Midges

[Boddie]

I am planning a holiday mid August and intend to take to the hills. I quite fancy Scotland but not if it means getting attacked by midges as I intend to camp. Are midges still quite prominent in mid August.

I also fancy Ireland but dont know where to start

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Boddie

I am planning a holiday mid August and intend to take to the hills. I quite fancy Scotland but not if it means getting attacked by midges as I intend to camp. Are midges still quite prominent in mid August.

I also fancy Ireland but dont know where to start

they are worse in the valleys than on the hills , but stil big enough to carry off small children

and ireland is that big island just to the west of wales

joking aside you might find this useful http://www.interhike.com/ireland/cam...tracks=mapArea

[nightshade]

Anyone I have ever spoken to in regard to Scotland complain about the midges
especially the vast numbers,pubs are the only safe places

[Boddie]

Originally Posted by eeyore

they are worse in the valleys than on the hills , but stil big enough to carry off small children

and ireland is that big island just to the west of wales

joking aside you might find this useful http://www.interhike.com/ireland/cam...tracks=mapArea

Cheers Pete

Any ideas on whats the best county. I want somewhere very beautiful with not too many people

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Boddie

Cheers Pete

Any ideas on whats the best county. I want somewhere very beautiful with not too many people

I like cork - kilcomman nature reserve is well worth a look, but you can take your pic really - the top bit up near derry aint all that, and the area imediately arround dublin can be a bit grim, but most of the rest is great.

nice people, great scenery, pretty girls, and the post offices sell guiness and start serving at about 8am - what more can you ask for.

incidentally this is the url for the irish tourist board which might prove useful http://www.ireland.ie/

[Boddie]

I will have to see if my fuel card works in Ireland as I intend to do a big tour. Driving in the night and getting in some nice sunset and sunrise shots. I heard Ireland is a different standard and the weathers likely to be better than Scotland

[eeyore]

it can rain a lot as it is the first landfall on the atlantic side - but if you are lucky weather can be great. this is another v. useful site - listing most of the nature reserves in eire http://www.npws.ie/NatureReserves/Cork/

[Boddie]

To be honest I am looking at landscapes to photo and women to flirt with. I would like to see a puffin, as they are by far my favourite animal, due to their resplendant regalia and I would imagine they are quite a good laugh too

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Boddie

To be honest I am looking at landscapes to photo and women to flirt with. I would like to see a puffin, as they are by far my favourite animal, due to their resplendant regalia and I would imagine they are quite a good laugh too

you'll like cork then no problemo - nearly every woman i met while i was out there was a looker, the landscape was top, and they had puffs - your only problem might be that the puffs are largely back at sea by now - best time is may - early july

just dont get confused and start flirting with the puffins



actually this one was in wales - i just thought you'd appreciate the picture.

[Airehead]

We usually visit the Highlands in late March and September and midges are prominent at both those times. How much they bother you really depends on the wind, they are only a big nuisance if there isn't any. It is a long time since I camped, but I remember that they tend not to enter tents in large numbers.

[Boddie]

Yeah I really dont need to get bitten. I think I may go for Ireland and chance a sighting with some puffins. That would be quality

[Persephone]

I was over in county Wicklow last year. That had some beautiful scenery, especially the mountains and hills. I got some great pictures there. The people were friendly, especially in the pubs!

I also spent some time in Dublin though that was an incredible waste. In my personal opinion...what an atrocious place. The prices were jacked sky high. Much higher than what I expect from London, and that's usually pricey. After about 10pm you want to evacuate the main areas or atleast hold on tight to your handbag/wallet. It was a nightmare getting a cab and there were random fights breaking out all over the place. It was pretty lawless in the night. But enough bitchin' about Dublin...the rest of the country has some pretty lovely places. Though, still expect high prices.

[henrya]

Cork, Kerry, Galway. Hard to beat. I went with some friends a few years and had a fantastic time. Only place I've known a farmer open his gate for you so that you could turn your car round in a narrow road - and on another occasion one stood in the road to flag the traffic down so we could get out of his entrance!

henrya

[DL]

A very low midge count in Scotland for the second year in succession. Probably because its been very dry this year again. Similarly the east coast gets far less midgies than the west due to its much lower annual rainfall.

[rlchew]

Originally Posted by DL

A very low midge count in Scotland for the second year in succession. Probably because its been very dry this year again.

Are you sure?

I was up there in the Highlands in June and came back with the biggest collection of bites that I have ever assembled on my annual trips. It was dry and sunny for 2 weeks and there were zillions of the little b******!

When I returned to work, colleagues thought I had small pox! The scars are still there.

Richard

[DL]

Nasty. I have been getting several reports that Applecross, Torridon and Caithness have been relativly midge free during June/July. Mabey you are like me, a midge magnet with my own swarm.

[DL]

The midge oracle does indeed idicate that you experience is nearer the norm-

http://www.midgeforecast.co.uk/home/forecast_fx.asp

All depends where exactly you go I suppose.

I managed to escape last year without a single bite, not had one yet this year either but then I have not ventured west this summer.

[gmsmith]

Hi Andrew, The Highlands of Scotland are really stunning, you just feel in awe by the hills and mountains it really is quite awsome, and pretty well around every corner is a spectacular view, However Jen and I toured the Ring of Kerry, Southern Ireland last September, it was warm and sunny, no midges , the people were very welcoming and friendly and the scenery was terrific. You'd not have made a bad choice which ever you decide. And as far as the ladies go, I'm afraid Jen had hold of the reigns so can't really help .

Geoff

[Boddie]

Have just found out today that I can take the car anywhere in europe, middle east or africa and claim fuel back too so I may do france still yet, but i do still fancy ireland. any info on ferry prices?

[gmsmith]

Originally Posted by Boddie

Have just found out today that I can take the car anywhere in europe, middle east or africa and claim fuel back too so I may do france still yet, but i do still fancy ireland. any info on ferry prices?

http://www.directferries.co.uk/

[Boddie]

Its not cheap to get to Ireland then.

This is the crack.

I think I will camp. I will take the car and tour some. I quite fancy some urban photography in Belfast. Any old rough area, then down south for some beauty. I shall be concentrating mainly on landscapes, trees and the sky. If the weather looks poor I am going to do southern France instead and maybe the final weekend large in Ibiza. Throw some shapes