Cycling UK Forum

I've reworded and retitled this post in case I had managed to be incomprehensible.
One arm of this route seems to go more or less directly from from Inverness to Glasgow. Are we likely to encounter the dreaded Highland Midge en route? I sampled the delights many years ago and I'm keen not to repeat the experience!

Midgies are no problem if you keep moving.
Seriously, I've not done the route, but from looking at where it goes, I don't think it should be too bad. There's nowhere near as many midgies in that part of mostly central Scotland as there is on the west coast for example.

I'd say yes, if you need to stop for any reason - puncture etc. We cycled through clouds of them at times - especially over higher ground. Avon 'skin so soft' worked for us - and the SAS apparently. Lot of shops up there stock it.

Only had a couple of problems with midges just outside Loch Lomond SYHA just nusiance value there. next problem was at Corpach a couple of miles west of Fort William we were advised to keep the doors and windows closed in the hostel. The car park was full of them the following morning. and I rode through a cloud of them just up the road and I could hear them buzzing inside my helmet had to get it off quick and had a good "scrat" arround to get rid of them. after that never saw another.

that was early June

I have a dilemma here.... when I was in the RN, the standard anti-midge for Scotland was Avon's "Skin so Soft (Forest Fragrance) and from experience it works.

However apparently it is an urban myth... Snopesclaims that it is untrue and ineffective, but Avonstand by their claims on the grounds that the disputed tests were not carried out in the field

So there is the dilemma - I would reccomend it, but need to add the proviso that it is a personal rather than substantive

ferrit worrier wrote:Only had a couple of problems with midges just outside Loch Lomond SYHA just nusiance value there. next problem was at Corpach a couple of miles west of Fort William we were advised to keep the doors and windows closed in the hostel. The car park was full of them the following morning. and I rode through a cloud of them just up the road and I could hear them buzzing inside my helmet had to get it off quick and had a good "scrat" arround to get rid of them. after that never saw another.

that was early June

I would agree that there can be loads of midgies in the Fort William area. But the Lochs and Glens routes doesn't go anywhere near there!

When does the midge season tend to end? Mid September?

Go via Tomintoul, it's so much more interesting! And extra kudos if you get over the Lecht without walking!

Cunobelin wrote:I have a dilemma here.... when I was in the RN, the standard anti-midge for Scotland was Avon's "Skin so Soft (Forest Fragrance) and from experience it works.

However apparently it is an urban myth... Snopesclaims that it is untrue and ineffective, but Avonstand by their claims on the grounds that the disputed tests were not carried out in the field

So there is the dilemma - I would reccomend it, but need to add the proviso that it is a personal rather than substantive

From my personal experience, I have found that Avon Skin So Soft keeps the Caledonian Luftwaffe at bay and, to my cynical friends' astonishment, it worked for them too. The only bites that I've had from midges when using Avon's product were on bits that I had not protected - behind my knees and the strip of flesh between cycle shirt bottom and shorts top that is sometimes revealed when bending over.

jevans wrote:Go via Tomintoul, it's so much more interesting! And extra kudos if you get over the Lecht without walking!

I trust you are not talking about Midge interest?
Thanks for the sugestion, I'll look into the idea.
And thanks for the other contributions - I know this area isnt the Highlands, but I'm not optimistic enough to trust in midges keeping to their official hunting grounds. I now feel somewhat reassured.

Now going to contact the Avon lady to secure supplies of SoSoft for evaluation purposes. Now seems like a good time for it... scratch, scratch

DaveP wrote:

jevans wrote:Go via Tomintoul, it's so much more interesting! And extra kudos if you get over the Lecht without walking!

I trust you are not talking about Midge interest?
Thanks for the sugestion, I'll look into the idea.
And thanks for the other contributions - I know this area isnt the Highlands, but I'm not optimistic enough to trust in midges keeping to their official hunting grounds. I now feel somewhat reassured.

Now going to contact the Avon lady to secure supplies of SoSoft for evaluation purposes. Now seems like a good time for it... scratch, scratch

Trouble is that going into a pub smelling of delicately feminine Avon can give the locals the wrong idea!

Now going to contact the Avon lady to secure supplies of SoSoft for evaluation purposes. Now seems like a good time for it... scratch, scratch

Try online. It's frequently on offer at ridiculously low prices.

TheBrick wrote:When does the midge season tend to end? Mid September?

When does it start? Mid August has passed and I have yet to be troubled by the Highland midge.

I've been eaten alive by Black country midges in my garden this week!

Cunobelin wrote:Trouble is that going into a pub smelling of delicately feminine Avon can give the locals the wrong idea!

Shouldnt be too much of a problem - This is the land where men wear skirts, after all

Smelling nice and wearing skirt...... you may be attracting other forms of local wildlife