Highlands & islands

Where you go, where you stay and everything to do with getting there and back.

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t25driver
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Re: Highlands & islands

Post by t25driver »

roj62 wrote:My worst midge experience was climbing Ben Klibreck in Sutherland (far north west) stopped the car in a lay-by at 8 am and started to get into hiking gear. I was wearing black long sleeved top and when i looked down it had turned grey! every square inch was covered in midges going mental! I was even being button on my eyes! (id parked up first thing in the morning next to a big swampy area so they and just hatched and i was breakfast!) Proceeded to walk up the mountain very fast. as soon as i stopped the cloud would catch me up! I was at about 1800ft before i got too high for them and they gave up!

The two most notorious midge campsites in Scotland are Red Squirrel in Glencoe (next to the washing up area is like midge ibeza) and Sligachan on Skye.

As with everyone else id agree Avon SSS is the best! we've got half a dozen bottles in the van! and never been let down.

:-)
1 night at sligachan on skye is all we could take there was swarms of them even the toilet blocks were grey inside there was no escape
its a pity as its a great view at sligachan and friendly owner

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Madwitch
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Re: Highlands & islands

Post by Madwitch »

Hi Martin. Plan so far is that we are staying at Bamburgh (3 Aug); Loch Tay (4 August); Port A Bhaig near Ullapool (5 August, and possibly 6th). Over to Stornoway from Ullapool and then about 10-12 nights just bimbling around Harris, Lewis, Skye, Berneray, North Uist, South Uist, Barra and back to Oban on 21 or 22 Aug ready to RTTH on 24th. We're hoping to meet up with Little Miss Sunshine at some stage on Harris/Lewis too. I'll pm you my phone number then when you are in the area text me and we'll see where we're up to. Be good to meet up. You going in the stealth camper or the big bus?
Carolyn

The Witch is in!

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Madwitch
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Re: Highlands & islands

Post by Madwitch »

Anyone else on the same trail at the same time? PM me your mobile number - I'm sure we could set up an 80-90 meet!
Carolyn

The Witch is in!

72BUG
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Re: Highlands & islands

Post by 72BUG »

Change of plan for us. Sick and tired of the crappy weather so we're going to Bulgaria for 5 weeks instead. :wink:
Martin.

Diesel is an engine not a fuel.

I liked camping so much I went full time.

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Madwitch
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Re: Highlands & islands

Post by Madwitch »

Well that's the first leg of the ferry booked - from Ullapool to Stornoway 10.25am on Monday 6 August. We're trying to book a trip out to St Kilda with SeaHarris - we'll be in the area for 5-6 days so hopefully it will be fit to go on one of them. Hoping to meet up with Little Miss Sunshine in Harris/Lewis too.
Carolyn

The Witch is in!

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LittleMissSunshine
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Re: Highlands & islands

Post by LittleMissSunshine »

Am chuffed to bits our schedules match. Looking forward to the trip soooo much! Bought my head midge net ready :D
1988 transporter caravelle Komet. 1.9 petrol.

schizowife
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Re: Highlands & islands

Post by schizowife »

Am back from a month on the Hebrides (or western isles as they are now known) and i cannot wait to go back, The islands are stunning, will post some pics in a bit but you will not be disappointed. We were very very lucky though as it hasn't rained properly over there since April/May and we even got sunburnt!!!St kilda's was just amazing although be prepared for the blooming great green huts right infront of the village as there is an army base there (we weren't aware of this as all the pics of the village we had seen didn't show any of those buildings and was a tad bit dissapointed when we first set eyes on it). The guys who work for Seamus on sea harris are a lovely and looked after we very well while i was hanging over the side throwing up!!!!! The trip around the Stacs, boray and Soay are just unimaginable, with over 200,000 nesting birds flying about it was an experience i will never forget. Make sure you have stout footwear and good waterproofs. We actually didn't even need waterproofs as they are having a drought over there at the moment and we had to flush the toilet with buckets of sea water!!! :ok


Going back in November to see what its like in the winter with a view to going back for good when our daughter goes to Uni next september :D

schizowife
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Re: Highlands & islands

Post by schizowife »

Little miss sunshine, the only place we even saw a midge while on the isles was while driving the committee road which cuts across the moor area on North uist (where we had a short eared owl flying alongside the van for ages just looking us up and down). But when we got onto Skye it was midge heaven!!!

schizowife
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Re: Highlands & islands

Post by schizowife »

And you will not be short of places to wildcamp either, we never stayed on a site until we got to skye, stayed in some really stunning spots with amazing views. And you can take photos at anytime of day or night as it never really got that dark at all!!!

schizowife
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Re: Highlands & islands

Post by schizowife »

72BUG wrote:Change of plan for us. Sick and tired of the crappy weather so we're going to Bulgaria for 5 weeks instead. :wink:


We had two days when we had a little bit of drizzle and the rest of the time it was glorious sunshine :ok

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LittleMissSunshine
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Re: Highlands & islands

Post by LittleMissSunshine »

Aaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

So excited now! We go a week on Sunday !!! Hope the good weather holds for us. St Kilda trip on Sea Harris booked, thanks for tip off about green huts.


I want to go now!
1988 transporter caravelle Komet. 1.9 petrol.

schizowife
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Re: Highlands & islands

Post by schizowife »

And I want to go back NOW!!!! :lol:

schizowife
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Re: Highlands & islands

Post by schizowife »

JUST A FEW PICS OF OUR VISIT TO WET YOUR APPETITE, THESE WERE ALL TAKEN IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY AT VATERSAY, BARRA, THE SOUTHERN MOST ISLAND
Image

Image

Image

Even cows fancy a day at the beach
Image

Image

Image

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LittleMissSunshine
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Re: Highlands & islands

Post by LittleMissSunshine »

The most amazing pictures. I really hope the weather holds!!!

Snorkelling is meant to be amazing - am thinking of taking my wetsuit and snorkel.
1988 transporter caravelle Komet. 1.9 petrol.

schizowife
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Re: Highlands & islands

Post by schizowife »

A word of warning for those with LPG, there is apparently only one place on the whole of the islands that does LPG and i believe that is in Stornoway but we were told that they wouldn't be selling it for very long!!!

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