Where to go in September: weather, events and holidays

Best for September: regions that pass every outdoor check

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

Devon (outdoor-leaning): highs 19.0°C, 57 mm of rain on 7.8 days, 12 h 28 of daylight.

Devon in September

Windsor (outdoor-leaning): highs 20.2°C, 50 mm of rain on 7.9 days, 12 h 29 of daylight.

Windsor in September

Cambridge (outdoor-leaning): highs 19.6°C, 48 mm of rain on 8.0 days, 12 h 30 of daylight.

Cambridge in September · Theatre

The Jurassic Coast (outdoor-leaning): highs 18.7°C, 55 mm of rain on 8.0 days, 12 h 28 of daylight.

The Jurassic Coast in September · Theatre

York (outdoor-leaning): highs 18.3°C, 56 mm of rain on 8.6 days, 12 h 31 of daylight.

York in September · Theatre

Sheffield (outdoor-leaning): highs 17.9°C, 63 mm of rain on 9.3 days, 12 h 31 of daylight.

Sheffield in September

St Andrews and Fife (outdoor-leaning): highs 16.8°C, 54 mm of rain on 9.3 days, 12 h 34 of daylight.

St Andrews and Fife in September

Bath (outdoor-leaning): highs 19.1°C, 63 mm of rain on 9.5 days, 12 h 29 of daylight.

Bath in September · Theatre

Cornwall (outdoor-leaning): highs 17.4°C, 78 mm of rain on 11.4 days, 12 h 28 of daylight.

Cornwall in September · Theatre

Northern Ireland (outdoor-leaning): highs 17.3°C, 70 mm of rain on 11.6 days, 12 h 32 of daylight.

Northern Ireland in September · Theatre

Liverpool (outdoor-leaning): highs 17.7°C, 77 mm of rain on 11.8 days, 12 h 31 of daylight.

Liverpool in September · Theatre

Canterbury & Kent (mixed): highs 19.7°C, 55 mm of rain on 7.8 days, 12 h 29 of daylight.

Canterbury & Kent in September

Brighton & Hove (mixed): highs 18.9°C, 59 mm of rain on 8.2 days, 12 h 28 of daylight.

Brighton & Hove in September

Leeds (mixed): highs 18.3°C, 56 mm of rain on 8.6 days, 12 h 31 of daylight.

Leeds in September

Newcastle and Gateshead (mixed): highs 16.2°C, 45 mm of rain on 8.6 days, 12 h 32 of daylight.

Newcastle and Gateshead in September

Oxford (mixed): highs 19.4°C, 52 mm of rain on 8.6 days, 12 h 29 of daylight.

Oxford in September · Theatre

Norfolk and the Broads (mixed): highs 18.9°C, 60 mm of rain on 9.4 days, 12 h 30 of daylight.

Norfolk and the Broads in September

Stratford & Warwickshire (mixed): highs 19.3°C, 51 mm of rain on 9.4 days, 12 h 30 of daylight.

Stratford & Warwickshire in September

The Cotswolds (mixed): highs 18.9°C, 58 mm of rain on 9.5 days, 12 h 29 of daylight.

The Cotswolds in September · Theatre

Edinburgh (mixed): highs 16.9°C, 55 mm of rain on 9.9 days, 12 h 33 of daylight.

Edinburgh in September · Theatre

Bristol (mixed): highs 18.8°C, 64 mm of rain on 10.4 days, 12 h 29 of daylight.

Bristol in September · Theatre

The Scottish Highlands (mixed): highs 16.5°C, 63 mm of rain on 11.7 days, 12 h 35 of daylight.

The Scottish Highlands in September · Theatre

Portsmouth and Southampton (city-leaning): highs 20.1°C, 60 mm of rain on 8.9 days, 12 h 28 of daylight.

Portsmouth and Southampton in September

Salisbury & Stonehenge (city-leaning): highs 18.9°C, 58 mm of rain on 9.0 days, 12 h 29 of daylight.

Salisbury & Stonehenge in September

Nottingham (city-leaning): highs 18.1°C, 57 mm of rain on 9.8 days, 12 h 30 of daylight.

Nottingham in September

Birmingham (city-leaning): highs 18.1°C, 68 mm of rain on 10.0 days, 12 h 30 of daylight.

Birmingham in September

Anglesey: highs 17.3°C, 74 mm of rain on 11.0 days, 12 h 31 of daylight.

Anglesey in September

Close: one or two checks tripped

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

North Coast 500 (outdoor-leaning): 12.7 days with 1 mm or more of rain.

highs 14.7°C, 66 mm of rain on 12.7 days, 12 h 36 of daylight

Manchester (outdoor-leaning): 12.0 days with 1 mm or more of rain.

highs 17.6°C, 76 mm of rain on 12.0 days, 12 h 31 of daylight

Stirling and the Trossachs (outdoor-leaning): 12.6 days with 1 mm or more of rain.

highs 17.1°C, 76 mm of rain on 12.6 days, 12 h 34 of daylight

Cardiff (mixed): 86 mm of rain.

highs 19.1°C, 86 mm of rain on 11.8 days, 12 h 29 of daylight

Wales (mixed): 86 mm of rain.

highs 19.1°C, 86 mm of rain on 11.8 days, 12 h 30 of daylight

Think twice about, in September

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

Glasgow (mixed, 45% of tagged sights outdoors): 13.9 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 98 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in Glasgow All September figures

Islay and Jura (character unknown, 67% of tagged sights outdoors): 16.1 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 108 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in Islay and Jura All September figures

Isle of Arran (character unknown, 50% of tagged sights outdoors): 15.5 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 117 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in Isle of Arran All September figures

Isle of Bute (character unknown, 83% of tagged sights outdoors): 15.5 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 117 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in Isle of Bute All September figures

Mull and Iona (character unknown, 33% of tagged sights outdoors): 16.3 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 141 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in Mull and Iona All September figures

The Lake District (mixed, 41% of tagged sights outdoors): 13.5 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 124 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in the Lake District All September figures

The Outer Hebrides (outdoor-leaning, 73% of tagged sights outdoors): 16.2 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 104 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in the Outer Hebrides All September figures

The Peak District (outdoor-leaning, 74% of tagged sights outdoors): 13.1 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 106 mm of rain.

Rainy-day ideas in the Peak District All September figures

City-led places with plenty indoors when the weather turns

These trip the weather checks in September, but most of the sights we tag are indoors, so the day depends less on the forecast.

Orkney: 15.2 days with 1 mm or more of rain; 91 mm of rain. 71% of 14 tagged sights are indoors.

September in numbers

Warmest highs: Windsor 20.2°C, Portsmouth and Southampton 20.1°C, Canterbury & Kent 19.7°C. Coolest: Orkney (14.4°C).
Lowest rainfall: Newcastle and Gateshead 45 mm, Cambridge 48 mm, Windsor 50 mm.
Most sunshine hours: The Jurassic Coast 178 h, Canterbury & Kent 162 h, Devon 162 h.
Longest days (calculated from latitude): Orkney 12 h 37, North Coast 500 12 h 36, The Outer Hebrides 12 h 36.

September 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	17.3	11.6	74	11.0	151	12 h 31
Bath	19.1	10.4	63	9.5	147	12 h 29
Birmingham	18.1	9.7	68	10.0	140	12 h 30
Brighton & Hove	18.9	10.9	59	8.2	n/a	12 h 28
Bristol	18.8	11.0	64	10.4	153	12 h 29
Cambridge	19.6	10.5	48	8.0	144	12 h 30
Canterbury & Kent	19.7	10.7	55	7.8	162	12 h 29
Cardiff	19.1	10.7	86	11.8	152	12 h 29
Cornwall	17.4	12.0	78	11.4	160	12 h 28
Devon	19.0	11.9	57	7.8	162	12 h 28
Edinburgh	16.9	9.7	55	9.9	130	12 h 33
Glasgow	16.7	9.9	98	13.9	115	12 h 33
Islay and Jura	15.8	9.8	108	16.1	n/a	12 h 33
Isle of Arran	16.3	9.9	117	15.5	116	12 h 33
Isle of Bute	16.3	9.9	117	15.5	116	12 h 33
Leeds	18.3	9.7	56	8.6	132	12 h 31
Liverpool	17.7	11.2	77	11.8	n/a	12 h 31
Manchester	17.6	9.5	76	12.0	138	12 h 31
Mull and Iona	16.2	9.9	141	16.3	99	12 h 34
Newcastle and Gateshead	16.2	10.6	45	8.6	142	12 h 32
Norfolk and the Broads	18.9	10.5	60	9.4	154	12 h 30
North Coast 500	14.7	8.9	66	12.7	119	12 h 36
Northern Ireland	17.3	9.6	70	11.6	112	12 h 32
Nottingham	18.1	10.2	57	9.8	138	12 h 30
Orkney	14.4	9.2	91	15.2	108	12 h 37
Oxford	19.4	10.7	52	8.6	145	12 h 29
Portsmouth and Southampton	20.1	11.6	60	8.9	152	12 h 28
Salisbury & Stonehenge	18.9	10.1	58	9.0	156	12 h 29
Sheffield	17.9	10.5	63	9.3	138	12 h 31
St Andrews and Fife	16.8	9.0	54	9.3	139	12 h 34
Stirling and the Trossachs	17.1	8.8	76	12.6	120	12 h 34
Stratford & Warwickshire	19.3	9.9	51	9.4	143	12 h 30
The Cotswolds	18.9	9.6	58	9.5	139	12 h 29
The Jurassic Coast	18.7	12.7	55	8.0	178	12 h 28
The Lake District	17.0	9.4	124	13.5	n/a	12 h 32
The Outer Hebrides	14.7	9.5	104	16.2	110	12 h 36
The Peak District	15.8	8.8	106	13.1	127	12 h 31
The Scottish Highlands	16.5	9.1	63	11.7	117	12 h 35
Wales	19.1	10.7	86	11.8	152	12 h 30
Windsor	20.2	11.6	50	7.9	157	12 h 29
York	18.3	9.7	56	8.6	132	12 h 31

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 September

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

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)
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)
Black on the Square4 Sept 2027 · Trafalgar Square · source: Mayor of London / london.gov.uk

2 more in London

The Cotswolds

Moreton Show4 Sept 2027 · Showground, Moreton-in-Marsh · source: Moreton Show (official site)

The Scottish Highlands

Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running26 Sept 2027 · Loch Ness to Inverness · source: Loch Ness Marathon (official site)

Bank holidays in September

England and Wales

No bank holidays in September for the next two years.

Scotland

No bank holidays in September for the next two years.

Northern Ireland

No bank holidays in September for the next two years.

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 September

UK in autumn: colour, city festivals and fire (September to November)
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

← August All months October →

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.