tweed valley - riding and camping... when?

Are you wild camping or campsite camping? I've been in the van too the glentress campsite and the one in innerleithen about half dozen times over the last couple of years, not experienced any midges. Had great weather last time, a couple of weeks ago just before storm Amy hit. Went in June and it absolutely hammered it down. Went in April and it was absolutely ****ing freezing.

I'd say just pick your dates and go and keep your fingers crossed! If you're at glentress they have a drying room which is obviously very handy!!

You can't plan weather here. Either make a commitment and stick to it. Or stay flexible and go when the weather looks good.

Yeah you can't predict the weather, right now is absolutely perfect riding conditions and has been for about a fortnight but tomorrow a storm might knock all the trees over. Midges generally not too bad, it can be annoying but it's never fort williamish.

The campsite at GT is a little gem. It's not so posh that people fall over themselves to visit but it has a drying room and an indoor kitchen which is great if you have a small tent or want to blast something hot in the microwave. 

I'd stay in one of the many hotels if you're driving all that way. Tontine in the middle of town is decent, secure bike storage, cracking breakfasts, right on the main street for pubs/places to eat and can ride straight onto the GT trails via Janets Brae/10 min drive to Inners. Seems posh but they're geared up for bikers really well. 

Weather wise, as others have said, you can't predict it. We were there last weekend and it was mid teens/shorts and t-shirt riding weather.

Bring a head net and some Smidge but the midgies in the valley aren't generally too bad.  Weather wise, who knows but usually May is pretty good.  But just pick a time that suits you and whatever will be will be.  Might be worth knowing that the local schools start their summer holidays on the 2nd of July.

We've stayed in the pods at tweedside caravan park afew times, you can camp there too. good facilities and a short walk from the centre. Luck of the draw with the weather though but even in the wet golfies mint.

Thanks all. May ditch the camping idea (although it would have been "posh camping", tent I can stand up in, air mattress etc, not a wild camping coffin)

Weather wise I'm aware and happy that I might get wet (or sunburnt, perhaps simultaneously) but was hoping to avoid axle deep puddles, hypothermia and post winter storm damage/tree fall.

We've stayed in the van at Glentress forest pods, it's ideal.  If we didn't have the van I'd stay in a pod as they look great.

No idea about camping but just to reassure you the majority of the trails ride absolutely fine no matter how wet it is and midges really aren't a problem.

Oh worth adding that especially at innerleithen some of the trails ride a lot worse when they're dry. GT and most of golfy is absolutely fine in a heatwave but as a whole, it's best when there's at least a memory of moisture in the ground. 

(I have this whole theory that autumn is the only season Scotland's good at. We're not cold or snowy enough in winter, we're surely not hot enough in summer and spring is just an ugly mishmash of the two. But a good scottish autumn is genuinely fantastic, there's few places I'd rather be)

No, no, no, noooooo.  Spring in Scotland is amazing.  All the fresh greens, lots of spring colours, all the colours of the rainbow.  And the trails are drying out but not dusty yet. 

Campsite at Glenntress has never given me any problems with Midgies at various different times of year. IF it does you can walk down to the pub.

I like late summer. Not busy after the schools go back and the weather in autumn is often better than spring.

Campsite is cheap enough that I take a punt and just book. You can still ride around there if wet. If really desperate the man made stuff holds up well im most conditions.