International visitors are eyeing up Scotland as a ‘coolcation’ holiday destination to get away from the extreme heat of once popular resorts.
With temperatures this summer definitely on the ‘cool’ side, anyone seeking respite from Mediterranean heatwaves won’t be disappointed.
So where in Scotland can they go to fully chill out?
Scotland’s loch, rivers and burns offer plenty of opportunities to cool down, from a dip in Loch Morlich on the fringes of Aviemore overlooked by Cairngorm's ski runs, to popular wild swimming spots in Glencoe and Glen Etive and kayaking on Loch Rannoch.
Fife's tidal pools at Pittenweem, St Monan's and Cellardyke are a safer option for a salt water dip than venturing into the sea. While less chilly, Gourock's outdoor pool is Scotland’s oldest lido, bringing open air swimming at a constant temperature of 29C.
Or, for more controlled outdoor bathing, Watermind Scotland offers cold water therapy sessions in waterfalls, hillside streams, lochs and rivers, beach yoga and wild swimming around Loch Lomond and further afield.
Bear in mind, the average water temperature in summer for Loch Lomond is a bracing 14.5°C.
Scotland’s coldest spot is often said to be Braemar, which recorded the UK’s lowest-ever temperature of −27.2 °C (−17.0 °F) in February 1895.
It is, of course, slightly warmer in summer - and hopefully dry for this year’s Braemar Gathering on September 7.
If Scotland’s cool summer temperatures aren’t cold enough, Edinburgh’s attraction Dynamic Earth, next door to the Scottish Parliament – where there’s the occasional blast of hot air – offers the chance to chill out next to its permanent iceberg, part of its polar exhibit.
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For those seeking a snowy spot to cool down and who don’t mind the sweaty challenge of hiking uphill, a smattering of snow remains on just three sheltered spots.
Snow patches are clinging on at Ben Nevis, Aonach Beag and Garbh Coire Mòr on Braeriach in the Cairngorms.
Scotland boasts beautiful sandy beaches with the bonus of teeth-chattering turquoise water for visitors looking to keep their cool. Often topping the ‘best beaches’ guide is Luskentyre Beach on the Isle of Harris, thanks to its pure white sand, but the average summertime water temperature is a chilly 12°C.
If Scotland’s blistering summer sunshine becomes too much, there are plenty of spectacular caves and gorges offering shelter.
Smoo Cave at Durness in Sutherland has a large sea-formed chamber and various smaller ones formed by fresh water, with a waterfall.
While the Devil’s Pulpit in Finnich Glen descends to 100ft, with flowing water and emerald green moss-covered stones providing shelter and an otherworldly atmosphere.
Perhaps good to know too that, although this summer has been grim, in 1922 – the coolest summer on record in Scotland - the thermometer managed an average of just 10.64 °C or 51.15 °F.
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