When a good time to head up north?

Warthog

Warthog

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Reliving bike trips whilst sat at my desk....
This year, after thoroughly enjoying a overland trip on the GS, we have decided to carry on with some trips closer to home! After a pembrokeshire break in may, we would like to visit Scotland for a week-10 days.

We hope to ride around plenty but perhaps with a central place as a base. would like to do camping too: keep costs down and nice to wake up to a view of your choosing!!

I've noted the sticky on the Scotland page and will read this too

So when's best if we want to try and get some dry riding?? Initially we are thinking August.

Any suggestions?
 
Anytime I`ve enjoyed rides out in Scotland I`ve looked out for a settled weather pattern over a few days & went then. I suggest if you`re flexible enough do that as you can put money on it if you book a week the week before or after it will be perfect weather :D
 
Late April, May and early June. Otherwise Sept is generally OK.

July & Aug may be good (!) weather, but full of tourists and midges... :eek:

Kai
 
Warthog said:
midges should not be a problem.
Click to expand...
Famous last words....... :rolleyes: :rob

Best piece of kit that I own is a veil / net / bag type of thing with a polystyrene ring on the inside. You put it over your head and it prevents the midges from getting in. (Oh but they'll find a way!)
You can even drink your beer through it! :beerjug:

Kai
 
Warthog said:
We have plenty of mossi repellant so midges should not be a problem.
Click to expand...

Spoken like someone who's never camped in Glencoe or on Skye or anywhere else in the West Highlands in mid Summer......:augie
 
Not saying the midges up here are bad in the summer, but last year I'm sure I watched one fly past with a sparrow in its mouth. :D

Kai`s dates would still be the best to enjoy the roads :thumb
 
Kai has dates spot on

midges? secret is ................relax and let them have their wicked way with you.
That way they require less bites, so less bumps!!! :augie
or use skin so soft.

May in Glencoe and September at Ullapool - but stay away near the end of JUNE :hide
 
One night, camped outside Kingshouse in Glencoe, shutting time everyone heads back to tents getting eaten alive. Females arguing, car doors slamming, crying, tents taken down. I could barely sleep for laughing my ass off. Midgies do more for us than wallace ever did:mcgun

:thumb
 
cunning fox said:
One night, camped outside Kingshouse in Glencoe, shutting time everyone heads back to tents getting eaten alive. Females arguing, car doors slamming, crying, tents taken down. I could barely sleep for laughing my ass off. Midgies do more for us than wallace ever did:mcgun

:thumb
Click to expand...

Funny, that's exactly the scenario I was thinking of. Having put up the tent beside the Kingshouse wearing our headnets, my son and I were about to retire to the Climbers' Bar. More people arrived and attempted to set up camp. There were swarms of midges flying down kids' throats and into their eyes while they screamed and cried and shreiking women with clouds of midges in their hair. We donated our head nets to a couple and made a dash for the bar.

All that night, whenever the door to the bar opened, a cloud of midges would billow in, followed by shouts of "close the fucking door...!".

And then there's Glen Brittle......:rolleyes:

I guess that no amount of telling people can explain what it can be like, they have to experience it for themselves.
 
If you have not yet encountered the notorious Scottish Midge then take heed of all warnings on these pages!!
You can literally be eaten alive by these creatures !
There is a famous story of the midge which landed at an airstrip on the west coast and was filled up before crew realised what it was!!

If you camp, try to be away from trees,bushes,water and PRAY for wind!

fron one who has experienced and never forgotten (wild camping on Harris 1992)

other than that enjoy your trip!
 
The estate agents never told us aboot the midges when we were buying oor hoose. Or the planes either!

dunard
 
Mzokk said:
Check the forecast and go in settled weather. If you do its the best place to ride a bike in the world!! Its not bad if its wet either as there is plenty of grip in the roads:D ........but if it blows :augie
Click to expand...

August would be ideal for us, but we could go earlier and we'll take the midge fest on board. It seems they are quite tenacious little bugger then, eh?

As for weather, having a 9-5, I'll be booking our dates about a month ahead, so if it rains it rains, and there's not much we can do.

As for the wind, I'm not too worried: it is unlikely to be any worse than Argentine Patagonia in spring...if it even gets close...:eek:
 
Aye we had a Heep of Austrian biker friends staying with us one year and one of the guys just could not endure the midges in fact he was so pissed off with them that he rode through the night until he stopped at Dover (just as well as there would have been a hell of a splash) 2 days into a 10 day holiday. Normally he is quite a hardy soul doing rock climbing Ice climbing and out for the UN doing work in Africa but the humble midge made him beat a retreat his parting shot was loosely translated as "bloody Scottish Luftwaffe"
Anyway on a brighter note when the weather is fine its hard to beat the Highlands for scenery and good biking roads we are certainly spoilt up here.
 
Nothing's guaranteed up here!

But on the whole, I'd stick to earlier or later. May is usually good. September too. Less touroids grockling at the views too.
 
Surprising how hot it can get in the saddle some days as well in Scotland. Even if we are as far North as Moscow!

dunard
 
Go for speyside / cairngorm area and you tend to get fewer midges (billions rather than squillions) as well as generally drier weather. If the forecast looks dry and breezy head to the west for a day trip!
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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