Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To cancel this trip to Scotland?

75 replies

ConkerGame · 13/08/2019 15:21

A couple of years ago DP and I had a lovely trip to the Cairngorms in October and didn’t have any issues with midges at all despite spending all our time outside. This year we wanted to repeat the trip but DP said he couldn’t do October as he would be too stressed with work during that month. So we booked tickets up there for the first weekend in September.

I’ve been doing research since and it sounds like the midges could still be really bad at that point. I’m generally a magnet for mosquitos and other bite-y insects and I also tend to react quite badly to the bites so I’m now dreading it and thinking we shouldn’t go (we would be camping).

Our tickets are non-refundable so we would lose £230 Sad but I don’t want to get caught in the sunk cost fallacy. To top it all off he’s now said he’s actually happy to go in October - I am so annoyed with him!

Does anyone have any experience of that part of Scotland in September? Would you go and risk it or cut your losses and stay home?

Thanks!

OP posts:
tobypercy · 13/08/2019 16:52

Some years are really bad for midges, some aren't. We were in the Cairngorms 3 weeks ago and it was fine, so I think it's a good year!

Original poster
ConkerGame · 13/08/2019 16:53

@DontDribbleOnTheCarpet we will be wild camping, not at a campsite

OP posts:
HappyNOTdriving · 13/08/2019 16:56

www.smidgeup.com/midge-forecast/

This is the midge "weather" forecast. It's useful for checking how much you will need repellent.

All bitey things love me! I used deet in Thailand for the mosquitoes and the one single day I had my feet in the sea (therefore removing the deet) and didn't put more on is the one day they tried to bite them!

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 13/08/2019 16:58

Smidge is the only thing that works, Avon SSS is a pile of pish if you are midge bait like I am.

Honestly OP? I am going to Loch Morlich this weekend and I am dreading it. I'll spend the whole time in a net, long trousers, covered in Smidge and the wee feckers will still find a way to get to me. I wouldn't holiday around Aviemore after Easter and before October if you paid me. (This weekend is a Thing I have to do)

Where are your tickets actually to? Could you come up so far and then change coasts?

averythinline · 13/08/2019 16:58

smidge is really good.... I too am a insect magnet - I also make sure have a week of vit b complex before i go and lots of garlic!
and antihistamine

applesandpears33 · 13/08/2019 17:02

They're not normally quite so bad by that time of year - they are worst at the start of the summer. I used to get bitten very badly but since I've been taking antihistamines for hayfever I've hardly felt them at all. I think the tablets must affect the taste of your blood because even though I can see midges crawling on me they don't bite me

cantfindname · 13/08/2019 17:03

Another vote for Avon Skin So Soft! Amazing stuff. I even put it on one of my horses who is allergic to midge bites.

Original poster
ConkerGame · 13/08/2019 17:07

Argh, everyone seems to have conflicting advice as to which products do or don’t work. Guess I’ll just have to try them all Sad

@LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett

We are headed to Aviemore! 😫

OP posts:
NeverSayFreelance · 13/08/2019 17:08

I'm allergic to midge bites so I feel your pain - however I also live in Scotland so I have no choice but to deal with them. Get some insect repellent, allergy/hay fever tablets, and bite cream. Enjoy your holiday!

Horehound · 13/08/2019 17:09

As soon as there's a breeze of 2mph there gone! I wouldn't cancel the trip. I actually thought midge season was over and I'm Scottish living in Scotland! I don't think I've even seen 1 this year!

RatherBeRiding · 13/08/2019 17:12

Does Smidge work at keeping horseflies off? I've had the most awful year with the little bastards - been bitten multiple times and generally get a very reaction.

Doesn't help that my horses' field is surrounded by trees.

katewhinesalot · 13/08/2019 17:15

Shower with original source lemon and tee tree shower gel. It's supposed to have 10 real lemons in the bottle.
Smother yourself in the boots sunscreen containing insect repellant (doesn't matter if there is no sun, it works. Don't forget your face.) and spray some insect repellant on exposed bits of flesh too. Doesn't have to cover everywhere completely. I use the Jungle spray.
I also take the one a day anti histamine in advance and through the holiday just in case.

From always being bitten alive, I've had one bite on several holidays using that combination of protection.

Another thing I did in the old days of having multiple bites that I reacted badly to, is take two and sometimes even three one a day anti histamines. I didn't have any ill effects and it was the only thing that would reduce the inches wide reactions to the bite. - Not medically recommended but solved the problem along with insect bite cream. The bite cream bought abroad generally seemed more effective than English stuff too. Probably stronger.

As you can tell this subject is close to my heart.

BlueJava · 13/08/2019 17:17

We spent 2 weeks in Scotland this year (came back 2 weeks ago) it was fine - we had some smidge and SSS but no issues.

TatianaLarina · 13/08/2019 17:19

It sounds more like the problem is you’ve committed to a holiday that isn’t your cup of tea.

Fundays12 · 13/08/2019 17:24

I am a highlander (live 30 minutes from Aviemore) but haven’t found the midges too bad this year. We have had a lot more rain and a bit of wind too which has kept them at bay. Unfortunately you can get them most of the year here as it’s weather dependant.

LillithsFamiliar · 13/08/2019 17:27

We used to holiday in Aviemore every October and were never bothered by midges. Midge season had usually passed in Aviemore by then.
But I second a PP who recommended the jungle spray. It's fab.

BloomingHydrangea · 13/08/2019 17:33

How are you travelling? If it is LNER you can get a refund less admin costs if you rebook- even on non cancellable tickets

Zoidbergonthehalfshell · 13/08/2019 17:33

I've found Smidge to be very good too.

I'm sure most of you know this already, but just in case...find out which antihistamine is the active ingredient in your preferred one-a-day tablet, go to the pharmacy in a big supermarket and ask for a pack of their own-brand one-a-day (insert antihistamine of choice) tablets. You'll get a lot more tablets for a much better price than the named brand ones on the shelves.

Genevieva · 13/08/2019 17:35

The Avon skin so soft really works, but remember that it must be the spray oil and not the gel that is part of the same range. It works because midges are not like mosquitos. I am very allergic to mosquito bites, but cope fine with midges.

Boysey45 · 13/08/2019 17:35

Did I hear the word camping? fuck that for a laugh.

VerbenaGirl · 13/08/2019 17:39

My PIL visited family in the Highlands every year and always opted for May or September to avoid the midges, as my MIL is very prone to being bitten. You should hopefully be fine.

museumum · 13/08/2019 17:42

Septembers fine and the Cairngorms not as bad as west coast anyway. Just don’t camp by water or under trees. Try to be in a breeze and you’ll be fine.

Ouch44 · 13/08/2019 17:44

DD and I are midge and mosquito fodder! We were in Aviemore 2 weeks ago. Cycled round Loch an Eileen and I sat at the edge of the lodge while the others swam in the water. We also stopped for a picnic. We survived!

For some reason the midges were biting around my hairline. Only got a few bites but hadn't put any smidge on then! They were more bother when we were by the coast Nr Elgin and I said then that I wished we'd got the face nets.

I'd tried to persuade DH to try wild camping but he wasn't having it!

fraxion · 13/08/2019 17:47

Keep an eye on the link HappyNOTdriving posted, don't cancel. You should be okay in the Cairngorms. Just buy some Smidge, it also works for mosquitoes, I've used it in the past when there was a particularly bad infestation of them on holiday one time.

IzzyGee · 13/08/2019 17:48

I am currently on holiday nearby. We have just had a hail shower.

Swipe left for the next trending thread