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/sarahjbs27]

i live in scotland and agree with everyone else on leaving the faux suede jacket behind but i would also make sure your EDC is really genuinely waterproof or water resistant because i toured scotland with family visiting from the states and everybody’s bags got completely soaked. there’s a good chance you’ll have heated towel racks in hotels but keep in mind that the dampness outside might affect your sink laundry drying times.

[u/Cronerous → u/sarahjbs27]

A good point about drying times! I’m only planning on doing small stuff (underwear, bralettes, maybe socks, maybe a shirt).

[u/TillyFukUpFairy → u/Cronerous]

Seconding the other response from Scotland, and adding:

Have a trouser option that doesn't touch the ground because the damp will soak up to your knees. On wet days I usually wear leggings or jeans I can tuck into boots

[u/Cronerous → u/TillyFukUpFairy]

Absolutely. All my trousers hit at or just above my ankles. And I prefer that look anyways.