Where to go

Where to go in May

33 of our 41 regions pass every outdoor check in May. Windsor has the warmest highs (18.4°C on average) and Newcastle and Gateshead the lowest rainfall (42 mm). Numbers are Met Office 1991-2020 averages, not a forecast.

Best for May: regions that pass every outdoor check

A region is listed when, in May, 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 May on the numbers

Cambridge (outdoor-leaning): highs 17.4°C, 43 mm of rain on 7.3 days, 15 h 47 of daylight.

Cambridge in May · Theatre

Windsor (outdoor-leaning): highs 18.4°C, 46 mm of rain on 8.0 days, 15 h 41 of daylight.

Windsor in May

The Jurassic Coast (outdoor-leaning): highs 15.7°C, 45 mm of rain on 8.2 days, 15 h 34 of daylight.

The Jurassic Coast in May · Theatre

Devon (outdoor-leaning): highs 16.2°C, 54 mm of rain on 8.6 days, 15 h 35 of daylight.

Devon in May

York (outdoor-leaning): highs 16.4°C, 43 mm of rain on 8.7 days, 16 h 03 of daylight.

York in May · Theatre

Sheffield (outdoor-leaning): highs 16.4°C, 55 mm of rain on 9.3 days, 15 h 58 of daylight.

Sheffield in May

Cornwall (outdoor-leaning): highs 14.5°C, 61 mm of rain on 9.8 days, 15 h 31 of daylight.

Cornwall in May · Theatre

Liverpool (outdoor-leaning): highs 15.9°C, 52 mm of rain on 9.8 days, 15 h 58 of daylight.

Liverpool in May · Theatre

Bath (outdoor-leaning): highs 17.1°C, 59 mm of rain on 10.0 days, 15 h 40 of daylight.

Bath in May · Theatre

St Andrews and Fife (outdoor-leaning): highs 14.5°C, 50 mm of rain on 10.0 days, 16 h 28 of daylight.

St Andrews and Fife in May

Manchester (outdoor-leaning): highs 16.3°C, 56 mm of rain on 10.8 days, 15 h 59 of daylight.

Manchester in May · Theatre

Stirling and the Trossachs (outdoor-leaning): highs 15.7°C, 57 mm of rain on 11.2 days, 16 h 26 of daylight.

Stirling and the Trossachs in May

Northern Ireland (outdoor-leaning): highs 15.7°C, 60 mm of rain on 11.5 days, 16 h 10 of daylight.

Northern Ireland in May · Theatre

North Coast 500 (outdoor-leaning): highs 12.0°C, 50 mm of rain on 11.7 days, 16 h 51 of daylight.

North Coast 500 in May

Norfolk and the Broads (mixed): highs 16.3°C, 47 mm of rain on 7.9 days, 15 h 52 of daylight.

Norfolk and the Broads in May

Canterbury & Kent (mixed): highs 17.3°C, 50 mm of rain on 8.0 days, 15 h 39 of daylight.

Canterbury & Kent in May

Brighton & Hove (mixed): highs 16.3°C, 46 mm of rain on 8.3 days, 15 h 36 of daylight.

Brighton & Hove in May

Newcastle and Gateshead (mixed): highs 13.3°C, 42 mm of rain on 8.5 days, 16 h 13 of daylight.

Newcastle and Gateshead in May

Leeds (mixed): highs 16.4°C, 43 mm of rain on 8.7 days, 16 h 02 of daylight.

Leeds in May

Stratford & Warwickshire (mixed): highs 17.3°C, 55 mm of rain on 9.0 days, 15 h 48 of daylight.

Stratford & Warwickshire in May

Edinburgh (mixed): highs 14.9°C, 48 mm of rain on 9.6 days, 16 h 24 of daylight.

Edinburgh in May · Theatre

Oxford (mixed): highs 17.7°C, 57 mm of rain on 9.6 days, 15 h 43 of daylight.

Oxford in May · Theatre

The Cotswolds (mixed): highs 16.8°C, 64 mm of rain on 10.2 days, 15 h 45 of daylight.

The Cotswolds in May · Theatre

Bristol (mixed): highs 17.0°C, 58 mm of rain on 10.3 days, 15 h 41 of daylight.

Bristol in May · Theatre

Cardiff (mixed): highs 17.4°C, 78 mm of rain on 11.2 days, 15 h 41 of daylight.

Cardiff in May

Wales (mixed): highs 17.4°C, 78 mm of rain on 11.2 days, 15 h 48 of daylight.

Wales in May · Theatre

The Scottish Highlands (mixed): highs 14.8°C, 56 mm of rain on 11.4 days, 16 h 38 of daylight.

The Scottish Highlands in May · Theatre

Portsmouth and Southampton (city-leaning): highs 18.0°C, 47 mm of rain on 7.7 days, 15 h 36 of daylight.

Portsmouth and Southampton in May

Nottingham (city-leaning): highs 16.4°C, 50 mm of rain on 9.0 days, 15 h 54 of daylight.

Nottingham in May

Salisbury & Stonehenge (city-leaning): highs 17.0°C, 50 mm of rain on 9.0 days, 15 h 38 of daylight.

Salisbury & Stonehenge in May

Birmingham (city-leaning): highs 16.5°C, 61 mm of rain on 10.2 days, 15 h 50 of daylight.

Birmingham in May

Orkney (city-leaning): highs 12.2°C, 54 mm of rain on 11.9 days, 17 h 01 of daylight.

Orkney in May

Anglesey: highs 15.0°C, 52 mm of rain on 9.3 days, 15 h 57 of daylight.

Anglesey in May

Close: one or two checks tripped

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

Glasgow (mixed): 12.1 days with 1 mm or more of rain.

highs 16.1°C, 69 mm of rain on 12.1 days, 16 h 23 of daylight

The Outer Hebrides (outdoor-leaning): 14.0 days with 1 mm or more of rain.

highs 12.6°C, 69 mm of rain on 14.0 days, 16 h 45 of daylight

Islay and Jura: 12.4 days with 1 mm or more of rain.

highs 14.1°C, 70 mm of rain on 12.4 days, 16 h 22 of daylight

Isle of Arran: 12.5 days with 1 mm or more of rain.

highs 15.0°C, 79 mm of rain on 12.5 days, 16 h 20 of daylight

Isle of Bute: 12.5 days with 1 mm or more of rain.

highs 15.0°C, 79 mm of rain on 12.5 days, 16 h 23 of daylight

The Peak District (outdoor-leaning): 82 mm of rain.

highs 14.5°C, 82 mm of rain on 11.6 days, 15 h 57 of daylight

Think twice about, in May

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

Mull and Iona (character unknown, 33% of tagged sights outdoors): 13.8 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 95 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in Mull and Iona All May figures

The Lake District (mixed, 41% of tagged sights outdoors): 12.4 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 82 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in the Lake District All May figures

May in numbers

  • Warmest highs: Windsor 18.4°C, Portsmouth and Southampton 18.0°C, Oxford 17.7°C. Coolest: North Coast 500 (12.0°C).
  • Lowest rainfall: Newcastle and Gateshead 42 mm, Cambridge 43 mm, Leeds 43 mm.
  • Most sunshine hours: The Jurassic Coast 235 h, Anglesey 233 h, Cornwall 216 h.
  • Longest days (calculated from latitude): Orkney 17 h 01, North Coast 500 16 h 51, The Outer Hebrides 16 h 45.
May averages by region. Rain days count days with 1 mm or more.
RegionHigh °CLow °CRain mmRain daysSun hoursDaylight
Anglesey15.08.6529.323315 h 57
Bath17.17.85910.019715 h 40
Birmingham16.57.36110.218715 h 50
Brighton & Hove16.38.1468.3n/a15 h 36
Bristol17.08.45810.320715 h 41
Cambridge17.47.4437.318315 h 47
Canterbury & Kent17.38.0508.021415 h 39
Cardiff17.48.57811.219815 h 41
Cornwall14.58.8619.821615 h 31
Devon16.29.1548.621615 h 35
Edinburgh14.97.1489.619516 h 24
Glasgow16.17.46912.118716 h 23
Islay and Jura14.16.77012.4n/a16 h 22
Isle of Arran15.07.17912.520116 h 20
Isle of Bute15.07.17912.520116 h 23
Leeds16.46.9438.718816 h 02
Liverpool15.98.3529.8n/a15 h 58
Manchester16.37.15610.817915 h 59
Mull and Iona14.97.19513.819216 h 29
Newcastle and Gateshead13.37.3428.520016 h 13
Norfolk and the Broads16.37.8477.920715 h 52
North Coast 50012.05.55011.719116 h 51
Northern Ireland15.77.06011.518516 h 10
Nottingham16.47.5509.019115 h 54
Orkney12.25.85411.919317 h 01
Oxford17.78.2579.620015 h 43
Portsmouth and Southampton18.09.2477.721515 h 36
Salisbury & Stonehenge17.07.5509.021215 h 38
Sheffield16.47.8559.319815 h 58
St Andrews and Fife14.56.15010.020916 h 28
Stirling and the Trossachs15.76.95711.218316 h 26
Stratford & Warwickshire17.37.1559.019615 h 48
The Cotswolds16.87.06410.219215 h 45
The Jurassic Coast15.79.3458.223515 h 34
The Lake District15.86.88212.4n/a16 h 08
The Outer Hebrides12.66.46914.020516 h 45
The Peak District14.56.18211.618515 h 57
The Scottish Highlands14.86.45611.418416 h 38
Wales17.48.57811.219815 h 48
Windsor18.49.1468.020715 h 41
York16.46.9438.718816 h 03

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 May

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

Bath

  • Party in the City21 May 2027 · Bath · source: Bath Festivals (official site)
  • Bath Fringe Festival28 May 2027 – 13 Jun 2027 · Venues across Bath · source: Bath Fringe (official site)

Edinburgh

  • Edinburgh Marathon Festival29 May 2027 – 30 May 2027 · Holyrood Park (Saturday races); Edinburgh to Musselburgh (Sunday) · source: Edinburgh Marathon Festival (official site)

Liverpool

  • Liverpool Sound City1 May 2027 – 2 May 2027 · Liverpool city centre · source: Sound City (official site)

London

  • Jurassic Oceans: Monsters of the Deep22 May 2026 – 3 Jan 2027 · Natural History Museum · source: Natural History Museum (official site)
  • Wildlife Photographer of the Year16 Oct 2026 – 11 Jul 2027 · Natural History Museum · source: Natural History Museum (official site)
  • Monet: Painting Time25 Feb 2027 – 27 Jun 2027 · Tate Modern · source: Tate (official What's on page)
  • Ink22 Apr 2027 – 30 Aug 2027 · Tate Modern · source: Tate (official What's on page)

5 more in London

Manchester

  • Manchester Jazz Festival21 May 2027 – 30 May 2027 · Venues across Manchester · source: Manchester Jazz Festival (official site)

Northern Ireland

  • North West 20010 May 2027 – 15 May 2027 · North West 200 race week · source: North West 200 (official site)

The Scottish Highlands

York

  • Dante Festival12 May 2027 – 14 May 2027 · York Racecourse, Knavesmire · source: York Racecourse (official site)

Bank holidays in May

England and Wales

  • Mon, 3 May 2027: Early May bank holiday
  • Mon, 31 May 2027: Spring bank holiday
  • Mon, 1 May 2028: Early May bank holiday
  • Mon, 29 May 2028: Spring bank holiday

Scotland

  • Mon, 3 May 2027: Early May bank holiday
  • Mon, 31 May 2027: Spring bank holiday
  • Mon, 1 May 2028: Early May bank holiday
  • Mon, 29 May 2028: Spring bank holiday

Northern Ireland

  • Mon, 3 May 2027: Early May bank holiday
  • Mon, 31 May 2027: Spring bank holiday
  • Mon, 1 May 2028: Early May bank holiday
  • Mon, 29 May 2028: Spring 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.

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

  1. Met Office: Valley, 1991-2020 averages
  2. Met Office: Bute: Rothesay, 1991-2020 averages
  3. Met Office: Bath, Beechen Cliff School, 1991-2020 averages
  4. Met Office: Winterbourne, University Of Birmingham, 1991-2020 averages
  5. Met Office: Shoreham Airport, 1991-2020 averages
  6. Met Office: Filton, 1991-2020 averages
  7. Met Office: Cambridge, NIAB, 1991-2020 averages
  8. Met Office: Cardiff, Bute Park, 1991-2020 averages
  9. Met Office: Camborne, 1991-2020 averages
  10. Met Office: Cirencester, 1991-2020 averages
  11. Met Office: Teignmouth, 1991-2020 averages
  12. Met Office: Edinburgh, Royal Botanic Garden No 2, 1991-2020 averages
  13. Met Office: Paisley, 1991-2020 averages
  14. Met Office: Inverness, 1991-2020 averages
  15. Met Office: Islay: Port Ellen, 1991-2020 averages
  16. Met Office: Weymouth, Wyke Regis, 1991-2020 averages
  17. Met Office: Faversham, 1991-2020 averages
  18. Met Office: Keswick, 1991-2020 averages
  19. Met Office: Church Fenton, 1991-2020 averages
  20. Met Office: Crosby, 1991-2020 averages
  21. Met Office: Woodford, 1991-2020 averages
  22. Met Office: Dunstaffnage, 1991-2020 averages
  23. Met Office: Tynemouth, 1991-2020 averages
  24. Met Office: Coltishall, 1991-2020 averages
  25. Met Office: Wick Airport, 1991-2020 averages
  26. Met Office: Belfast Newforge, 1991-2020 averages
  27. Met Office: Nottingham, Watnall, 1991-2020 averages
  28. Met Office: Kirkwall, 1991-2020 averages
  29. Met Office: Stornoway Airport, 1991-2020 averages
  30. Met Office: Oxford, 1991-2020 averages
  31. Met Office: Buxton, 1991-2020 averages
  32. Met Office: Southampton, Mayflower Park, 1991-2020 averages
  33. Met Office: Boscombe Down, 1991-2020 averages
  34. Met Office: Sheffield, 1991-2020 averages
  35. Met Office: Leuchars, 1991-2020 averages
  36. Met Office: Stirling S Wks, 1991-2020 averages
  37. Met Office: Wellesbourne, 1991-2020 averages
  38. Met Office: Heathrow, 1991-2020 averages
  39. Met Office: Church Fenton, 1991-2020 averages
  40. GOV.UK: UK bank holidays
  41. Event dates: the organiser pages linked in the events list, checked 2026-11-01.

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.