UK climate. When is the best time to go on holiday to Wales? What is the highest mountain in Wales

All the information that will be presented in the article will be very useful to travelers who are going to visit such a place. European state like Great Britain. We will consider the climate of this country. Every person who wants to go on a vacation, on a business trip, or for other personal matters should know about the peculiarities of weather conditions in order to put the necessary things in a suitcase.

It is appropriate to consider the climate of Great Britain separately according to the countries of which it consists. We would like to remind you that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland consists of the following historical provinces:

• England;
• Wales;
• Northern Ireland;
• Scotland.

Climate of England

The climate in this part of the UK has high levels of humidity. The reason for this is its location, because England is surrounded by oceans and seas. It is very difficult to predict the weather even for the next day, the weather here is so changeable. Climatic conditions are formed through warm currents. Its name is the Gulf Stream.

The warmest areas include London itself, the capital of Great Britain, as well as the area located in the south-eastern part. By the way, one of the frequent atmospheric phenomena here is fog. All plants begin to bloom from February to June, so this period of time is considered the most beautiful time of the year. If we talk about the average monthly maximum air temperature:

• in spring – 10-16 °C;
• in summer – 20-22 °C;
• in autumn – 10-19 °C;
• in winter – 7-8 °C.

Note that in summer the maximum temperature can be 28 °C. Rain is common weather in England; it most often occurs in autumn and spring. In winter, the temperature does not drop below zero. Therefore, if the British suddenly have to see 8 degrees below zero on the thermometer, it will be a real disaster for them.

Scottish climate

If we talk about this corner of Great Britain, the climate here is temperate oceanic and humid. Scotland is colder than other provinces of the Kingdom. Large quantity precipitation falls during such seasons as autumn and summer. Note that most of them are in mountainous areas, areas located in the northern part. If you come to the north of the country in winter, tourists will be able to experience snowy weather, with temperatures ranging from -10 to -8 degrees Celsius.

In the southern part, temperatures usually range between +4-6 °C; at night they can drop to a maximum of -6 °C. In the south of the country it rains almost constantly, there is strong wind, and wet snow is also a common occurrence here. In summer, the UK offers travelers a warm, pleasant atmosphere. Usually the thermometer at this time of year shows approximately +23 °C.

Note that when the sun sets, it becomes very cool, about ten degrees colder, or even a little more. Therefore, a tourist’s suitcase must have a warm sweater, jacket or other thing that saves from the cold. If we talk about spring, the temperature during the day is 7-14 °C. In ski areas – 3-5 °C. Based on the above information, we conclude that it is better to come to this country of Great Britain - from May to September.

Climate in Wales

The next UK country whose climate we will talk about is Wales. The country is located in an area that is exposed to all winds coming from the Atlantic. For this reason, the climate here is maritime. Wales experiences huge amounts of rainfall and, of course, high humidity. All year round, Welsh soil is exposed to the typical UK rainfall. If we look at the precipitation pattern, it looks like this:

• on east coast 745 mm of precipitation falls annually;
• on the west - 1285 mm.

Now imagine what more quantity precipitation falls in mountainous areas, where the most high mountain countries - Snowdon. This figure is more than 2700 mm every year. Average temperature:

• in winter – from +5 to +9 °C;
• in summer – 14-24 °C;
• in spring – 13-17 °C;
• in autumn – 14-18 °C.

Climate of Northern Ireland

There is also high humidity here. Almost the same amount of precipitation falls at each time of the year. Northern Ireland is always damp and has few sunny days. Due to the fact that the climate is humid and mild, tourists can find the country boasting of its green vegetation all year round.

In spring, temperatures range from 9-14 °C. At the beginning of this season there is strong wind and cool weather. Closer to mid-spring, warming is observed. Summer in this country of Great Britain is quite warm and sunny. Basically, temperatures fluctuate between 18-20 °C. In fact, it gets colder towards evening. Therefore, tourists should remember about warm things that they should take with them on their trip.

Already in the month of September it begins to get dark early. Fogs and gusts of wind are becoming more common. The air temperature in the northern part of the country is about +9 °C. In the southern part this figure reaches +13 °C. Winter in Northern Ireland is quite mild. Temperatures generally typical for January range from +1 °C to +4 °C.

All corners of the United Kingdom are beautiful in their own way, so it’s worth visiting each of them in order to enjoy the virginity of nature, beautiful landscapes, visit a lot interesting places and just take a break from everyday worries. Now you know what the UK climate is like, you can safely plan your trip or business trip.

Plan:

Introduction

• 1 Topography and geology
• 2 Land use
• 3 Political geography
  • 3.1 Border with England
  • 3.2 Local government
• 4 Settlements
• 5 Climate
• 6 National parks

Introduction

Wales(Welsh: Cymru, English) Wales) includes a peninsula in the west of Great Britain and coastal islands, the largest of which is Anglesey. Wales is one of the four administrative and political parts of Great Britain. In the east it borders with England. It is surrounded by water on three other sides: the Irish Sea in the north, St. George's Channel in the west, and Bristol Bay in the south. The length of Wales from north to south is 274 km, from west to east - 97 km. Total area- 20,779 km 2. Coastline is more than 1,200 km.

1. Topography and geology

Wales' highest mountain Snowdon

Most of Wales is mountainous. There are three mountainous regions: Snowdonia in the north-west, the Cambrian Mountains in the center and the Brecon Beacons in the south. The mountains were formed during the last ice age. The highest mountains are in Snowdonia, the highest peak is Mount Snowdon (Welsh: Yr Wyddfa) (1,085 m).

In the mid-19th century, two geologists, Roderick Murchison and Adam Sedgwick, used their studies of the geology of Wales to establish the basic principles of stratigraphy and palaeontology. The original name of Wales Cambrian gave its name to the first period of the Paleozoic era - the Cambrian period. After much debate, the next two periods, Ordovician and Silurian, are named after the Celtic tribes: the Ordovicians and the Silurians, who inhabited what is now Wales in the time before the Romans came to this territory.

2. Land use

The total land area of ​​Wales is 2,064,000 hectares. Crops and fallow land account for 3% of the land area, grass and pasture 73%, other arable land 1%, forest and woodland 13%, and urban area 10%.

3. Political geography

3.1. Border with England

The modern border between Wales and England was established by the Acts of Law in Wales 1535-1542. The boundary is not confirmed by the Boundary Commission, except for the confirmation of Monmouthshire as part of Wales in 1968. The boundary is drawn along Offa's ridge from south to north to a point approximately 64 km from north coast, and then the border goes further east. At the same time, the border has a number of anomalies. For example, the town of Knighton in Wales is separated from its railway station in England, the border practically cuts off Stoke Church from the rest of Wales, dividing the village of Llanymynch, where there is a pub on either side of the border.

3.2. Local government

Wales is divided into 22 areas, which are responsible for the provision of all local government services, including education, social work, environmental and roads services. The Queen's appointed Lord Lieutenant represents her in the eight counties of Wales.

The UK Office for National Statistics groups local authorities into groups based on six major censuses (Demographic, Family, Housing, Socio-Economic, Employment and Industry).

4. Settlements

A significant proportion of the Welsh population lives in small populated areas. Wales also has a relatively low proportion of the population in major population centers, with only 26% of them living in cities with a population of over 100,000. The main population and industrial areas of Wales are in the south, including the South Wales Valley, Cardiff, Swansea and Newport. Large cities in Wales there are five.

• Bangor
• Cardiff
• Newport
• St. David's
• Swansea

5. Climate

• Highest temperature: 35.2 °C (Hawarden Bridge, Flintshire, 2 August 1990).
• The most low temperature: −23.3 °C (Ryader, Powys, 1 January 1940).
• Sunlight brightness:
  • Maximum duration per month: 354.3 hours (Pembrokeshire, July 1955);
  • Minimum duration per month: 2.7 hours (Powys, January 1962).
• Biggest gust of wind: 200 km/h (Rose, Glamorgan, 28 October 1989).

6. National parks

Wales has three national parks:

• Brecon Beacons - in south Wales.
• Pembrokeshire Coast - On the Pembrokeshire coast.
• Snowdonia is in north-west Wales.

The country of Wales is one of the constituent administrative-territorial units of the United British Kingdom. Located in the southwest of the English island. Most of its borders are adjacent to the sea: in the north the state is washed by the Irish Sea, in the southwest by St. George's Channel, and in the south by Bristol Bay. The length of the Welsh coastline is 1,200 km. In the east the state is bordered by the counties of Gloucestershire, Cheshire, Herefordshire and Shropshire. The population of the country of Wales is 3 million people. The total area is almost 21 thousand km². Wales in the Russian version was previously pronounced as Vallis. That is why the inhabitants of the country are still called Welsh.

Historical data

It is known that people have lived in this area since the last Ice Age. At the beginning of our era, the country of Wales was inhabited by Roman conquerors who developed gold mines here. After their departure, at the beginning of the 5th century AD. e., the Britons created many independent kingdoms in this area. However, due to constant internecine wars, the divided areas were very quickly conquered by the Anglo-Saxons and Scots. Only under the reign of the king Henry VIII the territory becomes a united kingdom, legally merged with the rest of Great Britain. Many people are concerned: is Wales a separate country or not? In fact, it was never an independent territory, but always had a special status within the Kingdom.

In the 18th century, Wales became the center of the industrial revolution. The largest deposits of iron ore, coal, and tin were discovered on the territory of the country. During this period, more and more workers come here and become permanent residents of the country. The city of Cardiff has always been an important port, and in 1955 it received the status of capital. Currently, the settlement is the largest in the country.

Characteristic

The country of Wales stretches from north to south. Numerically, its length in this direction is 274 km, from east to west - 97 km. Most of the territory (about 70%) is occupied by They are composed of volcanic and sedimentary rocks with wide ridges, which are deeply cut by river valleys. In the north-west, Wales is framed by the Snowdon mountain range. The main peak of this system with the same name is the highest point in the country (1,085 m). Southern part occupy the Brecon Beacons ridges. In addition, 23% of Wales' territory is covered by land, most of which is pasture.

The mountainous nature of the country was taken as a basis for the study of geological periods and the foundations of paleontology. And it left a certain imprint. So, at the moment influenced the name of the Paleozoic periods: Cambrian - after the old name of Wales (Cambria), Silurian and Ordovician were named after the Celtic tribes living in the country.

Climatic features

Where is the country of Wales located and in what climate zone? Let's talk about this now. The climate is typical maritime, with warm, mild winters and cool summers. In the west, Wales is not protected from the Atlantic winds, which often invade its territory. Average summer temperatures are +17°…+19°С, winter - +5°…+7°С. Frosts are rare in the country, as is snow. So unique in its own way weather conditions Wales.

What other country can boast of such good weather, especially if we compare the climate of Russia? There is no stable snow cover. Precipitation falls in the form of rain and fog. And their quantity varies from west to east: from 1,200 to 700 mm/g. Wales has a cooler climate than the UK due to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean.

Division into administrative objects

According to the administrative-territorial division, the country is divided into 22 unitary districts. Of these, 9 regions have the status of counties, 10 - city-counties and 3 - cities. The Local Government Act was passed in 1994. The border between Wales and England, although specified, is not officially established. Most major cities: Cardiff, Swansea, Bangor, Newport and St. Davis. Unlike other states, the majority of the country's population does not live in large populated areas. The Welsh prefer to settle in small towns and small villages.

Government

The head of the government of Wales is the British monarch (currently Elizabeth II). The head of the Government of the Assembly is responsible for the executive power, and the legislative power belongs to the British Parliament. The executive bodies include the Welsh Government, headed by the Prime Minister. It consists of 7 people. The main sectors of the economy are mining, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, oil production and refining. Agriculture and dairy farming are also developing.

Beauty of the country

Wales has always attracted travelers to its lands. There's a lot to see here. These are stunning landscapes ancient castles, small ancient cities with narrow streets and a special national flavor. Great Britain consistently honors traditions and its history. But in the country described, this moment manifests itself most clearly.

National parks

The country of Wales has many natural national parks. They occupy a fifth of the territory. To the south are the Brecon Beacons. It received park status in 1957. There are four mountain range, Forrest Favre Geopark and the ancient market town of Brecon.

In the north-west of the country there is another natural attraction. We are talking about Snowdonia National Park. It covers the surrounding area high point Wales - Snowdon. Most of the park is mountains. But there is also land suitable for agriculture. Snowdonia - popular place For tourist routes. Especially for this purpose, trains and bus routes run through the territory.

In western Wales there is a third national park- Pembrokeshire Coast. This area amazes with its diversity of landscapes. Rocks approaching sandy beaches, cliffs, hilly peaks, coastal estuaries overgrown with grass - all this is amazing local nature.

The natural landscapes of national parks are complemented by human buildings - ancient palaces and castles, small villages that have retained their original appearance. Unlike other national parks around the world, those located in Wales are not considered remote areas. Within their borders are pastures, villages and even cities.

Those students who familiarize themselves with this information will be able to accurately answer the question: “Is Wales a city or a country?” They will easily make up a most interesting presentation or abstract. By telling only accurate and correct information about the state, you can get good grade at school or college.

One of the historical territories of the United Kingdom of Wales, it is an inimitable land of impressive mountains, green valleys and medieval fortresses, located in the southwestern part of the British Isles, bordering England to the east. The Tour Calendar invites you to find out why the most favorable time to visit the homeland of the Welsh is from May to September.

Tourist season in Wales

Wales is one of the most exciting areas of the UK, it is not for nothing that a quarter of the territory has been officially declared a conservation area, and three of its areas have the status of “Exclusive Area”. natural beauty" But not only for picturesque landscapes About 5 million people come here every year. Wales attracts with the opportunity to plunge into a completely different culture, because throughout the centuries the Welsh have lived according to their own special foundations and traditions. Quite a decent number of so-called trips “to the roots”. Those who are fans of active pastimes also flock here: golf, rugby, canoeing, mountaineering, surfing, diving, sailing, etc. Amazing seaside resorts, whose beaches have been awarded the Blue Flag award, are the center of attraction for many British people in the summer. Educational tours for the purpose of learning English and preparing for admission to a British university are also very popular. Wales has something for everyone, which is probably why travelers flock here throughout the 12 months of the year.

High season in Wales

Most tourists are found on city streets in late spring, summer and at the very beginning of autumn. During this warm season, the daylight hours are very long, all attractions are open, everything is accessible aquatic species sports, and therefore you can organize your leisure time in the most interesting way. The peak season is in July and August, when UK schoolchildren and students have their holidays and the massive holiday season begins. A lot of visitors from North America visiting relatives or to explore family roots. The flow of tourists from the Eurozone countries is very noticeable. Unfortunately, travelers from Russia often lose sight of Wales, or, in extreme cases, visit here for only a short time, as part of tours of the British Isles. As a rule, this is England + Wales. The high season boasts not only decent “foreign traffic”, but also dense holiday schedule. It is not difficult to guess that all these factors directly affect the prices set here. Everything from travel tickets V public transport, to golf passes and hotel rooms, costs much more than in the off-season.

Low season in Wales

Although tourist interest in Wales never fades, statistics still indicate a certain decline in the activity of foreign visitors, starting from mid-autumn and ending in mid-spring. Cooler temperatures and increased rainfall, of course, are reflected in the total number of foreign visitors, but with the exception of business tourists and tourists coming for educational purposes. In fact, there are many advantages to holidaying in Wales in the off-season. Well, at least take into account the quite reasonable prices for accommodation, which are disproportionately high in the summer. Or, for example, the absence of noisy crowds and endless queues in museums. The only negative For some, the weather may be inclement, under which conditions it is unlikely that they will be able to fully enjoy natural masterpieces.

Best time for excursions

A trip to Wales promises an extensive and exciting excursion. Such a tiny country has a lot to offer: exciting sea ​​coasts, national parks, the largest concentration of medieval fortresses in Europe, the smallest cathedral city and the smallest house in Great Britain, the world's scariest attraction in the Penryn quarry, objects under the patronage of UNESCO and much more. It rains all year round in Wales, so when choosing the best time to explore the country, it is best to rely on temperature indicators. Therefore, it is most advisable to plan a trip for the period from May to early September, this is the warmest time of the year.

Beach season in Wales

Surprisingly, being far from beach country, Wales has many excellent beaches, 33 of which are marked Blue flag for a high level of environmental cleanliness and impeccable organization of recreation infrastructure. Most of them are concentrated on the northern coast. The beach season lasts from June to the end of August, at which time English neighbors flock here en masse. True, people sunbathe here more than swim, since the water temperature, even at the height of summer, does not exceed +16..+17 °C.

Surf season

Despite the fact that the Welsh sea is quite cool, surfing and windsurfing are in particular demand here. You can “ride the wave” on the Gower and Llyn peninsulas, the coasts of Glamorgan and Pembrokeshire. Best season for surfing it is autumn, but if you go to Wales in the summer, you can ride a board at this time of year. By contacting any surf center, you will be happy to provide full information about a particular surf spot, as well as the time of day when the biggest waves are expected.

Dolphin watching season

One of the most interesting entertainment available to tourists in Wales is watching bottlenose dolphins in their natural environment habitat. Cardigan Bay is home to the UK's largest dolphin population, numbering around 350 individuals. Typically, mini cruises depart from Newquay Harbor and can range in duration from 1 to 2 hours. These boat trips are available from May to October.

Educational season

Combining sightseeing with studying in Wales has become very easy thanks to special educational tours. It is enough to have the required amount of money and tell the travel agency about your preferences. Wales, no less than England, is excellent for mastering British English and obtaining a prestigious higher education, and maybe in some ways it’s not even inferior to him. For example, only in this corner of Great Britain foreign students provide free information support regarding available places in educational institutions. Regarding English courses, you can take training at any time of the year, but in the summer and during school holidays functioning greatest quantity language schools. From June to September, as a rule, tuition costs a little more.

Golf season

Wales fits well into the golf industry, being today the proud owner of about two hundred excellent golf courses. They all have completely different sizes and are designed for golfers of varying levels of training. Among them, it is worth highlighting the Celtic Manor Resort, a unique venue where the prestigious Ryder Cup competition took place in 2010. Thanks to the humid climate, the fields remain green all year round, so you can play whenever you want. But, of course, the most favorable time to practice this sport is from May to September.

Football season

One of popular types Wales' sport is football. The Welsh Cup is held annually in the country. The Wales national team's home matches are played in Cardiff on sports stadium"Millennium". The gaming season lasts from late August to late May.

It's time for holidays and festivals

You can better understand the culture, traditions of Wales and the character of its inhabitants at the annual holidays and festivals - “eisteddfodau”. Wales is part of Great Britain, so all national and state, as well as some, are celebrated here religious holidays United Kingdom. To complete the “picture,” we advise you to familiarize yourself with them; to do this, click here. In this section we will list only those dates and events that are unique to Wales or are celebrated slightly differently than in the rest of Britain. December 25-27 - Catholic Christmas, as in England and Scotland, is very restrained. Night from December 31 to January 1 - New Year, large-scale celebrations unfold in the south of Wales, in small town Llanwrtyd Wells A colorful torchlight procession awaits you. And in the farming community in the village of Guane Valley, the New Year is celebrated according to the Julian calendar on January 13th. March 1 - Day of the patron saint of Wales, St. David, notable for its religious festival. Summer is the time for musical and national “eisteddfods”. In July, the city of Llangollen hosts an international music festival, and on the Llyn Peninsula there is a wakeboarding festival “Wakestock”, which also features musical compositions. From mid-July to early August, the capital hosts the grandiose Cardiff Festival, which includes in its program an endless variety of musical and theatrical events, comedy shows, fireworks and the Cardiff's MAS Carnival with parades of street performers. The last Monday of August is August day of rest.

Climate in Wales

Wales has a temperate climate, but due to its openness to winds Atlantic Ocean, he has monkfish. In general, the weather is the same as on the rest of the island of Great Britain, but slightly cooler than in England. As a rule, there are no sharp seasonal temperature changes; only day and night indicators differ significantly. One of the features climatic conditions Wales has high levels of humidity, regular rainfall throughout the year and frequent fog. Summer is relatively warm and rainy, winter is mild and damp.

Wales in spring

It is not possible to say exactly what the coming spring will be like in Wales. This is one of the most unpredictable times of the year. In March, despite the fact that there is a slight increase in daytime temperatures, you should not expect much warmth. The weather changes several times a day - calm alternates with gusty winds, and the stunted rays of the sun quickly disappear behind rain clouds. In April, the air warms up to an average of +16 °C, daylight hours, as well as the number of sunny hours, increase slightly. From now until the beginning of June, the driest period of the year lasts. Nature renews its colors, the landscapes become brighter, and life in Wales seems to become livelier. Of course, largely thanks to a series of holidays and tourists starting to come. May is the ideal time to plan a trip to this region of the UK. At midday, the mercury sometimes jumps to +17 °C, and it gets dark quite late, so a long stay in the fresh air is especially pleasant. However, it is worth remembering that it gets significantly colder closer to night, so if you are planning to stay, you should first make sure you have the right things with you.

Temperature and weather in Wales in spring

Wales in summer

Summer in Wales is rainy, but quite warm. Maximum temperature extremes in July and August at south coast- +23 °C..+24 °C. Inland, in the lowlands, as well as in the north, the air temperature is quite moderate - approximately +14..+20 °C. There is more precipitation than in the spring season, however, it is not heavy and passes very quickly. In mid-summer, solar activity is maximum - about 7 hours a day. It gets dark quite late, no earlier than 22.00, which cannot but please tourists. Late evenings and nights are cold, be sure to take a warm sweater or jacket with you.

Temperature and weather in Wales in summer

Wales is one of the four administrative and political parts of Great Britain. In the east it borders with England. It is surrounded by water on three other sides: the Irish Sea in the north, St. George's Channel in the west, and Bristol Bay in the south. The length of Wales from north to south is 274 km, from west to east - 97 km. The total area is 20,779 km2. The coastline is more than 1200 km.

Topography and geology

Most of Wales is mountainous. There are three mountainous regions: Snowdonia in the north-west, the Cambrian Mountains in the center and the Brecon Beacons in the south. The mountains were formed during the last Ice Age. The highest mountains are in Snowdonia, the highest peak is Mount Snowdon (Welsh: Yr Wyddfa) (1085 m).

Land use

The total land area of ​​Wales is 2,064,000 hectares. Crops and fallow land account for 3% of the land area, grass and pasture 73%, other arable land 1%, forest and woodland 13%, and urban area 10%.

Political geography

Border with England

The modern border between Wales and England was established by the Acts of Law in Wales 1535-1542. The boundary is not confirmed by the Boundary Commission, except for the confirmation of Monmouthshire as part of Wales in . The boundary is drawn along Offa's ridge from south to north to a point approximately 64 km from the northern coast, and then the boundary goes further east. At the same time, the border has a number of anomalies. For example, the town of Knighton in Wales is separated from its railway station in England, the border practically cutting off Stoke Church from the rest of Wales, dividing the village of Llanymynch, where there is a pub on either side of the border.

Local government

Wales is divided into 22 areas, responsible for the provision of all local government services, including education, social work, environmental and road services. The Queen's appointed Lord Lieutenant represents her in the eight counties of Wales.

The UK Office for National Statistics groups local authorities into groups based on six major censuses (Demographic, Family, Housing, Socio-Economic, Employment and Industry).

Settlements

A significant part of the Welsh population lives in small settlements. Wales also has a relatively low proportion of the population in major population centers, with only 26% of them living in cities with a population of over 100,000. The main population and industrial areas of Wales are in the south, including the South Wales Valley, Cardiff, Swansea and Newport. There are six cities with city status in Wales.