UKC

Hi Folks,

Anyone advise what the midges are like on Skye in the middle of September?

And age old question, what do people recommend as the best repellant, preferably non deet based as it wrecks anything it touches!

Thanks,

In reply to sealong2:

Avon - Skin So Soft is the stuff.

In reply to sealong2:
DEET is the only answer to keep them away. Skin So Soft might stop them biting but they still crawl all over you, which is almost as bad.

In reply to Hay: Absolutely true. they dont bite but crawl all over till they find a patch you missed , then bite.
use deet based stuff when down low ie at camp site and get up high as soon as you can, unfortunately if its flat calm theyll be up at summit height , they are particularly viscious buggers on skye

In reply to sealong2: At least by the middle of September the worst of them will be long dead in my experience. Wouldn't dream of going up to Skye til that time of year.

In reply to sealong2:
It depends on whether the ground frosts have started - if they have, the midges will be dying out fast; if they haven't they could still be bad.

Hay is spot on re repellents. I think that, barring exceptional circumstances like being stuck in the middle of a bog working all day, it's best just to put up with them - try to stay in the breeze as much as possible, maybe use a midge net if stuck amongst clouds of them.

In reply to sealong2:

Repellent doesn't really work. A midge net is the best thing if you are not moving.