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We've never explored that part of the world, have a child free week the start of August, so we've a ready tent at Milarrochy Bay.
MrsMC has only stayed married to me as small bitey insects leave her alone if I'm nearby. How badly bitten will I get?
Oh, and any ideas for things to do or see up there, probably be bike free though.
Eaten alive I'd say, if family trips to Arrochar when I was a child are any guide.
You may be doomed.
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More than you will ever know.
My limited experience of Scotland in general is that it’s a total lottery. You can be ok for ages or at least not that bad. You can go a whole trip wondering what the fuss is about. Then suddenly you see inside the box and the horrors are revealed. I’ve seen bad midges for about 5 minutes. But that’s enough for me to be scared now……
Somehow we had a very good week last year, but it was during the exceptional heatwave. And a bit further east than you're asking.
Other than that, yes. Stuff of nightmares.
Yes...and once they have devoured your flesh, they'll be back for the bones as well!
I always thought I was a unionist, but frankly, I'm voting for you lot to be independent and to take the midges with you!
Will you have a car? It's about a half hour or so drive to Helensburgh, where you can find Charles Rennie Mackintosh's The Hill House ... currently inside a large transparent-ish box – you can climb the stairs outside the house to walkways and look down on the roof. Quite cool.
I once had a take away sandwich from The Ginger Breadman in Helensburgh – one of the best sandwiches I've had, although that was nearly five years ago. They have a wee cafe now – I imagine it's really good. Also had a nice lunch at Duck Bay on the way home.
Yes.
Things to do; throw rocks at them (Parahandy reference).
Inverary Youth Hostel - chores when I was young included sweeping up all the dead midges in the morning.
If they are bad they will be bad, but they aren't always bad.
Take smidge, and a decent net and hat to keep it a bit away from your face if they are bad.
Scotland’s national bird, innit.
Yes…and once they have devoured your flesh, they’ll be back for the bones as well!
🤣
According to a news item I just saw, it’s not the midges, it’s the ‘disgusting habits of the visitors’. Mind how you go.
Bring something with a decent amount of Deet in it. Jungle formula etc, and you might survive.
I was reading something recently, and apparently the Scottish midge problem is all down to the people of Applecross.
Back in the day, just after Ragnarok, the surviving giants got on quite well with the local humans, except one giant who was a bit of a heid-the-baw. He lived up on a mountain, in a cave and kept coming down into the valleys to find humans, bite their heids off and suck the juicy bits out. He was eventually banished by the local Giant/Human council and in disgust he headed south. He worked his way down through the islands and ended up in the outskirts of Applecross. The locals had heard he was coming though and knew of his heid biting, so they set up a trap. The local neds all waited at the top of the glen and as soon as they saw the giant's head appearing they all started chucking empty bucky bottles at him and hurling abuse. The enraged giant sped after the neds, didn't spot the trip wire at the bottom of the glen and went flying into a huge pit that had been dug and filled with spikes. While he was in there, skewered on the spikes, the locals all jumped in and have at him with axes, saws and pointy knives. Chopping him up into tiny wee bits. Satisfied with a good days work, they all went to bed, but in the deep of night they all heard a tiny whisper. ...."Am gonna look for ye, I'm gonna find ye, and am gonna bite ye". In the morning, sure enough, they looked in the pit and all the chopped up bits of the giant were still moving...he was still alive! BBQ time! The locals got a raring fire going, filled the pit with trees and cremated the giant's remains. However, as they stood looking at the ashes, a wind blew up and raised all the tiny flecks of ash into the air....and everyone heard the tiniest whisper "Am gonna look for ye, I'm gonna find ye, and am gonna bite ye" as the giant's ashes spread into the wind and blown all across Scotland. The folk of Applecross's fault. Truth.
*Stolen from the Anthology of Scottish Folk Tales
MCTD: yes. I would recommend booking your blood transfusion appointments well in advance and if staying for more than a couple of days, double up on them.
Out on the water and moving offshore, they quickly can't reach you but you will have to come ashore eventually. Same goes for being underwater.
Wear a midge net and duct tape your ankles and sleeves.
Worst midge attacks i've ever experienced were at Balmaha and Millarochy bay. Used to go canoeing there most weeks through the summer and there were times we jumped off the pier just for some relief. As above though it could be fine, but as an area it's just very prone to nice still, damp mornings and evenings. You could be lucky if we get a very dry spring, hot summer or very windy summer and there midges don't thrive.
It helps if you can get to the high ground (it’s windier).
Maybe a stroll over to the village of Cardross, via the three lochs way, or escape up behind the village of Luss:
Last time we camped there it was windy.
It was so windy that the tent poles broke in the early hours, we packed up in the dark and went for a drive over Rannoch Moor at dawn.
Midges were no problem.
It is a little know historical fact that it was the midges that kept the romans out, Hadrians wall was actually one of the earliest (and most successful) artificial wildlife barriers, hence there are no midges in England.
Hadrians wall was actually one of the earliest (and most successful) artificial wildlife barriers, hence there are no midges in England.
Ah so if you levitate about 15ft off the ground whilst in Scotland the little buggers can’t fly that high ?
If they are bad they will be bad, but they aren’t always bad.
Take smidge, and a decent net and hat to keep it a bit away from your face if they are bad.
And learn to never ever leave the front inner door of a tent open for longer than needed.
#DofE #AlwaysOne #Will_I_die? #Hope_I_die
Nah, once the midges went to 15 feet they were exposed to the stream of hot air that has pretty much always been blown north over the border by political elites. As a family, we used to replicate it on our camping holidays, 2 primuses with boiling pans of water on the across the open front door of the tent, that way you could at least mostly see the view without getting eaten.
Last time we camped there it was windy.
It was so windy that the tent poles broke in the early hours, we packed up in the dark and went for a drive over Rannoch Moor at dawn.
Midges were no problem.
How was the rain?
Things to do:
- take the wee boat out to Inchcailloch Island.
- there's some bigger boat trips on Lomond, and it's a big old chunk of water.
- wander up the shore path, either direction, as it's lovely.
- Ben Lomond is a cracking day out and great views from summit, if busy so start early.
- meander round to Aberfoyle (incl. David Marshall Lodge with waterfall walk or the zip lines) Loch Ard and Loch Katrine. You can take the boat on Katrine for a cuppa or hire bikes for a pretty much car free meander along the North road. Stronlachar is a great spot for a walks and a brew, no matter how you arrive.
- Artizan shopping centre in Dumbarton is perfect. 😉
If you do get a fine and breezy evening, walking south on the WHW/lochside trail will soon get you to the Oak Tree Inn at Balmaha, 2.5-3km along and a very pleasant hostelry in which to be fed and watered for the evening. Best book a table though, as it's a busy restaurant with a bar in one corner and a fire in another, rather than a classic pub. Food is good but it does get busy with walkers overnighting on their march north.
You'll seemingly be eaten alive if you don't pronounce it properly.
In my teens spent many an evening kayaking and camping on Loch Lomond as it was less than an hour from home. Unless my brain has become addled with age, I don’t remember any times being ravaged by midges. Whereas I can remember times at Rannoch Moor and Glen Etive being eaten alive - we had use of a place in Glen Orchy so spent lots of time up there.
I will just leave this here....
*giggles*
https://twitter.com/carey_davies/status/1664574837707210754?s=20
We had our first midge of the season leaving Glen Nevis this morning
Indeed, they nibbled me in the garden last night.
Youngest is reporting they are at Loch Ard today and biting when the wind drops....
They appeared last week on the west coast. Headnet and mossie coils work for me - until I have to go to the toilet when I'm wild camping, at least, at which point it can get a bit sweary.
May I suggest, only because I am puerile, that this thread becomes just like the sick of the incessant snow update thread... 😉
May I suggest, only because I am puerile, that this thread becomes just like the sick of the incessant snow update thread…
🤬
I was thinking of a few days in Aberfoyle next week, but might give it a miss...
Aberfoyle
Mrs_oab and nursery class were given a good biting yesterday. She looks like Darth Maul.
I believe DEET dissolves Lycra type fabrics. There’s more modern stuff now. Smidge seems good. They have a head net too.
It can be awful.
In Glen Nevis atm, no midge activity so far. Famous last words.
Yeah, it was fine the past couple of days at Glen Nevis as there was a breeze. That died down overnight and it was still clouded over this morning so the wee buggers were active.
I’ve only had a nibble or too so far this year - even when going out at 5am in my dressing gown to let the hens out but judging by the numbers of boxes of Midge Magic and headsets we’ve shifted in the shop these last few weeks, someone somewhere must be getting eaten alive 🤣
Just come back from a week in aberfoyle and can confirm, the bitey little ****s are out in force. All the way up Ben Lomond too - swarms of flying things of all shapes and sizes on the summit!
I saw that earlier... Midgageddon awaits the unprepared
Dr. Alison Blackwell / APS developed and sell Smidge. This is just redirection by BIG PHARMA.
DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH SHEEPLE!
I'm so looking forward to my trip to Loch Lomond....
World Champs in August at Fort William could be fun!
<p style="text-align: left;">Just go somewhere else, seriously when its good its just ok when its bad you will pack up and leave.</p>
I’m so looking forward to my trip to Loch Lomond….
Pray you hit the dip between the breeding cycles, and a windy week...
World Champs in August at Fort William could be fun!
Aye, we have had midgey one's but I don't think there has ever been a *properly* midgey one yet. Savage.
Mrs_oab has some spare fabric from creating midge nets for eldest_oab's van - I have asked if there is enough to create a top to toe bug suit...
World Champs in August at Fort William could be fun!
3-13 Aug.
"The ones emerging now will lay eggs and then in six weeks' time we will have a second emergence," Dr Blackwell said.
*checks calendar*
Just back from Applecross and they have been a force to be reckoned with. Just smidge yourself and accept you will have a gazzilion things flying around your head.