Fort William Camping - Midge avoidance

[BOBBY G]

Hi peeps,

Doing the usual and going to Fort Bill to watch the world cup downhill in June.
However, this will be the first year that I am camping.

Need some advice based on following

1)Must avoid as many of those wee bastid midges as possible!!!
2) Must be family friendly.


Anyone got any suggestions for places that are good?

Thanks

Bob

[RDM]

Avon SkinSoSoft is meant to be the answer I've heard.

That's not a place that's good, it's a cream

[BOBBY G]

Yep, know about that thanks. We use it. However, these wee blighters are relentless, and not even the might Avon can stop them if they are en-force

B

[Humper]

Join the SYHA and stay at the Glen Nevis Hostel. Camping in June they will eat you alive up there. Midges are the main reason I wont camp in Scotland.

[KB_S1]

The FW ones aren't that bad. Unlike Skye or Arran ones.
Skin so Soft works to a degree but, they can be relentless.

If you need to be stationary for a bit, putting up tent, cooking etc. Wear a midge mesh hat. Keeping them off the face is a big difference.
Campsite should allow some sort of fire, smoke and moving hot air is great for keeping them at bay. If no fires use a bbq stove, keep a supply of small branches to feed on it.

The Glen Nevis campsite is really nice but a bit draconian.
We tend to just pitch up wild when we are camping but not really done much in FW as we are normally in Glencoe area.

[BOBBY G]

The hostel is booked up already, so are most places now.... so I am commited to the camping cause :O)

Dont mind travelling from outside Fort Bill for up to 30 mins or so.....

Not sure if that opens up more options??

B

[onlynik]

BOBBY G said:

Yep, know about that thanks. We use it. However, these wee blighters are relentless, and not even the might Avon can stop them if they are en-force

B

Need to apply every 15 minutes though.

[KB_S1]

You can do Glencoe to FW in 30 easy.
Either Red Squirrel or Invercoe.
Invercoe is better facility and better value but, the RS is much closer to the pub and lets you build a fire.

Other direction is Glenfinnan which is very nice.

[alfa pint]

Red Squirrel is pricey, doesn't have great facilities bar the fact it's next door to the clachaig inn and is full of midges - they hatch from the damp soil in between tree roots.

As mentioned, DEET or Skin so Soft works well, wear dark clothing and cover up when the sun's not bright and a hat covered with a mesh net keeps the more annoying of them out. The other thing that works for me is to bring a distraction. I use my missus - the midges prefer her to me. If I'm off climbing, I'll take a peely wally city dweller as a form of chaff instead.

[sherman]

My girlfriend was working up that way all last summer and swore by an insect repellant called SMIDGE. Said it was actually better than Avon skin so soft.

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=smidge&...fficial&prmd=imvnsa&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1280&bih=681&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=15631339752272463743&sa=X&ei=SUCMT6CvF4it0QWWn9nTCQ&ved=0CFAQ8wIwAQ

[sjabrown]

Those saying it's an easy 30mins from Glencoe to town are forgetting the place will be mobbed especially if there's a good forecast.

I'd recommend scouting out the road from Torlundy to Kilmonivaig - some good spots for wild camping along here especially near the river, and easy access to Nevis Range.

[VetteG]

Avon Skin so Soft has to be applied regularly to be effective, every couple of hours if they are out in force.

G

[GetCarter]

Yep... We use both Skin so soft and Smidge. Smidge is the ONLY repellent that seems to work. Skin so soft is just really oily, so midges can't get 'purchase'

Mrs Get has a website on the midge (sounds sad, but when you live here they are worth knowing about - we live in a Pine Forest - midge central!) http://www.ionalister.com/midge.htm

[a11y_m]

How's things Bob

AVOID Glen Nevis campsite during the WC weekend: it's my default choice for the rest of the year, but it becomes party-central for the MTB WC weekend so not as family-friendly as normal.

We stay at Lochy Holiday Park: http://www.lochy-holiday-park.co.uk/. Still noisier than normal but TBH all campsites have an element of that during the WC weekend - compared to Glen Nevis it's silent! Best part is location: it's a 2-min walk to the buses that run from the high school park 'n ride directly to the Nevis Range, so saves a lot of hassle. Or you can cycle out (as we do) on the cycle paths and leave you bikes in the bike park up there.

Not sure if we're going this year or not, if we do it'll be Lochy Holiday Park in the campervan. We're there at least half a dozen weekends over the summer as I'm a DH track patroller/firstaider, so might give the event a miss. We always stay at Glen Nevis during those weekends as it's simply the nicest site.

[KB_S1]

a11y_m said:

How's things Bob

AVOID Glen Nevis campsite during the WC weekend: it's my default choice for the rest of the year, but it becomes party-central for the MTB WC weekend so not as family-friendly as normal.

Sounds better to me

[a11y_m]

KB_S1 said:

a11y_m said:

How's things Bob

AVOID Glen Nevis campsite during the WC weekend: it's my default choice for the rest of the year, but it becomes party-central for the MTB WC weekend so not as family-friendly as normal.

Sounds better to me

LOL I took the note of "family-friendly" as as invitation NOT to P.A.R.T.Y.

[SmidgeTeam]

sherman said:

My girlfriend was working up that way all last summer and swore by an insect repellant called SMIDGE. Said it was actually better than Avon skin so soft.

GetCarter said:

Yep... We use both Skin so soft and Smidge. Smidge is the ONLY repellent that seems to work. Skin so soft is just really oily, so midges can't get 'purchase'

Cheers for the recommendations guys!
--

We were sponsors at the WC last year and it was right at the start of the midge season and due to a late start there was little midges at the event last year. This year however it is a few weeks later and we are expecting an early start to the midge season. Not sure if we will be going this year or not.

Most of the campsites have been covered above, the only other option I know of is Bunroy Holiday Park in Roybridge and you can make the short journey by the car/train to Spean Bridge to catch the shuttle bus down (trains are very very infrequent).

[KB_S1]

a11y_m said:

LOL I took the note of "family-friendly" as as invitation NOT to P.A.R.T.Y.

It was of course in jest.
Good info to know though, usually it is a very conservative type of campsite.
Great facilities. I just prefer a wilder approach.

[Hollowpockets]

Over the past few years I've just folded down the rear seats in the estate and taken a douvet, nothing worse than dealing with a tent and midges. Just don't keep the keys anywhere obvious if you have a drink.

[Who me ?]

There's also hostel up near Laggan -http://www.greatglenhostel.co.uk/. About 11 miles north of Spean , so about 15 north of Fort William . I've noticed mozzie burners in places like Asda. Place a tablet in and the vapour kills most biters. Problem might be getting a power supply to them . I'm going up last week in May and am looking at something similar ,even though I'm from that part of the world they enjoy a pint on me. Strangely enough ,my missus ,from Yorkshire don't get bothered . As long as it's dry ,and you avoid woody /bushes you possibly will be ok. We stopped in a caravan site in Camagael ,a couple of years back ,and never got bothered. But it was the hottest I remember for a long time. But then again , I spent a few years in the nearby school hostel and we never seemed to get bitten .So maybe ,Camagael is the place .When we stayed there ,there was a camping/mobile caravan field next to the river .