How To Survive Midges in Summer

There is no denying the beauty of Scotland and summer is an absolutely stunning time to visit, so you shouldn't let the fear of midge season (late May - early Oct) hold you back from your dream trip! 🗺

And we aren't saying that we never experience the dreaded midge, but as people who absolutely HATE bugs... Especially me (Frida) who reacts to any insect bite that swells and itches for over a week, these are the things we've found help us avoid them as much as possible 🤞

Wind is your friend 🌬

It wasn't untill trips to Scotland that we learned less wind isn't always better... Okay so obviously there is a limit to that statement but in general, midges can't fly in wind over 7mph & we've found the sweet spot is about 10-15💨 So when planning where to go, one of the main things we look at is the wind seeds and the 'Windy App' is perfect for this!

The Quest For Wind 🌪

Leading on from the last point, if you're looking at the forecast and your seeing the dreaded low to no wind... sometimes heading higher or to the coast might be a better option! (other apps we also use are Met Office + Mountain Forecast to see the wind conditions at the summits).

We've found that inland and sheltered areas like forests are some of the worst for midges, especially if there's a stream (hence why Glen Coe can be absolute midge heaven) because they just love those still damp conditions...

So if the winds are low, it might be time for a breezy tent camp or beach adventure 🌊

Check the Midge Forecast 🦟

This handy little map is created by Smidge using data collected from biting midge traps and mini-weather stations across Scotland & is great extra information to have when planning where to go!

www.smidgeup.com/midge-forecast/

Be prepared anyway 🫣

Even if you follow all the point above, you never really know until you arrive what it will be like so it doesn't hurt to be prepared anyway!

Things we always pack for a trip include:

• Midge Skin Repellent, you can normally purchase these at any service station or supermarket in Scotland. (Smidge, Avon Skin So Soft etc.)

• Midge Net (not just a mosquito one as midges are small enough to get through those holes) - also available at service stations and outdoor stores.

• Smokin Midge - We recently bought some Smokin Midge to try and we're extremely impressed with how effective it was! It's basically a little mental tin with these cones that you light inside which works by confusing the human trail of CO2 and repelling at the same time 😈

• Citronella Candles

• Long Sleeved clothing

• Bite Relief Clicker

And Enjoy!

We hope this helps and your next summer trip to Scotland can be a little less midgey.