Discover Tiree And Avoid Midges
How can I avoid the MIDGES on holiday in the West Coast of Scotland?
Turquoise waters, high sunshine levels, quiet and untouched beauty of remote islands, instagram heaven… this is why I chose the West Coast of Scotland for my Staycation.
‘Cornwall on steroids’ but without the traffic, why aren’t more Brits discovering this secret holiday destination on our nation’s doorstep? No airport queues, no visas, no scary Coronavirus crowds… The annual pilgrimage from the home counties to the West Coast of Scotland should be an obvious one. Surely the M6 should be bumper to bumper with Chelsea tractors, eventually putting that four wheel drive to good use on arrival. So why? Why are these white sandy beaches still deserted in July? Could the answer be the West Coast midges?
Midges are probably unknown little insects to the majority of you. They are teeny tiny, a pin prick size so much less dangerous and violating than the mosquito, but they pack a serious punch when it comes to enjoying the great outdoors. The West Coast of Scotland is their breeding ground and an innocent loch side camping trip can turn into a mission to avoid them at all cost.
HOW TO AVOID MIDGES?
Solution 1 – Choose your time of year
Midges begin to emerge during May and last until September, yep prime camping and beach bbq time of year. The biting females arrive in early June so whats the answer? Consider the beauty of a wild, bracing winter walk along a deserted beach, a hill climb without seeing another soul, a cold water swim with a woolly hat followed by a hot chocolate from a thermos.. Scotland out of season is also pretty magical and the midges are snuggling down ready for their summer party.
Solution 2 - Deterrents? Myths or Gems?
So the anti midge device or cream ranges from Avon ‘Skin so Soft’ (my brother in law, a true convert, suggested this would be better than medication when considering holidaying in malaria season in the mountains of Columbia!), ‘Smidge’ a purpose made Scottish spray, Bog Myrtle, Citronella oil… the list goes on. If nothing else, the amount of repellant suggestions online does show how much of an issue this is for the average Scottish tourist. Last resort a beekeepers suit… and who wants to holiday in that?
Solution 3 – West Coast holiday spots where the midges don’t do holidays?
So I got to thinking, what about where we go on the West Coast of Scotland? Surely there is a secret nook and cranny of this varied and beautiful landscape, where midges don’t go holiday?
Midges love trees, bogs and long grass, could there be a place in paradise without these attractions…. A bit of research and a few local tips offs, led me to the only solution which pretty much guaranteed what I was looking for.. a midge free
beach holiday on the West Coast. The ‘Hawaii of the North.’ An unassuming tiny island on the West Coast of Scotland with the most sunshine hours recorded in the UK and a booming local surf and cold water swimming scene. Flat, tree less, mostly bog less (in those crucial summer months) but laced with white sand beaches, turquoise atlantic surf and promising a wild and feral existence. Sandy bare foot shoppers in the local Coop, children with unbrushed salty hair, lobster caught in a free dive for the family meal…
The long afternoon in the waves, merges into the sunset, beers, beach fires and glowing faces and the West Coast holiday experience is complete… without our little flying menace.