Mosquitoes. Scotland.

[martinwhprice]

Morning all,

I'm off to Scotland in a couple of weeks - first tour, first time in Scotland.
I want to see Loch Lohmond, Oban, Fort William, these sorts of places, but I know full well that this is about the worst area for mozzis you can find in the whole of the country.

My plan is to see some of these places during the day but then cycle faaaar away to camp each night in places with a reduced mozzi population (that's the plan, anyway).

How are the Western Isles for mosquitos?
Is it best I forget cycling around this area in August and just head East?
Or North?
Or South!?

Plenty of other fantastic places across the country I would like to see, but ultimately I need to find my way back to the West Coast after 2 weeks (my bike is being driven south while I get a train to Edinburgh Fringe!)

I'm starting my dose of B1 vitamins today, and I'll be buying some Avon Skin-So-Soft. Any other remedies I might as well try?

Cheers,

Martin

 

[ColinJ]

Midges, not mosquitoes!

 

[Paul J]

Midges, not mosquitoes!

+1 for midges

I lived in the outer hebrides for 8 odd years and they are awful. You ended up avoidng going outside or wearing a bee keepers hat. Some people swear by Avons ever so soft cream as protection but I was never convinced.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Midges tend not to bother you as much if you are moving about, or there is a breeze, but the moment you stand still, they will strike! I'd say that coastal locations tend to be less affected, but after being just about eaten alive several times, this is only true if there is some wind, and even then they can be determined little buggers!

Smoking apparently keeps them away, but seeing as I don't smoke I only have other people's word for that. Avon Skin So Soft is often cited as being good, but if it has lost its active ingredient as mentioned above, then.... Well.... we are all doomed!!

Midges are absolutely tiny by the way, like flying specks of dust in fact.

 

[Paul J]

Thats it Skin so soft doh

 

[ColinJ]

How about a midge predator?

 

[Bodhbh]

When we cycled the Western Isles in June they were a non-issue due to the breeze. From memory it only needs to be 3-4mph to drive them off. They are a pain and the annoyance seems to scale up with the beauty of the scenery and the more glorious the weather.

Can only suggest trying to pick your camp spots with a view to having a breeze. I tried repellent but it didn't seem to do much to stop the insects, but one thing it does do is trashes synthetic fabrics and other plastics (seems to act as a plasticiser and melt them). My emergency whistle got a dose of leakage from the repellent bottle and looks more like a blob of orange blu-tac.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

There is no active ingredient in skin-so-soft. It is the oily film it leaves on the skin that repels midgies, and the smell that repels homo sapiens.

 

[snorri]

Midges, not mosquitoes!

Midgies.

 

[Doseone]

The midgies will laugh in your face at your B1 vitamins and Avon Skin so Soft

I said it in another thread, but THIS STUFF will work.

Good luck and have a great trip. You are going to one of the nicest places on the planet.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

How about a midge predator?

Say, didn't Vernon have a Midge burger recently??

I see a new cottage industry emerging.....

 

[avalon]

The midges are worth the pain to be in the most beautiful place in the world.

 

[toroddf]

I'm starting my dose of B1 vitamins today, and I'll be buying some Avon Skin-So-Soft. Any other remedies I might as well try?

Cheers,

Martin

Yes. Poundland shops sells some roll-on midge repellent with a green cap for a (surprise !) pounder. Get that and the after bite stuff against nettles and other stingy thing which is also essential in a cycle bag and should be easy at hand. That should be you for this area as they are dead effective and not much loved by the local midges.

Places to see is the Skye, Mull and the Western Isles. Please note that the roads on Mull is iffy due to some recent mudslides. But I believe they have been fixed by now. Skye is suffering from a drought and the local distillery Talisker has been mothballed until rain arrives. Bring your own water. The fish & chips shops at Portree does the best fish & chips in Scotland.

Avalon above is spot on too and said everything there is to be said, really.

 

[furball]

Midgies.

Midge = one midge
Midges = more than one midge
Midgies = very small midges

 

[Stonepark]

We have both midges and mosquito's outside falkirk