And avoid being bitten to death by Midgies
Is?

May is usually traditionally nice, as is autumn, in terms of OK weather and no midges. But they’ll never actually bother you when you’re riding, just if you stop in the wrong place 🙂

First 2 weeks of May and mid September have been kind to us in terms of weather and midges, but I’m sure you’ll get some local input too.

I had about a million ticks from collecting firewood on Torridon shores in May though.

they do if you’re grannying it slowly up a long steep hill, but agreed with May and September, take longs (shorts, socks, shirts and a net that goes over your bike helmet) and cleggs were big last year as were ticks

Last year October was brilliant, this year – who knows. Just book it and go for it.

Anytime.No midges here.

Scotland is quite a big place

If you’re worried about midges there are several avoidance strategies you can employ.
Best stick to wooded areas near standing water.
Argyll and the west coast generally are ideal for this. July and August are ideal times.
In the unlikely event that you encounter a few midges, stand as still as you can and take deep breaths until they pass you by.
Sweating profusely through exposed skin also discourages them from attacking.

Welcome to Scotland!

And there is no hard and fast rules with midges either, For sure avoid damp, warm and windless low lying bogs, but one of my worst experiences ever was last year on Goat Fell, at 2500ft, at 8 degC and with a fair wee breeze as well.

Agree with Towzer too, the midges are bad, Clegs are just bloody evil things.

Summer is a Tuesday this year so try not to miss it

Whereabouts, as Scotland is quite a big place.

And May/June are usually fine all over, but here in the south (Tweed Valley) we pretty much never get midges.

End of April, all of May & Sept-nov

End of April, all of May & Sept-Nov

+1

Scotland is brilliant during these months especially May when it is sunniest and driest and no mideges. However, avoid late June, July & August, when it can be awful with midges, rain, mud and it’s not even that warm.

March or October to be midge safe (ish)

May and June are normally good for sunny, dry days but were shit last year. October was nice and we had some days in December that were warmer than June.

It’s all a bit of a lottery really.

Midge-wise it’s all about location.

And Smidge.

Lots of Smidge.

Meanwhile, the locals manage to survive all year.

here in the south (Tweed Valley) we pretty much never get midges.

😯 that’s wishful thinking! Maybe not in towns but plenty out in the sticks, had a particularly memorably bad night at thornielee last summer when you just couldn’t stop at the top without getting eaten. Pentlands can be horrendous too, even down to Colinton in Edinburgh. I’ll grant you you don’t quite get the thick clouds like Glen Affric or somewhere though.

Between the last and first frost of the year there will be midges unless it is windy enough to keep them down basically.

Fantastic sunny day up here at the moment Nick…

and guaranteed no midges

Trails are surprisingly firm already so far this ‘spring’. So long as you stay below 350m, the current snow line. No midges, ticks or cleggs yet.
Echo all of the above- late April, through May and June is usually great. Last year, September and October were simply fab, stayed dry for weeks. Don’t let the midges rule your timing; They’re only really at their worst in the dodgier weather months anyway, so just avoid late June, July & August. You just have to take a gamble, get out there and enjoy it all for what it is. We had a 9 day cycle tour of W Isles & coast last July; only got wet twice in all that time. Have also done a 7 day extended coast to coast in August- wet just the once.

Maybe not in towns but plenty out in the sticks, had a particularly memorably bad night at thornielee last summer when you just couldn’t stop at the top without getting eaten.

I think I’ve had one occasion of midges in the 4 years we’ve lived here, and you forgot the first rule of Thornielee!

Plenty midges in the Pentlands, Dumfries and Galloway etc. That they are exclusive to the Highlands is a myth.

Plenty midges in the Pentlands, Dumfries and Galloway etc. That they are exclusive to the Highlands is a myth.

This, and also the myth that is they are only on the west coast. My 2 worst days ever with midges were linn of dee nr Braemar and Loch Doon – almost in D&G.

That they are exclusive to the Highlands is a myth.

+1 – Spent every childhood holiday in the midst of the Argyll forest where we were prepared for the onslaught……but my worst ever midge attack was on a golf course in Cumbernauld. They had the element of surprise on their side.

Some of the worst midges I have ever experienced was at the Kielder 100 in 2010. The early feed stations weren’t for us…

There are loads of different factors that will affect just how bad the wee buggers are it can be hard to predict what they’ll be like. They also seem to prefer some people over others. I’d not worry about it too much, it’s not like we all flee south in the summer! As long as you’re moving they’re not too bad. If you’re going somewhere you know they can be bad I’d take long sleeves for when you stop and a midge net. They hate cigar smoke by the way!

Yeah Midges are everywhere

#dontvisitscotland

#keepourtrailsempty

😉

Some of the worst midges I have ever experienced was at the Kielder 100 in 2010. The early feed stations weren’t for us…

Yip I was there, still got PTSD from that particular evening… only other place that bad was Poolewe where I had my first cigarette in 20 years, it was a pointless exercise.