Scotland in July
Is it possible to holiday in Scotland in July without being eaten alive by midges?Thanks.
Comments
-
If the weather is nice-No. Midges like warm,still weather, best conditions fort hem July/August. Take plenty of repellant and dont stop in damp places. When I fish I have a midge net, brought in any outdoor shop for£5/6. Well worth having.
0 -
The dreaded midge only haunts the west of Scotland and is worse in the decent weather! Yes you can take plenty of insect repellant or you can holiday on the eastern side if Scotland during their season and do the west earlier or later.
They certainly are wee Beastie's. Full clothing cover and as Fisherman says a mesh hood. We swopped from west to east in early June one year.
0 -
I live in Scotland and walk every week often in the Trossachs and yesterday at Loch Lomond. Midges can be a problem in some areas but we find that a body lotion called Skin So Soft made by Avon is very effective as a midge repellent. Being a body lotion
you can apply it generously and its smells much nicer than usual repellants with the added bonus of soft skin.It has become so popular that outdoor shops like Tiso and Go Outdoors stock it.
0 -
We have just returned home from 4 weeks in the north west of Scotland. The midges were one of the main reasons we picked May / early June. However, towards the end of our stay, because of all the very good warm weather NW Scotland was having, they where
starting to appear. One thing they don't like is high light levels, so this time of year when it is still light at 11pm and the sun is up until 10 pm, means you are much safer in the evenings than later in the year.0 -
THis is a useful site:
https://www.smidgeup.com/midge-forecast/THis year is forecast to be the worst for 5 years.
The thing about midges is, it's often quite localised. They'll make life unbearable in one location. Go somewhere else a hundred metres away and it'll be OK.
Smidge, Skin-so-soft, head nets, long trousers, long sleeves are all good if you are in a midge area. But if you pull up somewhere (at a site say) and there are midges, my advice would be to find somewhere else. They'll not go away
0 -
In answer to the OP's question - No.
Scotland and the wee beasties are a team.
Unless the wind is blowing a gale with horizontal rain when the midge doesnt fly.
Its quite straightforward, if you dont like midges dont go to rural campsites in the fantastic scenic areas of north Scotland.
Urban camp sites with no trees or bushes, are less likely to be affected by the midge. But there are few of them up here
Your choice . The Wee Beasties or stay south of the border.
K
0 -
Alternatively, head for Scotland's east coast.
0 -
Fortunately they don't bother with me. Not OH either. We stayed at Bunree one July about 8 years ago, I was stood bare chested in a pair of shorts watching some porpoise with the binoculars. Two chaps next to me fully dressed with cuffs fastened tight, caps
on and heads liberally sprayed with repellant. They had socks up ove the bottom of their trousers and were still getting eaten alive on their habds and face/kneck etc. One dashed back to his van and his good lady chucked him straight back out until he had
shaken his clothes. Not a single bite for me
. No idea why but they don't seem to like my blood. When I returned to the van I brushed off any midges that might have settled lest they became desperate in the night
0 -
Only the females bite. About one in five of the victims has no or hardly any reaction to the bite, so unless you have been bitten you won't really know this. Unfortunately about one in five also has a very adverse reaction. Don't make your first exposure
in a situation where you cannot get shelter and relief.0 -
Some people think that Scotland only has a West coast and that's where most of the midgies are. We on the East have a relatively midgie free time and a lot less rain. We also have beautiful beaches, golf courses, distilleries and much more.
You're welcome to come here, but you will have to bring your own midgies.
0 -
Some people think that Scotland only has a West coast and that's where most of the midgies are. We on the East have a relatively midgie free time and a lot less rain. We also have beautiful beaches, golf courses, distilleries and much more.
You're welcome to come here, but you will have to bring your own midgies.
Write your comments here... Brora is most definitely on the East coast no-body needs to bring any midges there. We were there 2 years ago , the wee beasties were just as hungry as those in Altnaharra.
We didnt see any in Stonehaven though so that might be a good destination for our visitors from south of the border..
Midges dont bother me I was brought up Scotland.
k
0 -
Midges do seem to prefer some peopke to others. I have had very little trouble and my wife seems to be a minor target. Despite this others seem to have major problems so the best advice is that if you want to risk it get Avon Skin Soft and pray your hardest.
0 -
At the back of my mind I seemed to remember the midges in the NW Highlands were different. It would seem they are (see below) but they do also get to other parts of Scotland, and their presence is very habitat dependent.
Biting midges in Scotland
However, in large areas of Scotland the Highland midge, C. impunctatus, may account for 90% of the attacks on man. This species has been found in all regions and islands of Scotland
but its largest numbers are in the Highlands. It is one of the smaller midges; the adult is only about 1.5 mm (V17") long and it has distinct dark spots on its wings.The common features of the breeding habitat seem to be the presence of Sphagnum spp., the rushes, J. articulatus and J, acutiflorus or the purple moor grass M. caerulea. These plants characterise soils with a high enough water content for the development
of the larvae. This habitat is not uncommon in the West Highlands.0
