°C, Cambridge 22.9°C. Coolest: Orkney (16.2°C).
Lowest rainfall: Windsor 53 mm, The Jurassic Coast 55 mm, Cambridge 56 mm.
Most sunshine hours: The Jurassic Coast 226 h, Canterbury & Kent 219 h, Portsmouth and Southampton 206 h.
Longest days (calculated from latitude): Orkney 15 h 22, North Coast 500 15 h 16, The Outer Hebrides 15 h 12.

August averages by region. Rain days count days with 1 mm or more.
Region	High °C	Low °C	Rain mm	Rain days	Sun hours	Daylight
Anglesey	18.8	13.1	69	10.6	188	14 h 42
Bath	21.6	12.6	74	10.7	198	14 h 31
Birmingham	21.0	12.0	68	10.5	175	14 h 37
Brighton & Hove	21.0	13.1	59	8.5	n/a	14 h 28
Bristol	21.3	13.2	75	11.0	190	14 h 31
Cambridge	22.9	12.6	56	9.0	181	14 h 35
Canterbury & Kent	23.1	13.1	57	8.1	219	14 h 30
Cardiff	21.4	12.9	105	12.4	185	14 h 31
Cornwall	19.0	13.4	78	11.4	187	14 h 25
Devon	21.0	13.8	62	9.2	200	14 h 27
Edinburgh	19.1	11.5	72	10.4	160	14 h 59
Glasgow	19.3	11.9	95	13.9	146	14 h 58
Islay and Jura	17.3	11.1	107	16.0	n/a	14 h 58
Isle of Arran	18.4	11.5	124	15.3	155	14 h 56
Isle of Bute	18.4	11.5	124	15.3	155	14 h 58
Leeds	21.0	11.9	62	10.0	179	14 h 45
Liverpool	19.7	13.5	72	12.2	n/a	14 h 43
Manchester	20.2	11.6	80	13.6	145	14 h 43
Mull and Iona	18.1	11.4	130	16.8	135	15 h 02
Newcastle and Gateshead	18.3	12.4	64	9.9	174	14 h 52
Norfolk and the Broads	21.7	12.5	66	9.2	185	14 h 39
North Coast 500	16.3	10.4	70	12.5	137	15 h 16
Northern Ireland	19.4	11.5	85	13.5	142	14 h 50
Nottingham	21.1	12.3	64	9.5	178	14 h 40
Orkney	16.2	10.5	73	12.6	135	15 h 22
Oxford	22.5	13.0	62	9.0	193	14 h 33
Portsmouth and Southampton	22.5	14.0	59	8.4	206	14 h 28
Salisbury & Stonehenge	21.6	12.2	59	9.6	199	14 h 30
Sheffield	20.8	12.6	65	10.0	181	14 h 42
St Andrews and Fife	19.0	10.7	69	10.6	171	15 h 02
Stirling and the Trossachs	19.5	11.1	76	13.0	151	15 h 00
Stratford & Warwickshire	22.4	12.0	60	9.3	181	14 h 36
The Cotswolds	21.8	11.6	67	10.6	173	14 h 34
The Jurassic Coast	20.3	14.4	55	8.2	226	14 h 27
The Lake District	19.2	11.4	120	15.2	n/a	14 h 49
The Outer Hebrides	16.4	11.0	88	15.0	133	15 h 12
The Peak District	18.6	10.9	101	14.1	169	14 h 42
The Scottish Highlands	18.7	11.2	65	12.3	136	15 h 08
Wales	21.4	12.9	105	12.4	185	14 h 36
Windsor	23.4	14.1	53	8.4	202	14 h 31
York	21.0	11.9	62	10.0	179	14 h 46

Met Office 1991-2020 averages, one station per region (see sources). Daylight is calculated for the 15th at the region’s latitude.

Dated events in August

Only events with dates confirmed on the organiser’s page, up to 4 per place. Always check the organiser before you travel.

Bristol

Bristol International Balloon Fiesta13 Aug 2027 – 15 Aug 2027 · Ashton Court Estate · source: Bristol International Balloon Fiesta (official site)

Cambridge

Cambridge Folk Festival30 Jul 2027 – 1 Aug 2027 · Cherry Hinton Hall · source: Cambridge Folk Festival (official site)

Edinburgh

Edinburgh Festival Fringe6 Aug 2027 – 30 Aug 2027 · Venues across Edinburgh · source: Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society (official site)
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo6 Aug 2027 – 28 Aug 2027 · Edinburgh Castle Esplanade · source: Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (official site)

Glasgow

Piping Live! Glasgow International Piping Festival8 Aug 2027 – 13 Aug 2027 · Venues across Glasgow · source: Piping Live! (official site)
World Pipe Band Championships13 Aug 2027 – 14 Aug 2027 · Glasgow · source: Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (official site)

Liverpool

Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art5 Jun 2027 – 12 Sept 2027 · Venues across Liverpool · source: Liverpool Biennial (official site)

London

Jurassic Oceans: Monsters of the Deep22 May 2026 – 3 Jan 2027 · Natural History Museum · source: Natural History Museum (official site)
Ink22 Apr 2027 – 30 Aug 2027 · Tate Modern · source: Tate (official What's on page)
Baya10 Jun 2027 – 17 Oct 2027 · Tate Modern · source: Tate (official What's on page)
Nalini Malani1 Jul 2027 – 9 Jan 2028 · Tate Modern · source: Tate (official What's on page)

1 more in London

The Lake District

Kendal Calling29 Jul 2027 – 1 Aug 2027 · Lake District, Cumbria · source: Kendal Calling (official site)
Grasmere Lakeland Sports and Show29 Aug 2027 · Grasmere Sports field · source: Grasmere Lakeland Sports (official site)

Wales

National Eisteddfod of Wales31 Jul 2027 – 7 Aug 2027 · Cemaes, on the River Dyfi · source: National Eisteddfod (official site)

York

Sky Bet Ebor Festival18 Aug 2027 – 21 Aug 2027 · York Racecourse, Knavesmire · source: York Racecourse (official site)

Bank holidays in August

England and Wales

Mon, 30 Aug 2027: Summer bank holiday
Mon, 28 Aug 2028: Summer bank holiday

Scotland

Mon, 2 Aug 2027: Summer bank holiday
Mon, 7 Aug 2028: Summer bank holiday

Northern Ireland

Mon, 30 Aug 2027: Summer bank holiday
Mon, 28 Aug 2028: Summer bank holiday

From GOV.UK, next two years from this build. Many people travel on bank holiday weekends; we hold no sourced figure for how that changes crowds or prices, so check transport and rooms early.

More for August

UK in summer: festivals, sport and long days out (June to August)
Easter and bank holiday weekends (March to August)
Summer festivals and big days out (June to September)
Rainy-day ideas by region
Month-by-month weather and packing for every region
When to visit London
Compare two destinations

← July All months September →

Editorial note. We do not rank destinations or claim a month is “best” overall. We state no crowd or price levels because no source we fetched gives them. London has no Met Office station in our data yet.

Sources

Station notes: some stations sit near, not in, the town (for example Church Fenton for York, Woodford for Manchester). Daylight is calculated, not a Met Office figure.