@MrRighton there English midges though, think of the Highlands midges as English midges on steroids then multiply by a million and you will get close..you literally can't see a few feet in front of u because of the little buggers
That’s the precise spot that put my wife off camping for life! She never recovered from it 😂. I always make a point now of sitting for a good while before setting up camp in summer. Honestly felt your pain that day!
I forgot to add that it should be 10 drops of lemongrass to 3 drops of basil to a small spray bottle with clean water, mine is about 4 to 6 Oz. Also, lemongrass oil alone will burn your skin don't put it on straight.
Little trick for midges, burn something, if you have a little gas cooker or a lighter just pluck a pile of grass and burn it for smoke, keeps them away
Theres the coleraine first scout brigade flashbacks kicking in, and I thought the climb to hare gap carrying enough food for 8 other scouts (at 11 years old) was the worst part of that week, then this happened, I had nightmares about it for months
I'm not against Deet 24%. I won't go for a walk anywhere without Deep Woods Off. The best thing though, are those white painter suits of waxed paper. Not pretty, but very enjoyable. Did I mention deet 24%?
This is similar to my experience with what we call stable flies. They swarm in the late fall and come in off the Great Lakes. I didn't even manage to get my tent up before I abandoned the whole trip and returned home. They also swarmed my golden retriever making her look black! The whole experience was traumatizing and I consider myself to be pretty darn tough! 😂
fxxk that sounds like a nightmare for gigantic prepositions I don't think I would recover the poor dog must still be terrified of flying insects anyway I'm a city guy so fxxk the country side 😜😜😜 PEACE Dublin Ireland
I woke up in my hammock and couldn't see out of the mozzie net, 12 billion midgies had zoned in on the co² i had been exhaling all night, worst breakdown i have ever had, west coast of scotland makes me itch just thinking about it! Drove 10 miles with all of the windows down to flush them out of the car after the hike out!
I couldn't stop laughing. You lived the horror movie with humour so fair play. What on earth madevyou go camping in m8dgey season? In Kinlochleven the mother ship stays. I experienced what can only be described as a swarm of biblical proportions. My coffee had more protein in it than a burger 'The smidge does nothing He screamed.😂😂😂😂
Try stuff called "skin so soft",sold by Avon,apply before going out ,and then just keep putting it on as required, happy camping,midges are a blight in Scotland,but hey the scenery is amazing
thats an exaggeration, I go camping around Scotland especially the Highlands and west coast every couple weeks and I hardly ever have any issues with them. Only on the odd occasion 😂
I have encountered midges at this calibre once and looked like a mentally insane person running down the road, swatting, and trying to get a car to pick me up and take me anywhere else!
This has happened to me in Scotland so many times. No escape. Fished wearing midge hood, gloves, elastic bands around wrists and ankles. All worked, and then the cleggies arrived. And they can bite through your clothing 😮
@@mmcmiddlechild we were staying in a bothy on the banks of loch mullardoch one summer. Great place, no electricity, though candles and a gas bottle came in handy. No road access only foot or boat access. One day a very politely spoken middle aged hiker came past to ask for general information and directions . We chatted pleasantly for awhile about the scenery, remoteness and wildlife, when he suddenly slapped his neck and shouted "f***ing cleggies". I've referred to them the same ever since.
Avoid anywhere near water at certain points of the year because of this. I think if you'd have gone up one of the hills and increased your elevation you'd have had a considerably better experience.
I know someone who was summit camping about 2miles away that night and they had a similar problem with them. Not just as bad but not fun. Was a near totally windless night everywhere
@@catrionamcadam1159 go to glenafric and enjoy yourself. Which part of Highlands are you in. I know real old school proper toffs. The ones that have old land rovers and holes in 50 year old shirt type toffs and they walk threw clouds of them in his woollen shorts and wooden socks and not a care in the world. Meanwhile everyone is in car taking slapping there faces with cool air on full blast.
They make the experience of camping look so appealing. I will show my partner this video the next time she suggests we go on a camping holiday to live like a refugee for a week. Thanks guys.
😂 I’ve considered going back with some kind of flame thrower. Probably accidentally cause a massive wildfire though. It’s like a tinderbox up there in dry weather
Annalong valley was that? Asking for a friend…….who wants to avoid the attack of the midge! I got eaten alive last year at lough shannagh. My lower back (my arse) had more lumps and craters on it than I’d like. 😆 I feel your pain.
😂😂😂 omg, I've camped for 2 days with them fekers, there's that many you can hear the air humming. Thanks for that flashback 😅😂😅 I have literally felt that pain lol.
As a geologist who has done extensive fieldwork in North West Scotland, I can proudly say that I have gotten used to them. Its funny to see grown men crying when you take them camping in Scotland for the first time :)
I once camped in the backyard for the first time after moving. It was a warm summer night so I left the door a bit open. In the middle of the night I woke up covered in slugs. Some of the crawling up my face woke me up. The tent was covered in slugs on the inside and outside. While running inside I was slipping on slugs with every step. This is how I found out that invasive slugs have absolutely taken over the ecosystem there with basically no predators and tons of food
Am Scottish and love camping and this has never happened once. I now live rurally too and i haven’t ever seen more than 2 midges- he found the entire population that day 😂 🧡🌈🏴
I'm from Scotland too have u ever visited gairloch it's really nice up there but if the weather is right for them eg hot day but still damp u will be swarmed by black clouds of them
Watch the full video: czcams.com/video/X3hYsif1nQo/video.html
@MrRighton there English midges though, think of the Highlands midges as English midges on steroids then multiply by a million and you will get close..you literally can't see a few feet in front of u because of the little buggers
Two types of midge attack: one when you wonder when you will die, one when you hope you will die.. 😂
Sounds like this is from experience!
Your a brave man I would have hiked back to the van
That’s the precise spot that put my wife off camping for life! She never recovered from it 😂. I always make a point now of sitting for a good while before setting up camp in summer. Honestly felt your pain that day!
Ps that place was also my worst camp experience ever! ( so far )
Looks crazy 🤪
Why I love California. We have virtually no bugs. Colorado was the same way when I lived there
3 parts Lemongrass and 1 part basil essential oil mix with water until the scent is bearable strong.
I forgot to add that it should be 10 drops of lemongrass to 3 drops of basil to a small spray bottle with clean water, mine is about 4 to 6 Oz. Also, lemongrass oil alone will burn your skin don't put it on straight.
So yeah, turns out those are the worst conditions for camping 😂 gotta love that wind
Little trick for midges, burn something, if you have a little gas cooker or a lighter just pluck a pile of grass and burn it for smoke, keeps them away
Didn’t work here, had a fire with grass on it, loads of smoke, didn’t work
@@StephenJReid oh snap it must of been bad, if that ever fails me I don't know what I'll do 😅
Smidge midge forcast. Really helpful in the summer in Scotland. Midges hate the wind. A light breeze will keep them away.
That's why I started climbing in the winter 😂😂
I had the same experience in Scotland.
Midges can actually kill you.
Never heard of anyone being killed by them. Maybe if you’re allergic
They just kill the mood😂
MacMidges mainly located on the West of the Highlands
after coming off the mountain, warm and sweaty - we jumped into the river just beside you there - -and we got swarmed...we basically had to run for it
😂
my idea of an absolute nightmare whilst out camping
Zero craic
Theres the coleraine first scout brigade flashbacks kicking in, and I thought the climb to hare gap carrying enough food for 8 other scouts (at 11 years old) was the worst part of that week, then this happened, I had nightmares about it for months
Ughhh I now cringe a bit when I think about summer camping thanks to this!
Flame thrower unlocked.
There will be a reckoning
I'm not against Deet 24%. I won't go for a walk anywhere without Deep Woods Off. The best thing though, are those white painter suits of waxed paper. Not pretty, but very enjoyable. Did I mention deet 24%?
DEET FTW
I haven't laughed so much in
ages....thank you! 🤣👍💖👏
This is similar to my experience with what we call stable flies. They swarm in the late fall and come in off the Great Lakes. I didn't even manage to get my tent up before I abandoned the whole trip and returned home. They also swarmed my golden retriever making her look black! The whole experience was traumatizing and I consider myself to be pretty darn tough! 😂
It’s crazy how such a small creature can reduce the toughest to mad arm flailing crazy people 😂
fxxk that sounds like a nightmare for gigantic prepositions I don't think I would recover the poor dog must still be terrified of flying insects anyway I'm a city guy so fxxk the country side 😜😜😜 PEACE Dublin Ireland
I woke up in my hammock and couldn't see out of the mozzie net, 12 billion midgies had zoned in on the co² i had been exhaling all night, worst breakdown i have ever had, west coast of scotland makes me itch just thinking about it! Drove 10 miles with all of the windows down to flush them out of the car after the hike out!
I had a similar but less extreme experience to this on my first trip to Scotland😅 and I'm allergic to midge bites 😬
Uh oh!
I couldn't stop laughing. You lived the horror movie with humour so fair play.
What on earth madevyou go camping in m8dgey season?
In Kinlochleven the mother ship stays. I experienced what can only be described as a swarm of biblical proportions. My coffee had more protein in it than a burger
'The smidge does nothing He screamed.😂😂😂😂
They aren’t usually this bad here, loads of people caught out by them
Try stuff called "skin so soft",sold by Avon,apply before going out ,and then just keep putting it on as required, happy camping,midges are a blight in Scotland,but hey the scenery is amazing
I’ve bought some! Just back from a bikepacking trip to Islay and Jura
Use Avon skin so soft. They hate it. Better than any stuff you can buy.
Kind of. You'd have to drench yourself every hour to survive a swarm like that. I use it when I camp in the keys and it's good but not for very long.
Scotland is beautiful from inside a car .Never get out because of these bugs
thats an exaggeration, I go camping around Scotland especially the Highlands and west coast every couple weeks and I hardly ever have any issues with them. Only on the odd occasion 😂
@@SelfMade717 you might just be one of the lucky ones lol.
And then there are the midges
@@actionjackson9385 LMAO
That's the bloody bridge in Northern Ireland.
That’s why we start smoking when very young in Scotland, only thing I’ve ever known to help get rid of them. Or lighting a smoky fire and sit downwind
yikes
I have encountered midges at this calibre once and looked like a mentally insane person running down the road, swatting, and trying to get a car to pick me up and take me anywhere else!
midges ruined my trip to scotland back in 2016, when we pulled up in the car a massive swarm smoothered the wind screen waiting for our young flesh!
This has happened to me in Scotland so many times. No escape. Fished wearing midge hood, gloves, elastic bands around wrists and ankles. All worked, and then the cleggies arrived. And they can bite through your clothing 😮
Not fun!
It's all part of the experience 😅
I’m presuming by cleggies you mean what I call horse-flies…they are indeed a vexation to the spirit , as are midges!
@@mmcmiddlechild we were staying in a bothy on the banks of loch mullardoch one summer. Great place, no electricity, though candles and a gas bottle came in handy. No road access only foot or boat access. One day a very politely spoken middle aged hiker came past to ask for general information and directions . We chatted pleasantly for awhile about the scenery, remoteness and wildlife, when he suddenly slapped his neck and shouted "f***ing cleggies". I've referred to them the same ever since.
@@macbell5375mullardoch no way bud. Was it the 1 above dam or firther down. I live close by
They have tiny mobile phones... They call all their mates to come for the free buffet... The really sly ones wait till both your hands are full!
This makes a lot of since! Midgenet
Two things can ruin a camp for me: bugs and sticky heat. Sorry this one didn't work out!
I’m planning my revenge for this summer!
Hey look, Northern Ontario has a new challenger! 🇨🇦🇨🇦
😂
Those first few words ...
I just *knew* what was coming lol
Yup!
It happens to us Scottish hikers just the same 🙈
That backpack with the twigs reminds me of The Ritual.
Avoid anywhere near water at certain points of the year because of this. I think if you'd have gone up one of the hills and increased your elevation you'd have had a considerably better experience.
I know someone who was summit camping about 2miles away that night and they had a similar problem with them. Not just as bad but not fun. Was a near totally windless night everywhere
And this is the very reason why I have never been to Scotland😢
The flies had a lovely camping experience on the other hand! 😊
Haha!
Try vicks vapo rub, or ralgex!
"....Zero wind"....RED FLAG! RED FLAG!!
Looks like good craic lol was it midges or what? Those things are brutal at least you had some head gear for protection.
Lighting up a spray as a flamethrower would help if you had it...maybe
Had the same experience in glenarrif blinking horrendous
Soon as ye said 'no wind' l was thinking 'MIDGES' a nd sure enough....👀👀
you know!
DEET or better yet: SMOKE from a FIRE!!!
Peace & Love!!!
Can't beat winter camping. Clothes don't even stop them tent mesh don't keep them out . Jungle juice helps
As a highlander i can confirm these little buggers are hell
They don’t go near me for some reason
@@catrionamcadam1159 go to glenafric and enjoy yourself. Which part of Highlands are you in.
I know real old school proper toffs. The ones that have old land rovers and holes in 50 year old shirt type toffs and they walk threw clouds of them in his woollen shorts and wooden socks and not a care in the world. Meanwhile everyone is in car taking slapping there faces with cool air on full blast.
@@woody816 Glen Affric is an hour’s drive from where I’m from so not far at all.
Yep. Still remember two days of the same on D of E in the mournes 😂
25 years ago I should add. Midge trauma stays with you!
Scarred for life
That’s definitely not fun. And definitely a pack up and go home scenario for me lol
They make the experience of camping look so appealing.
I will show my partner this video the next time she suggests we go on a camping holiday to live like a refugee for a week. Thanks guys.
It’s the best!
Imagine if you had a blow torch you’d get rid of the entire swarm in one go
😂 I’ve considered going back with some kind of flame thrower. Probably accidentally cause a massive wildfire though. It’s like a tinderbox up there in dry weather
Ultra fine mesh midge nets
Mate try camping in gilford co down. 😢😢😢. Good luck 👍
Lots of midges?
Annalong valley was that? Asking for a friend…….who wants to avoid the attack of the midge! I got eaten alive last year at lough shannagh. My lower back (my arse) had more lumps and craters on it than I’d like. 😆 I feel your pain.
Yup!! But I hear most places in the Mournes were bad that year
Have you tried burning something to keep the bugs away? Such as burning a shirt and tying it to a log to become a torch.
Then I’d have no shirt and they could bite me easier. We lit a fire and burned grass to make smoke but it wasn’t enough
Scottish midges in the summer, oooft!! Its as if the more north you go the worse they get!!
Lived here on and off for 25 years, haven’t seen that once!
I’ve lived here my entire life and this is the first time I’ve seen it this bad
That’s not David
That’s better call Saul
😂 well I guess he can argue himself out of an illegal camping accusation now
@@StephenJReid lol
😂😂😂 omg, I've camped for 2 days with them fekers, there's that many you can hear the air humming. Thanks for that flashback 😅😂😅 I have literally felt that pain lol.
Just the worst!
Its horrible when they fly past your ear and you hear that buzzy noise. Uggh haha
Its horrible when they fly past your ear and you hear that buzzy noise. Uggh haha
Know when to quit. But yeah I would have stayed to make the video. This is insane
I think a pair of coveralls, and a head bug net,is the future of summer camping here. All the best.👍🏾🇬🇧😉
Guy lost 4pints of blood 😂😂😂
fire tends to get rid of them
And half the hillside this time of year 😬
Fire is the only way to get rid of them. A smokey one at that 🤣🤣🙏
As a geologist who has done extensive fieldwork in North West Scotland, I can proudly say that I have gotten used to them. Its funny to see grown men crying when you take them camping in Scotland for the first time :)
Not sure I want to know how much exposure was required to get used to them 😱
I don't think it's funny. Some folks who don't know the area, could land in alot of trouble if not prepared.
Hands so Soft from
Oli of Ulay - secret weapon and kryptonite for midges
Same happened me a my mates in the wicklow mountains one summer. Those mountain midgets are no joke
Were you camping in midgedinium the capital city of midgland Jesus that looked harsh
Haha Midge city. Planning my revenge
When you said no wind, that was my first thought. You guys are in for a midge death.
🙈
Ever camp during warm weather in Scotland.
Just in May on a cool evening and still loads of them!
Its the Mortmain Mountains snow gnats 😂😂😂😂😂
That's why one always should have some DEET when hiking and camping ;)
I once camped in the backyard for the first time after moving. It was a warm summer night so I left the door a bit open.
In the middle of the night I woke up covered in slugs. Some of the crawling up my face woke me up. The tent was covered in slugs on the inside and outside. While running inside I was slipping on slugs with every step.
This is how I found out that invasive slugs have absolutely taken over the ecosystem there with basically no predators and tons of food
that horrible, but I Laughed
does 100% deet keep them off? lol I like the name midgies though
Tried deet on a later trip and didn't seem to help, they seemed crazed that year
Smokey fire
Climb higher and find a breeze or get in your tent and hide
haha my mates in england seen this on channel 5 and instantly text me. Claire wtf do you go camping there. hehe
Haha 😂 😂
That was my first encounter with midges also....doing the west highland pup crawl in the 90"
We don’t normally get them so bad as this in Northern Ireland. Think it’s a lot more common in Scotland like thos
I’m getting itchy just watching this lol
I bet you wished it was windy when you stopped!
Yes. Yes we did
Leave right?!
CTRL ALT DEL
Alt f4
My god that's bad I do wild camping but never had it that bad f_ _ _
This would be awful
Glen Etive by any chance?. Ive had to evac a few times down Glen Etive 😂
Mourne Mountains, Northern Ireland
Did Glen Etive last August. Worst camping experience of my life due to the midges!!!
Skin so soft by Avon. Forms a barrier and they can't get through it. Used it in the army.
Bought some!
@@StephenJReid you won't regret it.
Fight a liar! 😂
Citronella oil . It works for me .
I'd of made a fire to escape in the smoke
Get a Thermocell to clear them. It's what the Canadians use in summer.
I’ve seen reviews that say Thermacell doesn’t work with midges. I’ll test it this summer
There's lots that works elsewhere and not on the Scottish midge...
Ahhahaha welcome to Scotland 🏴
Why did you say "David" like you weren't sure if that was his name 😂😂😂
I’m not sure I trust him 😂
@@StephenJReid 🤣
Yes simply change location 😂
People were being eaten alive on summits that night, nowhere was safe
Got itchy just watching this
OMG definitely a top nightmare
It was not fun
Lesson learned ty, perfect weather + no birds/reptiles/amphibians = bugs ...the army of the north. 😮
Where exactly is this place?
After reading the comments i want to always keep a mental note to never set foot there
Haha Annalong Valley in the Mourne Mountains, Northern Ireland. Might want to avoid a lot of Scotland as well!
@@StephenJReidAnd most of Lough Neagh 😅
I've never seen such a swarm 😭
Nightmare!
Wow! A place on earth Montano has not destroyed!
Am Scottish and love camping and this has never happened once. I now live rurally too and i haven’t ever seen more than 2 midges- he found the entire population that day 😂 🧡🌈🏴
I'm from Scotland too have u ever visited gairloch it's really nice up there but if the weather is right for them eg hot day but still damp u will be swarmed by black clouds of them
Boring company needs to be visited before this travel site
Scottish troops.