January in Cotswolds — off-season conditions
Hardest · 4.3/10At 4°C (39°F) this is proper winter weather in January: layer up and split the day between outdoor highlights and indoor stops.
Budget for roughly 53 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 8 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 4.3/10 on the same scale — 10th of 12 months, versus 9.3/10 for the best month here.
Budget for low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a packable rain layer.
If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Cotswolds — 5 points higher on the same scale.
February in Cotswolds — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 4.6/10Expect 6°C (43°F) in February. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
Budget for roughly 71 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 9.6 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 4.6/10 on the same scale — 9th of 12 months, versus 9.3/10 for the best month here.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Cotswolds — 4.7 points higher on the same scale.
March in Cotswolds — off-season conditions
Hardest · 4.9/10March averages 7°C (44°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Rainfall runs 89 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 3 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.5 hours of daylight.
It scores 4.9/10 here, 8th of 12 months, against 9.3/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
Flexible dates? June scores 4.4 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
April in Cotswolds — reliably good (6th best month)
Good · 7/10Expect 9°C (47°F) in April. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
Budget for roughly 55 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 13 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 13.6 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 7/10 on the same scale — 6th of 12 months, versus 9.3/10 for the best month here.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Cotswolds — 2.3 points higher on the same scale.
May in Cotswolds: strong conditions, 4th of 12
Good · 8/10May averages 13°C (55°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
Rainfall runs 69 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 21 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 15.4 hours of daylight.
It scores 8/10 here, 4th of 12 months, against 9.3/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
June in Cotswolds — the year's strongest window
Best window · 9.3/10Temperatures hover around 15°C (60°F) — the kind of month where neither heat nor cold forces the schedule.
With around 42 mm of rain, any showers tend to pass through rather than settle in; about 26 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 16.4 hours of daylight fill the rest.
On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Cotswolds at 9.3/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.
Budget for peak pricing, and crowds are moderate. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening.
July ranks 3rd of 12 for Cotswolds — one of the best windows
Best window · 8.7/10Temperatures hover around 17°C (62°F) — the kind of month where neither heat nor cold forces the schedule.
Budget for roughly 63 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 21 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 16 hours of daylight to work around it.
On our climate-comfort scale this is one of the strongest months of the year for Cotswolds at 8.7/10 (3rd of 12), just behind June at 9.3/10.
Expect peak pricing, and this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
August ranks 2nd of 12 for Cotswolds — one of the best windows
Best window · 9/10August averages 17°C (63°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
Expect 42 mm of rain — occasional showers rather than washed-out days — alongside about 17 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 14.4 daylight hours.
A 9/10 puts this among the year's best months in Cotswolds (2nd of 12); only June scores higher, at 9.3/10.
Plan for peak pricing, with this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening.
September holds up well in Cotswolds — 5th best month
Good · 7.2/10September averages 15°C (59°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
Rainfall runs 77 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 6 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 12.4 hours of daylight.
It scores 7.2/10 here, 5th of 12 months, against 9.3/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
Flexible dates? June scores 2.1 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
October in Cotswolds — middling scores, decent value
Trade-offs · 5.3/10Expect 12°C (53°F) in October. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
Budget for roughly 95 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 10.3 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 5.3/10 on the same scale — 7th of 12 months, versus 9.3/10 for the best month here.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Cotswolds — 4 points higher on the same scale.
November in Cotswolds — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 4.2/10Expect 7°C (45°F) in November. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
Budget for roughly 91 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 8.5 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 4.2/10 on the same scale — 11th of 12 months, versus 9.3/10 for the best month here.
Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Cotswolds — 5.1 points higher on the same scale.
December in Cotswolds — off-season conditions
Hardest · 3.8/10December averages 5°C (42°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Rainfall runs 88 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 7.6 hours of daylight.
It scores 3.8/10 here, 12th of 12 months, against 9.3/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
Flexible dates? June scores 5.5 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
