UKC

Hello. Anyone know what conditions tend to be like for climbing in Harris and Lewis, during August? And the Midge?

In the words of Hamish McInnes, the Scottish Highlands are best avoided during July and August....

You will be fine; they will all be blown away!

Luckily Na h-Eileanan Siar are nowhere near the Scottish Highlands ! Inland mountain crags could be hellish but the midge doesn't bother you much on the sea cliffs. Conditions wise; you could get anything. Been totally wiped out, when camping, by gales or baked in the sun.

It's Scotland at that time of year, there's gonna be midges. There's no secret formula, no magic time, they're just there and you have to deal with the little f*cks

Yeah, that's just not true. If it's been your experience then you've been very lucky!

Cheers all. More or less like the Highlands then... thought so.

No, I think you've been unlucky. I've climbed a lot on the Lewis sea cliffs and I've hardly ever (if ever) needed repellant. The coastal strip simply isn't good midge habitat and will very often be breezy anyway. 

Having said that, I'm all for the perpetuation of the myth that it's not worth visisting Scotland during the summer because of the midges. I just wish all the tourists doing the NC500 and overrunning Skye believed it as much as many climbers seem to!

Now that I agree with!

What Robert says. Climbed plenty times on the sea cliffs and never had a proper midging. Maybe the odd time when back at the tents. Now Sron Ulladail ; that's an entirely different thing !

Which is pretty difficult for those of us who live here!

I think the others are right; on seaside crags, in the day time you'll probably be OK. It's the campsite times and trying to get going/ unwind in the mornings and evenings that you'll get tortured.

Wouldnt do it myself, unless I had a house to stay in and you could spend the (long!) evenings safely locked inside watching telly.

I've always camped on the machar at the sites at Cnip or Uig and don't remember any real issue - certainly nothing that a bit of repellant wouldn't easily deal with.

I'm pretty sure your midge tolerance level is higher than most people's!

why arent you out climbing in this sunshine anyway?

No, I don't think it is, but I am prepared to put on repellant at the first sign of a midge. It always amazes me when people complain about midges while refusing to put on repellant!

About to head off