SeasonMapUnited Kingdom in May
May is United Kingdom's 4th-best month (rank 4 of 12): its 30 destinations average 78/100, led by Keswick at 87 — 14°C and 14 rainy days — while Edinburgh is cooler at 11°C and scores 80.
#4 of 12 months for United Kingdom · 30 destinations · updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Where in United Kingdom in May
| # | Place | Type | Feels-like high | Rain | Comfort | At its best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keswick | Trekking hub | 14°C | 77 mm · 14 days | 87 tier A | Yes |
| 2 | Windermere | Trekking hub | 14°C | 78 mm · 15 days | 87 tier A | Yes |
| 3 | London | City | 15°C | 46 mm · 9 days | 83 tier A | — |
| 4 | Cambridge | City | 16°C | 50 mm · 11 days | 82 tier A | — |
| 5 | Canterbury | City | 16°C | 52 mm · 11 days | 82 tier A | — |
| 6 | Fort William | Trekking hub | 14°C | 118 mm · 17 days | 82 tier A | — |
| 7 | Stratford-upon-Avon | City | 16°C | 56 mm · 11 days | 82 tier A | — |
| 8 | Bath | City | 14°C | 61 mm · 11 days | 81 tier A | — |
| 9 | Belfast | City | 14°C | 63 mm · 14 days | 81 tier A | — |
| 10 | Bristol | City | 16°C | 60 mm · 10 days | 81 tier A | — |
| 11 | Cardiff | City | 16°C | 67 mm · 11 days | 81 tier A | — |
| 12 | Liverpool | City | 12°C | 60 mm · 13 days | 81 tier A | — |
| 13 | Manchester | City | 13°C | 66 mm · 13 days | 81 tier A | — |
| 14 | Oxford | City | 16°C | 55 mm · 11 days | 81 tier A | — |
| 15 | Birmingham | City | 13°C | 58 mm · 11 days | 80 tier A | — |
| 16 | Edinburgh | City | 11°C | 57 mm · 13 days | 80 tier A | — |
| 17 | York | City | 15°C | 64 mm · 13 days | 80 tier A | — |
| 18 | Glasgow | City | 12°C | 73 mm · 14 days | 79 tier B | — |
| 19 | St Andrews | City | 13°C | 54 mm · 11 days | 79 tier B | — |
| 20 | Bournemouth | Beach | 16°C | 47 mm · 9 days | 77 tier B | — |
| 21 | Brighton | Beach | 15°C | 42 mm · 10 days | 76 tier B | — |
| 22 | Inverness | City | 14°C | 86 mm · 16 days | 76 tier B | — |
| 23 | Isle of Wight | Island | 16°C | 36 mm · 10 days | 76 tier B | — |
| 24 | Newquay | Beach | 15°C | 53 mm · 11 days | 76 tier B | — |
| 25 | Portree | City | 12°C | 97 mm · 16 days | 76 tier B | — |
| 26 | St Ives | Beach | 15°C | 47 mm · 10 days | 76 tier B | — |
| 27 | Oban | City | 12°C | 124 mm · 17 days | 75 tier B | — |
| 28 | Whitby | Beach | 13°C | 55 mm · 12 days | 75 tier B | — |
| 29 | Isle of Skye | Island | 12°C | 97 mm · 16 days | 74 tier B | Yes |
| 30 | Aviemore | Ski resort | 13°C | 98 mm · 19 days | 35 tier F | — |
Comfort is SeasonMap's 0–100 score; each place is judged through the lens that suits it — beaches on beach weather, ski resorts on snow. "At its best" means May is one of that place's own top three months. Feels-like highs fold in humidity, wind and sun.
What's on in United Kingdom in May
- Keswick Mountain Festival · Keswick · 15–17 May
- RHS Chelsea Flower Show · London · 19–23 May
- The Bath Festival · Bath · 16–24 May
- Belfast City Marathon · Belfast · 28 Apr – 8 May (usually)
- Great Manchester Run · Manchester · 10–31 May (usually)
- Whit Friday band contests · Manchester · 15 May – 20 Jun (usually)
- May Morning · Oxford · 1 May
- Summer Eights · Oxford · 27–30 May
Seasons in force
Peak crowds at 11 of United Kingdom's 22 well-known places this month.