UKC

Hi, my wife is not a climber but is a more than able walker. She has never been to Scotland and I was thinking of a few weeks in the NW. My quandry is we can only go in August and i have in the past had a horible time with midges. So can anyone persuade me it might be a good idea?
Cheers
Rich

In reply to Solsbury: find some Avon - skin so soft, apply liberally, keep a head net handy and you will be fine.

things might be trickier if you intend to camp but i would never let the time of year put me off.

ps i react badly to midge bites so i hate them

In reply to Solsbury:

The midges might be awful, they might not. It depends on the weather; if there's a breeze then it will keep them away for much of the time. I certainly wouldn't that prevent me from going to such a wonderful corner of the world.

I'd be more worried about the ticks.

In reply to Solsbury:

It's not a bad idea. The NW Highlands are near the sea and any coastal breeze will scatter the wee darlings. If you've got a car you can be flexible, getting away to a village pub etc.

If you're camping pick the likeliest windy spot or get a camp site with a pub or restaurant nearby.

I wouldn't wild camp in August unless I was up high, and even then I'd be checking the forecast for wind.

Midges can and do ruin folks enjoyment up north in the summer but if you're prepared to move to the coast or built up areas when the weather's clagged in then it's bearable.

In reply to Solsbury:

I think it largely depends on your accommodation. Camping would be a very different experience from staying in a B&B or hotel.

Good repellents, nets if you want them, and quick turnrounds from car to starting movement & vice-versa can also help.

Some people will recommend going to the east rather than the west side, but the worst midging I ever suffered was camping in the Cairngorms.

In reply to Solsbury: Dont go camping!!

In reply to Solsbury: If you are camping, I took the kids to Arran because of that very reason on their first trip to Scotland. little campsite on the south coast(kildonan). sea breeze kept the midges away and the was a hotel next to it if thats what your looking for.

I recommend Skye. The sea breeze makes it one of the most midge free places there is. Sligachan or Glenbrittle campsites are just a delight all summer.

In reply to Milesy:

My experiences have been considerably different to yours.

In reply to JLS:


whooooooosh!!!

been to clachtoll last couple of years in summer hols, never ahd a bite yet,
its an amazing spot. great walking,

In reply to Solsbury: if you`re looking for somewhere to stay im off here http://www.discoverglencoe.com/content/template/rowanbrae on saturday. looks good . will let you know if it`s ok in a couple of weeks.

In reply to Solsbury:

They will eat you alive. When MRT come to look for you, all they will find are your midge gnawed bones.

You're doooooooomed!

In reply to Solsbury: Look up the mountain bothy association. I wouldn't wildcamp in Scotland but the bothies provide an indoor retreat from midges in fairly remote places. It makes for a purposeful walk getting there and you don't have to carry a tent. I found bothies useful with children. You do have to take a headnet for going outside to get water etc.

In reply to Solsbury:

Midges aside (not a show stopper for walking: much worse if you are climbing or camping or anything else that involves staying still), the weather in August is rarely the best for walking: often wet or cloudy, or else humid and hazy, and the scenery is at its least interesting, the land being predominantly green and lacking the variety of colours of the other seasons. But, if there's no prospect of visiting in spring or autumn (or even winter), then just go anyway, it's such a beautiful area.

In reply to Milesy:

seriously! Glenbrittle is midge capital. They can turn day to night there in high season!

In reply to Solsbury: If you go right on the coast it can be OK.

Are you camping or holiday cottage rental?

If camping I'd be flexible and be prepared to go east..

Cheers for all the replies, not that reassured, would camp, wild camp round Sheneval and head up round Suliven etc. Could go in April but only for six days, which aint long when you loose two days traveling and can the weather can still be quite fierce, I'm ok with that but can be limiting for others. I have had some fantastic times in May but does not fit with work, cheers
Rich

In reply to Solsbury:
either you will get lucky and it will be windy (midgies can't fly in winds > 5mph) or you should aim to camp near a pub and bring a midgie head net (and maybe gloves) for pitching/taking down tents, and don't entertain the idea of cooking on the campsite or spending your evenings there!

I don't let midgies stop me doing things in scotland and I often find them less of a problem than expected, but it's better to expect the worst if you know what I mean! remember they are much worse in the evening than the morning and then normally only after about 6 pm ish. On overcast calm days they can be bad all day though.

In reply to Solsbury:

Suileag bothy is good for Suilven.

Sheneval will have signs up from the estate at the path head in Coire Hallie due to the stalking. Ignore these - the bothy will be open. If there's stalkers in residence then you can move on and take your chances with the ticks and migies. They usually stay in the hut over the river by Beinn dearg.

In reply to IainRUK:
" If you go right on the coast it can be OK."

haha well maybes. I remember camping on a campsite near ullapool that stuck out in to the sea and they were still bad!

In reply to Solsbury:

if u react badly to bites take a good brand of antihistamine for 4-5 days before your trip. stick to the coast and get headnets, beekeepers suits and flame throwers and you will be fine.

the earlier you go the less midge hassle. Have a good one whatever.

In reply to jazzyjackson:

I think his comment was a little tongue in cheek............

In reply to Slugain Howff:

; )

all this midgy talk is making me itchy

In reply to jazzyjackson:

I've been on Skye the last few weekends scratching away. And there are none of the buggers there at all!! In any case, the 60 mph winds on Sunday would have made sure of no probs even if they were present.

To the OP: If you are aiming to camp up there in Aug I think you could easily spoil the experience for your wife. It's a great place, so choose the few less days in April. Or go sometime other than June, July, Aug, and she'll be begging you to take her back there every future holiday.

In reply to Mark Bull:

Ha ha! Yes. It is a well known phenomenon that it rains continuously in Scotland during the school holidays. Much better the rest of the year. Disagree about the colours in August though, late august is when the main cover of heather blooms and the colours are magnificent.

To the poster who advised the OP to ignore stalking signs- it is attitudes like that which can make the relationship between stalkers and hillwalkers very awkward. A hill walker may be within their rights to walk on the main paths, burnsides and ridges during the stalking season, but ignoring signs completely can interfere with legitimate land managment activity. I try to contact estates before hand to discuss routes, or use the Hillphones system where available.

Midgeswise: As already said, August will probably be hell if you are camping for any length of time. Coastal areas can be breezier so sometimes better, but only if there is wind. If not camping you'll be fine.

In reply to Snoweider:

That'd be me.

I was referring to the signs stating that Shenival bothy is closed during the stag season (July - October). It's not.

In reply to Craig Mc:
Ah. Woops. Now clarified! Thanks.

In reply to Solsbury: All this has conformed what I thought-we wont be going this August.

Any ideas about long footpaths, did Offas Dyke last year which was brilliant and a fifteen day trek up onto the plateau sw of Leh the year before. Thinking about the SW costal footpath starting devon/cornwall border but I have unfortunate tick that I prefer to do things I in one go-that path is 600 odd miles which is too much for a fortnight. know Pembrokeshire to well to fancy that, thinking about trying to link up the Glendower way or something similar, or heading to the Ecrins-would prefer the UK.

Rich

In reply to Solsbury:

How about the Cambrian Way: http://www.cambrianway.org.uk/route.htm

An unofficial route (that's probably a good thing) through a lot of stunning country. There might be midgies but the Welsh ones are pussies compared to Caledonian monsters.

In reply to pasbury: I was about to suggest Snowdonia to the Gower, but yours is much the same as that bar the extra wiggles in the Brecon Beacons. It'd be a great fortnight anyway.

In reply to Solsbury: ...or the Pennine Way maybe?

In reply to Solsbury:

How about a bit of this: http://bubl.ac.uk/org/tacit/watershed/

If you camped high it should be ok for midges.

In reply to Milesy:


Yeah, right!

In reply to Solsbury: don't give up so easily on Scotland. I've been all over loads of times in summer (including August). I have had bad midge 'incidents' like lots on here but also had many days without a single bite. A few years ago one August we toured from Inverness across to Ullapool and headed north to Durness with barely a bite. You have to be prepared to move around a bit and take a few basic precautions if necessary. If things get bad in the north west it isn't that far to somewhere further east/higher up like Braemar which is drier and usually far less midgey.