Sweltering southerners head to Scotland for ‘coolcations’

Searches for cooler holiday destinations had increased by 74% from the first four months of 2025, according to travel agency trip.com “as travellers seek to escape the heat, shifting their attention to places that offer more comfortable climates and less overcrowding experiences.”

Rob Kingsland, from the outdoor adventure company Rugged Coast in Glencoe, believes Scotland’s cooler, more comfortable climate is making it increasingly attractive to holidaymakers wanting to spend their time outdoors.

“It’s a cracking day to be out. We’ve got very little wind, some nice temperatures. It’s perfect,” he says while we are kayaking alongside the islands in Loch Leven.

“We’ve found the last few years we’ve getting more and more Europeans and North Americans saying they have come to the West coast of Scotland exactly for the milder climate, with a little bit of rain, not too hot.

“They can do activities, they can put on a sweatshirt, not have the air conditioning on,” he says.