mosquitos - any advice welcome (camping in Scotland)

[sallydolittle]

We are planning to camp in Scotland this summer. I love Scotland but 2 of my DD get terribly bitten by insects. I have been recommended some citronella scented candles in enamel mugs from The glam camping company, apparently they are amazing. Does anyone have any experience of them and I would love any advice what can I put on the kids when they are running around.

Well I would recommend craghoppers nosilife insect repellant clothing. It can be pricey but then there have been days I would have paid good money not to be scratching bites all night! Came away from a brilliant camping weekend in the Borders with two attractive anklets of midgey bites where my nosilife trousers stop, have invested in the death to insects socks now. Aldi are also selling insect repellant socks but I haven't tried them out yet

I live on the west coast AND own a campsite!!! It is nothing like any of you describe!! Living by the sea means that there is nearly always a breeze so setting up camp by the beach means that 90% of the time you will be fine. Midges can't fly in anything over 3mph of breeze!

Yes if there is zero wind then the midges will come out, but so will the stunning sunsets, sandy beaches, campfires (to keep midges away) and glass like crystal blue waters. A small price to pay for a beautiful area (Kintyre) we live here all year round and do not have problem so I'm sure you can manage a few days!! SSS (new) has had the ingredient removed but Smidge is very good, when you need it..!

Oh Pepper, I'm glad that's your experience, but it isn't mine! I'm Scottish, the midges love me. The only thing that works for me is not to go to the West Coast in midge season. No amount of stunning sunsets makes up for being bitten so much you actually want to punch your own skin off...

Smidge is brilliant. SSS is no good any more. Smidge actually seems to keep them off me and it lasts ages too, and much less stinky and chemically than Jungle Formula.

Coastal campsites with a slight breeze are perfect - this year the midges are very very bad but I haven't been bothered too badly thanks to Smidge and choosing my pitch just a little higher than usual to catch the breeze :)

Pepperpot I am so jealous! We used to go to Kintyre every year on holiday when I was a kid. My Mum went with her parents every year when she was small too.
I went back last year - stayed in Tarbert but went to Campbeltown, Carradale, Skipness, macrihanish and all the old haunts. Still love it.

Mosquito coils work quite well and stay lit in the wind better than candles. I get bitten a lot - Jungle Formula is good, but I must admit I resort to Deet when it's bad

Nosilife Cragghoppers clothes and hat etc (long sleeves and trousers no idea why they also do shorts ...) combined with Deet insect repellent.

Socks over trousers for the ticks and a good tick remover and tick tester to determine whether it was carrying Lhyme's disease (in which case, keep tick in tester and take to nearest GP for anti-biotics).