Experience the beauty of Scotland during autumn. It’s a time of colourful landscapes and glowing skies. Witness some of Scotland’s most exciting wildlife spectacles and taste flavours unique to our autumn months.
It’s less busy in the autumn months so the perfect opportunity to have Scotland’s wild vistas and tourism hot spots to yourself.
Autumn in Scotland is generally defined to fall across September, October and November. September is the most debated month, with warmer weather, longer days and astronomical autumn starting nearer to the end of the month. Arguably, autumn truly comes to Scotland in October with the changing colours, darker nights and big wildlife spectacles taking place.
Starts | Ends | |
Meteorological autumn in Scotland | 1st of September | 30th of November |
Astronomical autumn in Scotland | Between September 21st-24th | Between 21st-24th of December |
What Scottish outdoor experts say | Last week of September | The first week of December |
Autumn is pretty settled weather wise in Scotland. Temperatures remain warmer in September with longer days and less rain. September is a great month for photography, with the contrast of the remaining purple heather, summer greens and a hint of autumn colours making an appearance. October is the wettest month, but it’s the month with the most to see in terms of leaves changing and wildlife activity. November is drier and cooler than the previous two months. The clearer skies and longer nights make November the best autumn month for seeing the Northern lights.
Sep | Oct | Nov | |
Average monthly rainfall | 67mm | 78mm | 66mm |
Average days of rainfall ≥1 mm (days) | 12 | 13.5 | 13 |
Average daytime temperature (High) | 16°C | 13°C | 9°C |
Average daytime temperature (Low) | 9°C | 6°C | 3.5°C |
Average daylight hours | 12 | 10 | 8 |
Source: metoffice.gov.uk and timeanddate.com | based on Inverness (capital of the Highlands) as location.
Enjoy outdoor photography in the autumn with beautiful seasonal colours, stunning sunrises and sunsets, and darker nights which are great for capturing the Northern Lights.
Check out Capturing the Northern Lights and Hiking Scotland in Autumn – A Photo Blog.
See our photography holidays here.
Donning your walking boots and multiple layers is the best way to experience Scotland’s spectacular autumn landscapes. Breathe in the earthy air and witness an array of colours on a countryside walk.
Find out more about Hiking in Autumn and the wildlife you may see.
See our walking holidays here.
The wildlife in Scotland is pretty active year round, but one of the best times of year is definitely autumn. Witness red deer rutting, Atlantic salmon leaping up river and grey seals pupping.
Read: Wildlife in Scotland – which creatures to look out for in the Highlands in autumn!
See our wildlife holidays here.
Where is the best place to see autumn foliage in Scotland? We get asked this a lot, and to be honest there are so many places where you can see beautiful fall vistas in Scotland depending on where you are and what you are after. It’s not just the changing leaves that are wonderful, but also the maturing colours of the heather and shrubbery. Our mountains and hills can be argued to be at their most atmospheric during autumn.
We visit the below destinations on our walking tours during the autumn months.
Glen Affric is one of the best places in Scotland to go see autumn leaves. Often referred to as Scotland’s most beautiful glen, it is home to a variety of flora and fauna which are best observed during autumn. In Glen Affric you get it all; mountain scenery, ancient Caledonian pine forest, rushing waterfalls and an abundance of fall wildlife.
Find Out MoreIt’s unsurprising that Queen Victoria lost her heart to Deeside and the Cairngorms. With Scots pine, silver birches and downy birches being the predominant tree species in the Cairngorms, visitors get to enjoy the contrasts of autumn hues mixed in with the evergreens from the Scots pine.
Find Out MoreA different kind of beauty is what you’ll experience in Assynt during the autumn months. The hills, green in summer, slowly turn to red and brown. The darker colours only add to the atmosphere, and the autumn light is best observed amongst these ancient mountains and moors.
Find Out MoreThe shores of Loch Lomond are an incredible spot to witness autumn. Take in one of the most stunning sunsets of your life, with the vivid yellows and purples reflected on the water in combination with the red and golden colours of the trees that grow in abundance along the side of the loch and many islands.
Find Out MoreAutumn is the time of year in Scotland when various wildlife spectacles take place. The rutting of the red deer makes Scotland in autumn not just a visual experience, but also an audio one. The sound is truly unique and unforgettable. The stags ‘battle’ each other in order to find a mate, this involves a lot of roaring and a clashing of antlers.
A quieter but nonetheless equally fascinating event is the annual upriver migration of Atlantic salmon which usually starts in November. The salmon leap their way up stream to their hatching grounds to spawn.
This time of year is also the best time to stand a chance to see barnacle geese, especially on Islay, as they make their way to Scotland to nest along the high sea cliffs away from predators.
If visiting island beaches on Orkney, Shetland, and the inner and outer Hebrides, keep your eyes peeled for grey seals, which haul ashore to give birth to their pups in the autumn months.
Visiting in autumn also means you get to taste some of the best foods that Scotland’s natural larder has to offer with an overflowing selection of seasonal fruits, vegetables, seafood and game.
Sep | Oct | Nov | |
Vegetables & Fruits | Apples, pears, plums and damsons. | Squash and root vegetables. | Broccoli and celery. |
Meat & Game | Duck and lamb. | Grouse and pheasant. | Venison and goose. |
Fish & Seafood | Haddock, clams and mussels. | Squid and oysters. | Various shellfish. |
Check out VisitScotland’s Seasonal Food Calendar here for a more in depth read of yummy things available and in what months in Scotland.
Scotland is definitely home to 4 seasons, and sometimes you get to experience them all in one day!
Winter takes place between December, January and February. These months are the darkest with the shortest days. Annually, snowfall varies, and it also varies across the country with typically more inches of snow in the Highlands. The daytime temperature during winter in Scotland is on average 4°C.
March, April and May are the spring months. The countryside comes to life again, with fields full of lambs and wildflowers. Maybe surprising to know, but April is on average the driest month of the year but also the most changeable. You can have some of the hottest days of the year in April, but also be treated to a decent amount of snow. Spring temperatures are on average a pleasant 8°C.
Summer ranges across June, July and August. These are typically the driest and warmest months and the most popular for visitors. Average temperature ranges between 14°C and 19°C.
Autumn starts in Scotland in September and goes on through to November. Generally, you won’t get the real autumn experience till mid-October when the landscape is at it’s most colourful. The temperature during autumn is on average 8°C.
*Weather data taken from the metoffice, with averages for the city of Inverness (capital of the Highlands).
September is a bit of a double agent seasonally. September has many summer characteristics whilst actually being an autumn month. It’s a bit cooler than the preceding summer months, with average daytime highs of 16°C and lows of 9°C. September tends to be more reliably dry than the summer months and still enjoys long days.
*Weather data taken from the metoffice, with averages for the city of Inverness (capital of the Highlands).
October is the wettest month of the year. Although it may rain a lot, it never rains for very long and it’s still a mild month temperature wise with a daytime average of 8°C.
*Weather data taken from the metoffice, with averages for the city of Inverness (capital of the Highlands).
November is drier than October, with on average 13 days of rainfall a month and daytime temperatures of 5°C. The clearer skies and longer nights make November the best autumn month for seeing the Northern lights.
*Weather data taken from the metoffice, with averages for the city of Inverness (capital of the Highlands).
Yes! On average there are 38 days of snow in Scotland, with 26 days of settled snow on the ground. Most of the snow falls in northern mountainous areas like the Cairngorms, Glencoe and Torridon. Generally, snow fall is in the colder months of January and February, but can arrive as early as November and stay as late as April.
*Weather data taken from the metoffice.
Not as much as you’d think! Inverness on average receives around 30 inches of annual rainfall. This is little compared to more famous destinations like New York which gets 50 inches and notoriously sunny Milan with 37 inches. Scotland is famed for rain, but consider that it’s the rain that makes our landscapes so lush and green. Rain is what makes our rivers and waterfalls so impressive. Rain is at the heart of our whisky industry. But the best thing about Scottish rain? It never rains for long. Before you know it the sun is bursting through and warming you up again.
*Weather data taken from the metoffice, with averages for the city of Inverness (capital of the Highlands).
Layers. Scotland’s weather is known for its changeability, so prepare yourself for any eventuality. Be prepared to add and lose layers according to the temperature, and carry waterproofs with you if you are heading out into the countryside.
Autumn is a beautiful time of year to visit Scotland; the landscapes are ablaze with autumnal colours, the skies have a wonderful purple and orange glow, and the wildlife is thriving with activity. Have a read of Top 5 Reasons to Visit Scotland in Autumn for more information.
Spring weather is mild, but the days are lengthening and consistently drier. The landscape is buzzing with life and colour, with flowers blooming and bustling wildlife.
Find out more
Summer promises long days, pleasant temperatures, and festivals galore. The countryside transitions from vibrant green to breath-taking purple as the heather blooms.
Find out more
Autumn is a time of colourful landscapes and glowing skies. Witness some of Scotland’s most exciting wildlife spectacles and taste flavours unique to our autumn months.
Find out more
If the conditions are right, Scottish winters are the epitome of ‘winter wonderland’. Crunchy snow underneath your boots, sparkly fields, and the most beautiful night skies.
Find out moreA bucket list trip with amazing scenery, along with a decent amount of challenging but doable cycling. We had a fantastic time.
Jon Mitchell
Self Guided+ Cycling - North Coast 500
Reviewed on 18/07/2021
Rated 4.88 out of 5 based on 5,609 reviews
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