UKC

Does Fair Head - and Ireland in general, I suppose - suffer from midges like Scotland, the Lakes and the Peak? I'm thinking June or August. Thanks.

Yes, but it's usually fairly windy up there as it's by the coast.

Thanks. So would inland areas be as bad as Scotland, then?

Fair head is not a sea cliff, there is a fair bit of heather and bracken around, so it does get midgy. June will be better than August, but have experienced some pretty bad midges even in early June in still and humid conditions.

Like Scotland, depends on the place. Bogs = midges, and woodland or places with still air let them gather. But rocky tors (tops of the Mournes) can be fine all year round, and halfway up a line at Fair Head you'll be alright even while your belayer is cursing. Dave Flanagan's 'Bouldering Guide to Ireland' regularly mentions whether location is bad or worse for midges.

As bad as Scotland? That's a trap. Every local is gonna want to boast about the superior size of their monsters, comparisons like that just lead to trouble.

Hi Jon, 

I've only got two climbing trips to Ireland to go on, late June/early July 2016 and late August/early September 2016, but comparing those trips with my memories of the Midge horror I've suffered in Scotland over the years, I'd say that Ireland is nowhere near as bad as the west coast of Scotland on the horror scale.

We climbed at Fair Head on both occasions and, such was the force of the wind, Midges were the least of our problems... Best trad crag I've climbed on in the UK, by the way.

Likewise the Burren — another excellent, wind blasted crag.

June might be a better bet than August for Fair Head, for the simple reason that the annual Fair Head 'festivel' is held in early June and, even if you don't chose to be there during that busy weekend you'll benefit from cleaned/chalked routes.

Pete.

Hi Pete. Yes, we're coming round to June too. Good point about the meet and chalked/cleaned routes. The misery of UK midges is still very clear in my memory, so I'm pleased to hear your thoughts.

We climbed at the Burren last year and hit some really crap weather - I think any midges there that week probably drowned or just got blown away. Fingers crossed for this June.

Thanks. Seems there are always posts on here about Scottish and Peak midges but I don't think I've seen one about N Ireland... it was a sort of an unrealistic hope, I guess!