Scotland's midge season

Derbyshirehills

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We are hoping to tour the west coast of Scotland in 2019 from Galloway and northwards to the Outer Hebrides. When is the best time to do this avoiding the height of the midge season? Thanks. Derbyshirehills
 
May and June would be my recommendation for the best chance of half decent weather and less midges. There is a good midge forecast here but its not currently active. Midge Forecast - Smidge

The Islands never seem to be too badly effected probably mainly down to the winds. Fort William area and that central part of the west coast often seems to be the worse effected when I check the forecasts.
 
Go now! Or risk being eaten alive.
Don’t let the wee beasties put you off a wee splash o bug spray and yer fine.
 
Derbyshirehills said:
We are hoping to tour the west coast of Scotland in 2019 from Galloway and northwards to the Outer Hebrides. When is the best time to do this avoiding the height of the midge season? Thanks. Derbyshirehills
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For me April or September .
Weather never predictable but Spring and Autumn CAN be really nice
 
Some rather optimistic advice above.. so from a Scot....

Midgies start hatching mid May depending on how warm and wet it is.

The far south west is pretty clear in our experience.

Opened the van door one morning parked next to Luskintyre Beach (Harris) and it was like looking at a wall of midgies. That day we saw a man working on a roof and he was in a full midgie suit so that speaks volumes.

When is the end of season? Round about September give or take.

B2
 
caledonia said:
Go now! Or risk being eaten alive.
Don’t let the wee beasties put you off a wee splash o bug spray and yer fine.
Click to expand...

That’s what I’m doing now ! Parked near Penrith tonight then into Scotland tomoss. I go up the west coast at least 6 times a year and use smidge spray which works for me.
 
Having lived and farmed in Scotland for many years we always found the best month for avoiding the little buggers was October , that was when we used to go to the far north and often had supper weather.
 
As mentioned SMIDGE is a great product. I live in a forest, water close by, it gets humid and warm in summer, we have midges but use smidge and find it’s effective. Long past worrying about the wee buggers. Been all over Scotland in all seasons and not once do we even consider destinations depending on a midge count.

Accept that they will be there, end of.

Park up some where you get a light breeze, stay away from standing water and pray for glorious hot sunny weather, that keeps em away.

Just don’t be put off, or restricting areas you go because of a midge or 3 lol
 
Lorfal said:
As mentioned SMIDGE is a great product. I live in a forest, water close by, it gets humid and warm in summer, we have midges but use smidge and find it’s effective. Long past worrying about the wee buggers. Been all over Scotland in all seasons and not once do we even consider destinations depending on a midge count.

Accept that they will be there, end of.

Park up some where you get a light breeze, stay away from standing water and pray for glorious hot sunny weather, that keeps em away.

Just don’t be put off, or restricting areas you go because of a midge or 3 lol
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Have to say.... Smidge etc works for some people not all....
IF it does then happy days (and don't think because it works on southern midges for you it'll work on The vicious Northern ones)

Having been almost eaten alive up on the West Coast at times... I'd definitely avoid main midge season IF you're susceptible to being bitten....
Having to spend a holiday inside a midge net IF you're tasty isn't what I would call fun....
Hence I avoid main midge season (and the crowds too)
 
Great thing about being in a motorhome when midges descend is that you can move. Usually going somewhere higher works.
 
6' to 600'

An old kilted bloke I once met on Ardnamurchan Point advised me that the little B's are worst between 6' above sea level to 600', so down on the beach it might not be too bad and above 600' they get dizzy!

I have to be extra specially careful as being an asthmatic as well as suffering from eczema the darned little critters have a field day with my body, the most annoying thing is that the really small ones that you can hardly see with your eyes think that fly screens are the best things ever invented as they land on them, have a rest and then walk on through to devour the unsuspecting people inside!

I find the plug in fly (tablet) repellants to be amongst the best things to use and have used smouldering tigers tails to quite good effect when sitting outside on a generally still day, as for something to put on the skin Avon Skin So Soft is said to be used by even the SAS and it most certainly works well on me.
 
We had 2 weeks in September last year without a single bite until our return trip when we were eaten alive in Keilder Forest (England), had planned 3 days but left after 1st night
 
We live in Fort William and I camp most weeks.
October to May/ June is the best time, good to avoid July and August unless its been very dry.
Awareness and Preparation is the key.

Motorhome/ campervan needs to have midge net on the windows and roof vents, not fly net !!, thats not small enough and they will find there way in.
I made nets for the windows which were cheap and very effective.

Windy days are good, as are sunny days to be outside, generally we wanted to be inside before dusk, which is when it gets really bad.
The coast is often best for campsites as often there is wind !

Smidge is a very good repellent, I worked outside for a summer, it was great but do pack a midge head net incase you need to be outside when its bad, like a break down. We always have 2 in the van !

I hope this helps.

Phill
 
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