Cornwall mid November.

[Bart Heirweg]

I'm thinking of planning a short trip to the UK in mid November. I would like to visit Cornwall coast for landscape photography. Is that period any good? I know the landscape is great, but my main issue is the weather. Of course I would like to have some great light and not to much overcast or rainy days.

I have some holiday left near Christmas too, maybe weather in that period is better? Or maybe you guys have better ideas for other places with chances of better weather. Northumberland coast?

[LoisWakeman]

I'm thinking of planning a short trip to the UK in mid November. I would like to visit Cornwall coast for landscape photography. Is that period any good? I know the landscape is great, but my main issue is the weather. Of course I would like to have some great light and not to much overcast or rainy days.

I have some holiday left near Christmas too, maybe weather in that period is better? Or maybe you guys have better ideas for other places with chances of better weather. Northumberland coast?

Perhaps a few years ago, we could give you sensible answers - but certainly here in the southwest of England, the weather is not easily predictable now - and you could be really lucky with cold front weather (showers and sunshine), or spend 5 days in the car looking out at pouring rain and thick mist! Sorry I can't be more helpful. The East is generally drier on average, so you might be luckier with Northumberland - or then again, you might not. Fixed seasons are not the order of the day in these time of climate change - and the UK is in the middle of a very chaotic weather system.

[Bart Heirweg]

I know you guys aren't weathermen, but anyway. Another question. Would Dorset be a better choice? I was searching the internet for annual weather charts for Cornwall and Nurthumberland and came upon an article saying Dorset is sunier and drier then the rest of the UK. And what about the weather in Pembrokshire in November?

[situgrrl]

Welcome to Britain.  In the north, it rains sideways due to the wind, in Wales, even when it's not raining, it looks like it's about to.  In the middle, it rains a lot and as you go further south, it rains.  To not take pictures of the rain would therefore be to misrepresent Britain!

Seriously, either book yourself into a 5 star hotel in London, enjoy the shows and the shopping or embrace the rain!  this is easier if you are sponsored by Gore Tex and do not need glasses.  The mists of the lake district and breacon (wales) are a melancholic beauty and I love the brutality of the weather along the coast at this time of year.

[Bart Heirweg]

Rain is not my problem if there is a clearance now and then, giving some great light. I just want to avoid 24/7 overcast and rain.

[Paul Holman]

Hi Bart,

As Lois says, the weather in the UK is very unpredictable in late autumn and early winter. Temperatures are likely to be from 3-15 C, snow is generally unlikely, you'd be very lucky to avoid some rainbut that's as far as you can say really.
The weather on the south (Channel) coast , S Cornwall, S Devon, Dorset, Hampshire etc.. is generally milder and less extreme than the Atlantic coast of N Cornwall and Pembroke. However that may not give more interesting light to photograph in. Similarly the further south you go the warmer the temperature.

If you have the flexibility, choose your destination as late as possible and check out the forecasts and see where might be best to head for the day before you arrive. The BBC's web site has pretty good short term forecasts from the meteorological office. At least at this time of year accommodation shouldn't be too heavily booked up.
At least if it is overcast you'll get some nice soft light for your close up work ;-)

Enjoy your trip and I hope you're lucky and get some "interesting" weather.

[pete_truman]

I think I just saw that bit of sky clearing this afternoon, or was it just a dream...

As the other replies have said, November across the UK is usually dreary, overcast and damp. The autumn colours are now fading and a lot of the leaf fall has already gone. Another week or so and the weather we have right now (chilly, rain, wind) will leave trees largely devoid of leaves and the landscape barren. You do stand a better chance of getting some interesting sky and better light at the coast - Cornwall, Dorset, Northumberland or any other, but then you'll probably be blown over and thoroughly soaked by the waves. This weather tends to continue until early January then may get a little colder and (hopefully) some snow, but unless you're in Scotland any snow will probably only last a short time.

Although I live in the UK and love the place, I would not recommend a visit to see the landscape right now unless you like it dreary, wet and miserable - in which case you'll love it. You could also get some wonderful images of miserable people talking about the weather!

Instead I would save the money and book a flight to Morocco for sun and warmth, or Northern Scandinavia for aurora borealis and snow.

[gerry s]

I was in cornwall for a few days last week, I left home (dorset) and it was pouring with rain and by the time I reached the far west the sun was out and stayed out the whole time, eventually returned to dorset where it was still raining and had been the whole time. I would recommend going down to the penzance area as the north and south coasts are only aboput 8 miles apart. Very very often if the weather isnt good on one coast it is on the other. Down that end there are great shots available in most weathers anyway. On bright days you can go to St Ives, Sennen cove, Newlyn, Mousehole and many fishing villages and if its misty or overcast there is some amazingly dramatic coastal walks
If you do decide to go I could recommend a few places to stay if your interested. Dorset has some amazing scenery but I just personally think Cornwall is that little bit different. I must say I am a little biased as I am originally from that area and still go down 5 or 6 times a year.

[Bart Heirweg]

Thanks to you all for the information. Some of it was very helpfull.
I am still planning to go (from 22/11 till 29/11) and will try to book al late as possible. As I see it know, the South of Cornwall will be the best guess. I had already been thinking of staying somewhere around Penzance.
Maybe I will also go to the north for a few days to photograph the "extreme" weather.

@Gerry: All the information you have, would be helpfull. Thanks in advance. You can contact me by email, if you want.

[Brentbat]

Hey Bart

You may want to have a look at the Photoguide site for SW England... It's still in it's infancy, but there are already some great guides to SW England locations.  You may also want to drop the admin of that site (Adam) an email as he is a local.

The site is at http://freephotoguidesukswengland.blogspot.com/

Good luck, Cornwall is a lovely part of the world.

Brent

[MarkL]

Here in the NW it's typical if I get one weekend day in 3 months to photograph  

When I lived on the south coast I got many more days in. Winter is by far the best since you don't have issues with the sun rising/setting behind cliffs and since the sun is very low most of the day, you get many more hours of potential photography time.

As long as the light is not totally flat you should be able to find something to photograph: