10 Reasons Why Winter in UK is Fun

Contradictory to what I had heard, winter in UK turned out to be quite enjoyable for me. As a first timer in UK and a snowfall virgin, you can imagine I have only good things to say.

Why you should travel to UK in Winters

Winters are not everyone’s cup of tea and people usually avoid traveling “to” a place for snow. I mean, those are the days you want to snuggle up in a blanket next to a fireplace with a warm cup of coffee, in your house. Not exactly the perfect time to go out, explore, sight-see, go on day trips or take pictures!

scotland street

Having said that, for me, it was a totally different experience as usually, you will find me chilling on a beach with a bottle of beer, instead of shivering on the streets of London holding on to my Honey Bee brandy and taking small gulps to stay warm.

To Enjoy Snowfall

Winter in UK

Undoubtedly it was bloody cold and windy throughout my 40 days stay, but coming from a city which sees no snow, I was awe-struck when I felt snow for the first time. That soft marshmallowy fluff..so light, soft and gentle.. ah I still remember that feeling of snow touching my skin for the first time. It was quite amazing.

Coffee coffee coffee.. and cafes

It was all about drinking coffee in different cafes. From Costa to Starbucks and yes even that local cafe round the corner, I had my patent mocha coffee everyday at a new place. Which means I probably checked out 40 different cafes around UK – Not bad at all.

Oh wait, shit, that's not coffee - burp!
Oh wait, shit, that’s not coffee – burp!

Just entering a coffee shop would make me feel so warm, cozy and comfortable – well, ofcourse as it was chilly outside but isn’t that the best part? Like, I wouldn’t really enjoy the pipping hot coffee so much during summers.

Sheeshas and Art of Camden Town

Sheeshas and art at camden

Okay to be honest, I have never visited UK during summers so I really cannot compare how it fares but Camden town was my ultimate getaway. That lovely street art, sitting in small Moroccan cafes smoking Sheesha, funky clothing – the entire punk vibe. I simply loved Camden and went back every chance I got, even though there is a lot to do in London.

Cool art in Camden

Buy and flaunt Winter wear

Buying all those ultra comfy and cheap winter wear from Primark, became a weekly retail therapy for me. I knew I would rarely ever use them back home so I didn’t want to spend a bomb on warm winter wear. Still, I got some awesome boots, sweaters, warm furry slippers, fleece jackets, leg warmers, leggings, stockings – the works!

Winter wear from Primark

Coupled up with my warm overcoat and I was good to go. Seeing that people usually dressed in basics was a big relief. I could wear blacks and blues pretty much everyday without feeling odd. Infact, if I would wear pinks and reds, I would totally stand out.

Too tired to pose after shopping
This is called ‘Sleep Posing’

Good thing that I had a black overcoat which would go well with just about anything. I was happy with my cost effective (and high quality) shopping and attire through the trip. Before you men roll your eyes – yes, this is a crucial aspect for women!

My ultra comfy bunny fluffs
My ultra comfy bunny fluffs

Scotland

Visiting Scotland was high on my list so I finally made it there to check out Edinburgh and Glasgow. It was a really short trip as I was visiting friends but Scotland is definitely a place you will adore in winters.

Scotland in winter

I simply loved walking up and down those long winding roads, gawking at the majestic castles and drinking in the lovely traditional taverns.

 

scotland tour

Pub Hopping in Leeds

Leeds is the fun-tastic student city in UK. Do I need to say more?

playing pool in leeds

Pub hopping (or crawling as the night goes on) is the best thing you can do in Leeds. It’s easy to meet new people, get drunk and socialize like crazy in this hip town. Spending a few days in Leeds was simply delightful though I wish I had a more time to explore, instead of just walk around and pub-hop/crawl! Well, that’s a reason to go back.

Pub hop turns to street crawl in Leeds as the night turns to dawn

Watching a live Soccer match

You are in UK and you don’t watch a soccer match, no way, that’s not gonna happen. This is a must-do and if you are lucky, it will snow. This was really quite an experience for me to watch a match as it snows and you sit on the sidelines cheering and eating your hot dog – Damn, how cool is that? Of course you get a chance to wear matching mittens and sweaters to support your team.

soccer match in uk

Theatre

When its cold and windy outside, you want to get indoors. No matter how much you enjoy it, there’s a point your hands are numb and you want a heated room (or amphitheater) to relax for a while. Head to one of the ample theatre’s in London to enjoy a play. With so many options, I was spoilt for choice but finally went in for ‘The Woman in Black’ which was spectacular and two different pantomimes, which were extremely enjoyable as well.

Indoor Attractions

There are so many indoor attractions in London which can be enjoyed on an especially cold day. Check out Natural History museum, Madame Tussauds or Ripley’s believe it or not for a fun escape.

found my man
Finally found Shrek at Madame Tussauds

Walking around town

Yes, it is freezing cold but its so much fun to walk around London, Edinburgh, Watford, Leeds – literally anywhere.

streets of london

Enjoy the blurry views at the London Bridge or pose with a live statue (You will find many all over town). Enjoy some street food or just wave at a stranger – Just have fun walking and exploring the places you visit. Cold, or warm, the streets are always fun.

streets of london

With so much to do and more, you can really have one heck of a time and truly have a magical winter in UK.

Now to be very honest, I did miss the beaches and amusements parks as I love been outdoors, but hey – time to go back and enjoy the summers a bit now, eh?

Jo

17 thoughts on “10 Reasons Why Winter in UK is Fun”

  1. When we moved to South Korea I was really bummed about winter again! But living in a city we found plenty of fun entertainment to keep us busy like yourself! We really loved museums and cafes in the winter!

  2. Heh, i keep on telling peopel travel in winter is so much fun. I actually find it ridicilous to travel in august. It’s the only time of the year my hometown feels like summer paradise as well.

    Besides..uk can be quite ugly in summer as well 🙂

  3. Winter definitely does NOT have to be all bad. Snow virgin! hahaha.. I grew up with snow so not having it sometimes is nice, but I do miss it now again. Snow makes all of my cups of teas and coffees in the winter taste so much better though I think. ^^

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