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Regions - Trip reports, destination advice, recommended routes, etc. => Scotland => Topic started by: myxpyr on 20:53:04, 24/07/20

Title: Scotland Sans Bothies
Post by: myxpyr on 20:53:04, 24/07/20
Being of a certain age I try to avoid usinf a tent on my walks. It's a bit small(I have to slide into it rather than crawl) and I find it a pain in the posterior if the weather is bad.
In normal circumstances I would use bothies or B & B in areas of population.
Is anyone else contemplating Scotland anytime soon? What will you be doing for accommodation?
Then there's the midges :tickedoff:
Title: Re: Scotland Sans Bothies
Post by: richardh1905 on 21:03:29, 24/07/20
Not being facetious, but why not get yourself a slightly larger tent, one that you can sit up in?


That is what I have done.
Title: Re: Scotland Sans Bothies
Post by: Bigfoot_Mike on 22:44:33, 24/07/20
I suspect that I will spend the whole year in Scotland living at home. Fortunately, the highland midge doesn’t come this Far East, not does most of the rain. The furthest east I have experienced the little beasts was at Linn of Dee.
Title: Re: Scotland Sans Bothies
Post by: myxpyr on 08:16:13, 25/07/20
The furthest east I have experienced the little beasts was at Linn of Dee.
That's where the [censored] got me last year. >:(
Title: Re: Scotland Sans Bothies
Post by: richardh1905 on 09:02:20, 25/07/20
I suspect that I will spend the whole year in Scotland living at home. Fortunately, the highland midge doesn’t come this Far East, not does most of the rain. The furthest east I have experienced the little beasts was at Linn of Dee.


I've noticed that too - midges not nearly such a problem in the Cairngorms as in say Bridge of Orchy. Or (below) Beinglas at the head of Loch Lomond (shudder).


(https://i.ibb.co/qNfxPGt/Midge-armageddon.jpg)
Title: Re: Scotland Sans Bothies
Post by: Booga on 09:33:01, 25/07/20
I'm usually a bothy user too, and with the amount of upset landowners locking them due to misuse during lockdown I'm not going to risk upsetting more by sneaking into one like some seem to be doing on social media :(
Once the post lockdown madness has subsided and I feel like risking the long drive North I'll be taking a tent I've recently purchased. It's not ideal but at least it gets me outside and heading East might help me avoid the midges. I'd been meaning to buy a tent as a backup anyway as I prefer quiet bothy nights and wanted a plan B in case the "free party venue" brigade turn up.


I wonder if rentable climbing club huts are available yet? That might be an option.
Title: Re: Scotland Sans Bothies
Post by: richardh1905 on 10:02:37, 25/07/20
East, and camp high and somewhat exposed for best avoidance of midges.
Title: Re: Scotland Sans Bothies
Post by: myxpyr on 10:13:43, 25/07/20
I'm usually a bothy user too, and with the amount of upset landowners locking them due to misuse during lockdown I'm not going to risk upsetting more by sneaking into one like some seem to be doing on social media :(

Excellent sentiment O0
Title: Re: Scotland Sans Bothies
Post by: Birdman on 10:38:04, 25/07/20
I like multiday backpack adventures and wild camping in remote places, but in Scotland I also often just go by car, pitch my tent on a commercial campsite and make long day-hikes from there. In that case there are no weight restrictions so I just bring a 3-person tent (Vango Tempest 300) just for myself :) And I can fill the trunk of my car with all the food I want and lock it safely against rodents (which are a problem on commercial campsites).


To deal with midges in that case, I found that mosquito coils are really effective. Within a few minutes it kills all the midges that are perched on the inner tent and in the porch area, so lighting the coil is standard procedure before I exit my tent in the morning. It also enables cooking in the porch area. Midges are still annoying but these coils reduce it greatly.


(https://tp62cw.c2.acecdn.net/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/560x/17f82f742ffe127f42dca9de82fb58b1/h/i/highlander-mosquitocoil-600x600.jpg)
Title: Re: Scotland Sans Bothies
Post by: Stube on 19:47:11, 25/07/20
I find that a few drops of Citronella oil in your tent inner does a mavellous job of clearing them out O0 Phaarmacies stock it - usually in their essential oils section - and its#'s cheap.