SCOTLAND will have to wait at least another week for summer to arrive with the Met Office predicting the temperatures will be on a par with parts of Spain, other parts of the UK.

With another week of Easter school holidays left for families, freak snow falls caught walkers and cyclists on the hop in the Highlands, and even as far south as Dumfries and Galloway.

There was a coating of snow on Criffel, one of the highest hills in the region, and on other high ground near Dumfries.

Meanwhile, mountain bikers ploughed through the snow and slush and walkers wrapped up against a late backlash of winter conditions with snowfall in the Cairngorms.

Further snow fell in the south with areas of Dumfries and Galloway taking the brunt of the front.

Temperatures north of the Border will struggle to breach 10C, whereas London is likely to be warmer than parts of Spain with 24C today, and 16C in the south east.

It is predicated that the UK will enjoy around three months of summer weather but for Scotland the rays will not appear until after the end of the Easter break.

The rest of the country is enjoying continental temperatures, more rain is forecast for the northern parts of Scotland over the coming days.

The UK heatwave is expected to last until June, however, with hot temperatures more than twice as likely as below-average conditions.

Paul Mott, forecaster at MeteoGroup, said that after the snow, the weather will be "quite a bit different over the next few days."

"It will certainly turn much warmer," he said. "Across England and Wales it will be dry, bright and there will be lengthy periods of sunshine."

On Tuesday, Scotland will again have a "disappointing" maximum of 15C (59F), Mr Mott said.