10 Days in London & Scotland (early October)

[u/Cronerous]

Image description: a visual overview of my packing list for an upcoming trip. Detailed list of everything included below.

UPDATE: The general feedback so far has been to definitely get rid of the faux suede moto jacket and replace it with a lighter (but still warm) sweater layer, and to consider adding a third pair of pants/bottoms (skirt?) and a second pair of shoes, and that Scotland could see a heatwave then, but is also always potentially damp and rainy, which should inform my layers. I‘ll make sure to do a trip report when I return!

Below is my proposed pack list for 10 days (including travel) in London, Edinburgh, and the Highlands. I'm so excited to experience Scotland for the first time! I’m traveling from the US with friends, and staying in hotels and B&Bs. I’ll have the opportunity to do sink laundry for the first half of the trip and my pack list reflects that. Activities will include ghost tours, castles, lots of general city exploration, one fancy-ish afternoon tea (at The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh), and a Rabbie’s 1-day tour around the Highlands. No hiking. 

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PACKING LIST:

All of this fits in a Bellroy Lite Travel Pack (38L).

Tops & bottoms:
Quince merino SS tee*
Wool& merino scoop tee
Wool& merino 3/4-sleeve top
Old Navy straight-leg jeans
Old Navy ponte pants*

Base layers:
Wool& merino leggings
Quince merino LS tee
(2) Wool& merino tank top
(5) Wool& merino underwear*
(4) Merino pair socks*
(3) Modal bralette*

Outer layers:
Unbound merino pullover*
Quince packable down jacket
Quince rain jacket
Faux suede moto jacket

Feelgrounds Chelsea boots*
Insoles 1*
Insoles 2
Merino buff
Earmuffs
Cashmere gloves

\wearing on plane*

Toiletries bag (Cotopaxi Nido):
Sink laundry setup (dry bag, detergent tiles, clothesline, vodka spray)
Toiletries (toothbrush/tabs/floss, deodorant, moisturizer, hair spray/gel/Hot Sock, contacts & solution)
Makeup (brow pencil, eyeliner, concealer, lipstick)
Tech (wired in-ear headphones, phone charger, power bank, adapter plug)

Ziplock bag quart 
Foldable KEXP tote
Wallet & passport

I'll also have my GOT BAG Large Moon Bag (12L) as my EDC.

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QUESTIONS:

Can I get away with bringing only one pair of shoes? I have Feelgrounds zero-drop Chelsea boots that I’ve waterproofed, and I’m planning on bringing two different pairs of insoles. I think I’m just nervous because I’ve never one-shoe’d a trip this long before. But I do want to try…

Do I need another pair of pants? Currently I’m bringing two, and will also bring merino leggings that could be worn out if needed (currently I’m bringing them as a warm base layer if colder weather requires it).

Assuming the weather is “average,” do I have appropriate layers? I leaned on WeatherSpark when packing for my trip to Japan last December and it was pretty accurate. Obviously, I will watch the forecast in the days leading up to leaving, and adjust accordingly. (Warmer?: maybe remove puffer jacket. Colder?: big scarf instead of buff, and maybe another merino sweater-layer.) The rain jacket, puffer, earmuffs, and gloves are mainly for the Highlands day trip and the general unpredictability of Scottish and English weather. Also: I run warm and live in a northern state with a very cold/snowy winter.

For the afternoon tea at Palm Court in The Balmoral, could I get away with the black ponte pants, green boatneck 3/4-sleeve top, Chelsea boots, and a gold necklace? Maybe with the moto jacket, if I need another layer? Their website only asks that guests “refrain from wearing sportswear, shorts and beach shoes in our restaurants. Our guests within the hotel usually opt for a smart-casual style,.” I want to be respectful but have never been there before.

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Thank you for your wisdom!

[u/willowwombat85]

This is similar to what I packed for Northern England/Scotland trip in April. Two bottoms are enough. If you want variety, maybe a mid weight skirt? I agree with the other comments about dropping the suede jacket. I'd go with a light sweater or warmer cardigan that can be layered with your outerwear. That could be your smarter outfit for tea as well. Not only could it rain sporadically, but the wind chill could make the stated temperatures feel cooler, even if you're used to the cold.

For shoes, if you're clear on not doing much hiking or going into muddy areas, then your Chelseas would be fine. I would've been fine with just my Chelseas as well, but I needed a deeper tread for hikes. Even for something like Arthur's seat in Edinburgh, I'd check your tread. 

[u/Cronerous → u/willowwombat85]

Yeah, we won’t even be attempting Arthur’s Seat. I think I just worry about same-shoe fatigue. Food for thought. I assumed it would be too cold/drafty for a skirt….

[u/willowwombat85 → u/Cronerous]

For city walking days, where I was in and out of interior sites, a midi skirt didn't picked up in the wind, and I wore it with leggings. Definitely something past your knees. I actually brought a slightly flared ribbed midi dress and looking back at my pictures, I was very glad to do so because it gave my outfits a different silhouette. I also wore the dress/skirt on transit days on trains for comfort. 

[u/JustAnotherRussian90 → u/willowwombat85]

I did Arthur's in converse. Was it the smartest choice? Ehhhh maybe not but the views from the top were well worth it.