Backpacking

What to pack for Scotland in July

24th July 2021Erin Buckingham

I had a hard time figuring out what to pack for in Scotland in July, simply because the weather is VERY unpredictable in the UK, and at home in the South we were experiencing a heat wave so we didn’t really know what to expect.

I packed my belongings in my backpacks. I use the Osprey Atmos AG 65 in men’s (I got it fitted and realised my shoulders were to broad for the women’s!) and a 28 litre Eurohike bag I bought for walks in the Lake District. We went to the Isle of Arran for a week at the end of June/ start of July.

To travel in I wore:

Hiking trousers (they unzip into shorts)
A jumper
A crop top
Trainers

In my opinion, no matter your means of transport, you should always pick comfort over style. No one will care what you look like when you arrive, and you can always carry spare clothes (a hack I definitely recommend going between different climates) in carry on for example if you need to.

Atmos – Main backpack

I chose this bag mostly for the abundance of pockets it has. A pocket on each waist strap, a pocket on the detachable top, two side bottle pockets, a mesh front pocket, a pocket underneath the mesh one on either side, a shoe pocket at the bottom that can be removed and the main compartment. I packed all my clothes in packing cubes, and I hardly took up half the bag.

Tops

1 short sleeve cropped sports top
1 tight long sleeve sports top
1 t-shirt
1 fancier top (in case the need arose)
1 cropped jumper
1 loose long sleeve top

Swimwear

x2 microfiber towels – salt water & freshwater/shower
1 rash vest
x2 mix and match bikinis
x2 ‘waterproof’ bags – to store wet things in when on walks

Bottoms

x3 pairs of leggings
1 pair of joggers/sweatpants
1 pair of shorts (with pockets!)

Shoes

Converse
Slides
Walking boots

Toiletries

Shampoo (100ml bottle)
Conditioner (100ml bottle)
Body wash
Body spray
Deodorant
x2 packs of tissues
Toothbrush
Facewash
Hairband
x4 hair ties of variety
Toothpaste
Spot cream

Extras – either in packing cubes or in the pockets

2 sports bras
Sensible amount of undies
x2 pairs of pj bottoms
1 bralette
x3 walking socks
x3 regular socks
1 dress (very useful when sunburnt!)
1 plain black playsuit
Waterproof
x2 blankets (not the most important items in the world but I had lots of space in my bag and ultimately was very grateful for them some nights)
First aid kit
Pen knife
x 2 shopping totes – laundry & shopping