We’ve been asked several times what we packed for Scotland and how wet we got–especially since we packed light and went carry-on only. Well, we didn’t get wet at all. {smile} They had an amazingly clear, dry, spring heat wave while we were there. We packed for chilly, soggy, weather and ended up needing more tee-shirts and zero rain coats! Packing light for Scotland in the spring can be extra daunting for plus size travelers. The unpredicable weather and bulkier clothes can seem impossible to fit in a backpack! But layering is key and it can be done! Mr. Fix-It even managed to fit his size 13 boots in his backpack coming home!

The ground was wet in a lot of places, so waterproof shoes were still needed, but overall we had glorious weather and I would highly recommend traveling to Scotland in April. We found Scotland, and especially the Highlands and Isles, to be a very casual place, with everyone wearing jeans or outdoor pants and hikers. We were basically in jeans and tees the whole week. Most hotels did have a small resturant in them and we felt a bit underdressed for a sit-down dinner meal if we didn’t change from our street clothes.

PS–You need dinner reservations or plan to wait an hour. Everywhere. Until 9 o’clock when everything closes–even the gas station. So just consider taking dinner seriously and making plans and changing clothes–even if you don’t make your plans until 5 pm. Otherwise you’ll end up hangry at each other and eating pringles in the car! {smile}

Here’s a Women’s Plus Size Packing List for Scotland in the spring–with links for the actual items I packed. I’m not a big fan of putting my size out there, but I know I was a bit discouraged when I was looking at carry-on only packing lists and they were all much slimmer travelers or lots of skirts and shorts to save room. That wouldn’t work for me, or this trip. So just for reference, when I packed this plus size travel capsule all the items were at least a XL or size 18, size 10 shoes.

Travel Day Clothes

We planned to wear our bulkiest clothes on the plane, and if you read my Lessons Learned post, you’ll see that I don’t necessarily recommend that advice. At least make sure all your bulky stuff will fit in your carry-on if needed. Our traveling day, ended up being 2 whole days, including a whole day in New York City, plus our first day in-country. We never wanted to see or wear those clothes and shoes again! {smile}

What I wore:

Jeans–I cheated and took these super comfy pull-on jeans. They are thick and solid denim, not jeggings, but the waist is wide and stretchy. Thank goodness they were perfect for icky overnights in the airport and stood up well to several days of repeated wear.

Plaid Button Down–Light cotton, not heavy flannel. (similiar, similiar)

Vest–I took this one and was happy with it’s weight and packability (and price!). It’s warm without making me look like a marshmallow. As much, anyway. The hood makes it a little awkward to layer a coat over and a non-hooded vest might be a better traveling choice.

Waterproof Hikers–Love mine! Just make sure you break them in before traveling. They fit almost like sneakers.

Raincoat–We actually needed these in New York, not in Scotland! Mine is an XXL so I can fit it over a separate fleece or down layer and it still rolls down into it’s own pocket.

What he wore:

Jeans, long-sleeve tee-shirt, waterproof boots, and a Rain Defender Hoodie. Eventually he changed into lighter travel pants and sneakers and shoved his boots in his bag. A word about Carhartt clothes for travel–they are sturdy, warm, and waterproof. But they are heavy. Choose Force Extremes for lighter, fast-dry options on the road. His 3 Force tees weighed the same as 1 regular Workwear tee.

What I Packed:

Travel Pants–The Halle pants from prAna are stretchy, fast-drying, and sturdy. They roll up very small compared to jeans and will work with just about any shoe. But they do look kinda “technical” and out-doorsey. Especially the khaki color. They fit in just fine in the Highlands, but a darker color might carry over into city visits a little better.

Black Anytime Pants–These pants are so comfortable I feel guilty wearing them. It’s like walking around in your pjs, but they’re real pants! And even though they’re water resistant, quick-drying, UV-protective, etc., they don’t look like “technical” outdoor pants. They can easily dress up with black flats and a nice shirt. And they are super-light-weight and roll up teeny-tiny in your bag!

2 Long-Sleeve Tees–classic stripe and solid.

1 Light Sweater–Classic and basic and can layer with anything. (simliar, similiar)

1 Cardigan–Neutral color, nice layering piece.

2 Short-Sleeve Tees–the new Amazon Essentials brand really held up for me. I’ve got them in 6 colors now.

1 Dressier shirt–Chiffon and rayon blouses take up almost no room when packing, no matter what size they are. I ended up throwing 2 in at the last minute, but definitely only needed one. Easy to layer with a cardian and black pants for a nice meal. (similiar, similiar, simliar)

2 camis and 1 pair leggings (for layering with pants or as pjs)

Casual Sneakers–Love my Sperrys for days in the city, but definitely add a quality insert!

Black Flats–I didn’t use them, but they pack up into almost nothing and I would stil take them. They add just enough dressiness to my black everything pants for a nice dinner. Also, add inserts–these made specifically for no-support flats are amazing!

Fleece Jacket–Love this jacket! Layers beautifully under my raincoat if needed and looks smooth and neat alone. I also packed a plain winter hat, but never used it.

What He Packed:

Pretty much the same, but less.

Jeans and Travel pants

3 Long Sleeve shirts

3 Short Sleeve shirts

1 Button Down shirt

Boots and sneakers

He also brought a hat and belt.

I detailed out our toiletries and first aid kit in our Lessons Learned post. But it all fit in our bags, with room to spare. A little bit of room, anyway!

Check out our other Scotland Travel post:

1 Week in Scotland: the Highlands and Isle of Skye

1 Week in Scotland: Stirling and Edinburgh

Packing Light for Scotland: Lessons Learned