Beat the Heat This Long Hot Summer

Long hot summers are not usually associated with UK travel but the weatherman has predicted an unusually hot, dry summer this year. If the first few days of this month are anything to go by, we're in for a really sweltering couple of months.

If you are looking at the reported temperatures, in the high 80s and low 90s, and thinking, "That's nothing much. It gets much hotter at home," it's time to think again.

Air conditioning and ceiling fans, both common in hotter climates, are still relatively unusual in the UK. Hot weather, without the occasional escape into chilled air, feels really hot and can rob you of the energy you need to go sightseeing and enjoy your vacation.

And no one has window screens in the UK. So when you throw open the windows for relief, everything that flies - and bites or stings - joins you indoors.

During their long years of Empire, in tropical climates, the British learned quite a few tricks for coping with the heat. Take a leaf out of their book and along with your layers for cool weather, pack a few "tropical" items to cope with the unpredictability of the British Summer.

Find Out How to Keep Cool in a UK Heatwave

_{July 1 in London, Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images | UK Travel Blog | share on facebook | Twit This}