September, midges, Scotland: as a southerner, who has avoided riding in Scotland

I’m planning the GB Divide/off-road Jogle in September and have some concerns about the little biters in Scotland – (and maybe other places too?)

I’ve not ridden in Scotland before and only visited cities or Mull in the summer.

what’s the score?
beginning of  September, right up over the passes on the GB divide route, and probably camping out en-route.

will I be eaten? Or is this ‘out of midge season?’

where there are bugs, they normally come straight for me.

September is the month of change. You can be lucky and get next to none, or… Not.

Hope for a stiff breeze, that’s your best weapon in the midge wars.

More seriously:

They don’t fly in more than 4mph wind.

They are not everywhere.

They are not keen on rain or strong sun.

They tend to be in specific spots between food and water.

There are two, sometimes 3, breeding waves a year. Between those times it’s much easier.

It’s the female who bites, when she needs to mate….

And also: take a head net, Smidge and some long sleeves/trousers. Job jobbed.

If you’re lucky it will be cold, wet and windy. When I did a hebridean tour in Sept a long while back I don’t remember midges. I do remember a lot of sheltering in bothies and cafes.

Ok, thanks for those replies. Sounds like it may be a little better in September then?

we’ll be taking the Smidge/nets precautions anyway, but still deciding on how much camping we’ll do if the Midges are out. We can camp for the rest of the 5-6 weeks it’s going to take, maybe spending a little more on accommodation in Scotland.

i flippin hate bitey things.
grrrr…..

Don’t camp anywhere there is water and out of the wind. You will realise if you’ve camped in the wrong place just as you’re taking the tent out of its bag. Then the buggers will be on you!

I’ve never – luckily – encountered the thick midge swarms I’ve read about or seen videos of. But even the odd midge encounter can be rather unpleasant, as said above, just put on your: head net, gloves, long sleeved top and trousers. Smidge does help but it’s not 100% effective IME.

Meh.

@scotroutes

yes, you see…. That there is why I’ve never ridden in Scotland before.

….well, I have, but at Nevis going downhill only and a few of the 7Stanes where I didn’t see a single midge. July too!

yes, you see…. That there is why I’ve never ridden in Scotland before.

I have maybe one or two proper big clouds of midges in a year. I have maybe another 10-12 days where on a trip or similar I end up leaving a spot/carrying on as the midges are out. I wear my net a few times around camp. I use smidge 10-14 times a year properly.

Yes, you can get unlucky and find yourself in a herd of them in a flat calm, damp glen in June or August and get rather upset.*

But between that, it is fine.
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.
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*Two types of midge attack. One where you wonder if you are going to die. One where you hope to die.

Two types of midge attack. One where you wonder if you are going to die. One where you hope to die.

You guys are really making me look forward to our upcoming summer holiday in the Highlands next to a loch.

I live in the Highlands but never see or feel a midge. It’s always windy, they don’t like that.

It’s never a problem cycling unless you have to stop for a puncture on a non windy day.

Living on Mull, broad leaf woodland and standing water nearby – there may be a couple of times per year where you’ll get nibbled on a very calm morning or evening. Most of the time there’s enough of a breeze to keep them away.