Our First Trip To Scotland

if you are at Morrisons at Fort William fill up with fuel. Petrol stations are few and far between in that area.

Midges! They're already here!

Avoid shady pitches, pick something out in the open sunshine, and if possible, elevated to gain the maximum from sea breezes etc. During the summer, I look for something on or as near to a beach, or as high as I can get. Inside the van I use citronella candles. Avoid the cheap ones. They are not a cure, but they help keep the blighters down. I am told that eating foods high in vitamin B1 make the human form unpalatable to them.

If you really do get pestered, get a midge hat.

Finally, there are numerous models of gatling guns on the market, none of them work, you can trust me on that one.

Unfortunately midges are part of the Scottish way, so you are really looking to manage the situation, rather than cure it. Kill one, and a thousand relatives turn up for the funeral.

Bunree is a great site, and the local area is a wonderful introduction to holidays and caravanning north of the border. Enjoy it. ;-)

Some say garlic flavored skin is not attractive to them but they still like to eat me!

Avon Soft Skin or Geet repelants are your best bet.

This is a recipe for two, to repel midges. Take half a bottle of vodka (preferably Polish), tip some out onto your hands, and rub all over your exposed skin, the midges do not like vodka. Drink the remaining vodka.

"Here" as in IOW or Scotland? Either way, not good news - another aspect of climate change?

Scotland of course ;-) I must sort my location again.

Climate change? Well something is broken with the weather. Another winter has passed with little snow and high temperatures. Even the farmers and crofters are not jumping for joy, because parasites and bugs are positively thriving. Than means more cost for animal treatment.

I don't think any amount of wind farms will change things, especially when wood chips are being burnt in huge quantities like its going out of fashion.

Your correct, not good news. Make the most of what we have, while its still here.

I am also planning a trip to the west coast of Scotland thanks for all

the useful comments they will be a great help

Sounds  like  it  could  be  busy  with  Club  Members,  Bigal --

Just  hope  you  don't  bump  into  any  of  them    !!

When are we all heading up there? Our trip, our first serious trip with our caravan, is planned for April. And I too am grateful for all the comments here!

We're wondering how flexible the sites are at that time of the year, whether they get booked up or if there's a degree of last minute availability - the weather's going to play a part in how much we feel like moving on, or coastwards, or further inland, and that's not predictable from this far ahead.