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midges

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planning a trip to the Glencoe area in a couple of weeks

will be camping

have the swarms of airborne misery and horror arrived in force yet...?

cheers
gregor
 aln 12 Jun 2010
In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs: No. Don't take any repellant or midge nets. Don't even go.
In reply to aln:

oh christ. that bad...?
 Dave Wearing 12 Jun 2010
In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

Certainly arrived in Skye last week. Pray for a light breeze and don't forget your hair net!
 veteye 12 Jun 2010
In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:
Even had them later on in Wales-at Cloggy last weekend.
 aln 12 Jun 2010
In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:
> (In reply to aln)
>
> oh christ. that bad...?
It's fine. No precautions, go anyway.

In reply to dave wearing:

was in skye last may, no midges until the friday night, staying in portree we walked down to the chippy by the harbour, and planned to eat our fish suppers by the seafront. ended up feeling in horror back to the cottage, and slamming the doors behind us.

thursday: no midges

friday: outside = certain death

i'm worried now...
In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

that's "fleeing in horror"...
 Only a hill 13 Jun 2010
In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:
They're quite bad at the moment, even at the bar--people have been applying the DEET as they order their pints.

Take full midge gear, or suffer a fate worse than death!
 AlH 13 Jun 2010
In reply to Only a hill: Agreed, had a few bad moments in Skye a week ago.... worse in Glen Nevis early this week and the followed us up Centurion on Ben Nevis on thursday... A sudden arrival this year but they are defintiely here!
 Fiona Reid 13 Jun 2010
In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

Hmmm, slight thread hijack here, but are they just as bad in Fort William? we're meant to be camping there next weekend and these reports are not making pleasant reading.

FWIW none yesterday in the Lochnagar area until the wind dropped...then a few but nowhere near the amounts being suggested for the west. We managed to de-gear and load bikes up with only one or two nibbles.
almost sane 13 Jun 2010
In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:
Midge nastiness by Loch Eck on Friday evening. None during the day on Friday or Saturday due to winds. Saturday was glorious, in fact.
 newhey 13 Jun 2010
In reply to no_more_scotch_eg

Last week in Mallaig and Glen Nevis they only seemed to be a problem during the evenings and nights. They were about in small numbers during the day but not biting badly yet.
In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs: am there next week, what's the least midgy campsite? or is this a contradiction in terms?
 Solaris 13 Jun 2010
In reply to JJ Krammerhead III:
> what's the least midgy campsite?

A windy one.

 MRJ 13 Jun 2010
In reply to Only a hill:
> (In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs)
> They're quite bad at the moment, even at the bar--people have been applying the DEET as they order their pints.
>
> Take full midge gear, or suffer a fate worse than death!

Yeah, I'm going to be taking my headnet to work tonight and fully expect to be wearing it behind the bar. The little buggers are everywhere, we have zappers running in the bars and the front hall and they're all going skitzo. We're re-taping all the windows etc. today. Freaking horrible.

Just freaking horrible. WAY worse then previous years (though I think I say that every year).
 Jamie B 13 Jun 2010
In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

Personally I dont think low-level camping is justifiable in a Highlands summer; any money saved is more than offset by the need to hide in a pub all evening!
 Only a hill 13 Jun 2010
In reply to MRJ:
Every morning we sweep away the drift of dead midges under the electric light in the bottle store ... yesterday it was a centimetre deep!
In reply to Only a hill:

oh dear oh dear oh dear

i think i might be directing the people suggesting the trip to this thread and seeing if i can change their mind...!

i havent been camping in scotland in summer for over 10 years for this reason, not sure why i've allowed myself to be talked into this madness...!

cheers
gregor
 MRJ 14 Jun 2010
In reply to Only a hill:
> (In reply to MRJ)
> Every morning we sweep away the drift of dead midges under the electric light in the bottle store ... yesterday it was a centimetre deep!

yeeech. We haven't had it yet (I think it's cuz we now have several zappers in the bar) but in previous years the piles of dead midges under the pool table lights have interfered with peoples games they build up so fast. *shudder*
 drunken monkey 14 Jun 2010
In reply to MRJ: Camping in West Scotland in summer is a miserable existance. Spend a little extra on a bunkhouse, it'll make life a whole lot more pleasant.
 rallymania 14 Jun 2010
In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

was at go ape in aberfoyle yesterday and they were annoying but not epic... yet!

In reply to all:

not looking good from all the reports here

is going east any better? somewhere east of A9?

<shuffles off to boots to buy jumbo pack of elephant-strength anti-histamines>
 MRJ 14 Jun 2010
In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:
Cabins avalible at the mac in kinlochleven for not much more then camping... *runs away from the mods*
Slugain Howff 14 Jun 2010
In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

Just back from a very sunny week sailing around Pabbay, Mingulay, Barra, S Uist, Rum, Canna, Mull, Staffa, Colonsay and Jura and didn't see a single midge.

S
 Mike Lates 14 Jun 2010
grand easterly breeze here on the east coast of skye today, monday.
In reply to Slugain Howff:
> (In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs)
>
> Just back from a very sunny week sailing around Pabbay, Mingulay, Barra, S Uist, Rum, Canna, Mull, Staffa, Colonsay and Jura and didn't see a single midge.


sounds pretty much like the perfect week...

anyone got info on midge conditions in the eastern highlands...?
 Batcloud 14 Jun 2010
In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

For the latest Midge forecast:-

http://2010.midgeforecast.co.uk/
In reply to indalo:

interesting, didnt know about that site

not sure about their rating though, the top level of 5 is only "nuisance"

what about-
"6: severe nuisance",
"7: extreme nuisance",
"8: threat to sanity",
"9: hell on earth", and
"10: <sobbing noises coming from bottom of tightly closed sleeping bag>"

still, the forecast looks better in the east, may have to change plans...

cheers
gregor
 dolly 14 Jun 2010
In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

loving your midge cast..much more realistic!!
me and a few mates are off to sutherland for some camping, on a summit one night, and on the beaches for the others to try and keep them at bay...may resort to a dinghy moored out at sea hehe...
 Mike-W-99 14 Jun 2010
In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

We were climbing in Lochnagar on Saturday and they were starting to take an interest at the Loch Muick car park in the evening.
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