# Western isles Scotland May/June ?18



## mikenewson (Oct 7, 2014)

Hi all,
Hoping to do a tour here next spring/summer.
Anyone got any tips?


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

The midges depending on the weather

We always avoided summer for that reason.

Beautiful area though.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Which ones you going to? There are lots.

I prefer the lower islands like Arran and Mull to the outer Hebrides myself.


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

Take an umbrella and mossie repellent. You may need neither but just as likely you might need one or the other (or both) quite a lot.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Bookmark this site for when it opens in the spring. https://www.smidgeup.com/midge-forecast/

Amazingly accurate and well worth looking at as you plan your trips. Avoid anywhere with a forecast over 3. May and June should be ok though and ive never had issues on the islands outside those times either as its usually blowing a hooley.


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Re: Midges

It might be worth doing some research as I read somewhere that Johnson & Johnson do a baby product that repells the blighters, as do Avon. Neither product is a midge repllent per se but fends them off as a by-product of their original use, apparantly.

Graham :smile2:


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

I loved Lewis and Harris

Calmac ferry - Ullapool (good site on estuary where ferries come in) to Stornaway. On Lewis stayed at Eilean Fraolich campsite and Laxdale at Stornoway.

Back via Tarbert (Harris) to Uig, Skye. Slept overnight in terminal parking for early ferry. Great drive back via Kyle of Lochalsh, Ballachulish and Loch Lomond. Stayed over CC Bunree. Fab sight on edge of a loch, and a sleep n go overnighter at Green Frog, Moffat. Booking recommended though only 5 spots and its only a fiver, so its busy. Beautiful drive through W. Highlands.

Interesting point - L& H islanders don't do Sundays except to go to church. No washing, no fuel, nothing open, well next to nothing.

For insight into island character read Peter May's books The Blackhouse Trilogy. Jolly Good Read anyway, as are his other Enzo McLeod books, recommend the ones set in France.


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

GMJ said:


> Re: Midges
> 
> It might be worth doing some research as I read somewhere that Johnson & Johnson do a baby product that repells the blighters, as do Avon. Neither product is a midge repllent per se but fends them off as a by-product of their original use, apparantly.


The Avon one is called Skin so Soft and is some sort of oil based product. Graham's post was timely as there are mossies where we are at the moment and it reminded me to spay some on. We think it's generally been effective although one of my children used it in SE Asia when travelling and the mossies ignored it and carried on biting!


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## Garcia (Mar 5, 2010)

The outer Hebs are stunning, but the weather was awful when we were there. The rain goes horizontal and the weather changes 10 times a day.
The roads are scary if you’ve a big van. They are mostly single track out of the big towns, but with lots of passing places. Still needcare tho.
Sunday’s are Dead. Even the golf course is closed. And recently the sports centre and swimming pool and the excellent arts centre in Stornoway lost votes to allow them Sunday opening.
We found only the Chinese and Indian takeaways and a couple of pubs only opening on a Sunday.
Outside of Stornoway and Tarbert there are few pubs. A few hotels with non residents bars can be found in the more tourist locations, but there is no real “pub” culture up there.
Not a cheap place either. Everything is ferri d in and so prices are quite high.
Garcia


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## mikenewson (Oct 7, 2014)

Ta guys all interesting.
Probably Skye arran mull and a route north.
Are ferries expensive?
Any wild camping allowed?


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Most ferries are much cheaper than they used to be because of the equivelent road fair tariff subsides they started doing a few years ago.

Wilding is fine on most of the islands but some are tightening the rules I gather.


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

mikenewson said:


> Ta guys all interesting.
> Probably Skye arran mull and a route north.
> Are ferries expensive?
> Any wild camping allowed?


Have a look at the Calmac website it's very comprehensive. They do a thing called Hopscotch tickets where you can buy a bundle of tickets to visit a selected group of islands. It's no cheaper than buying them separately but it's a convenient way of planning a trip to a particular group of islands.


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## Garcia (Mar 5, 2010)

caulkhead said:


> Have a look at the Calmac website it's very comprehensive. They do a thing called Hopscotch tickets where you can buy a bundle of tickets to visit a selected group of islands. It's no cheaper than buying them separately but it's a convenient way of planning a trip to a particular group of islands.


Make sure you check the timings on these. We looked at them but found the timing of crossings didn't suit what we planned. Had no prob getting a crossing whenever we wanted one tho .....
Garcia


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## caulkhead (Jul 25, 2007)

Garcia said:


> Make sure you check the timings on these. We looked at them but found the timing of crossings didn't suit what we planned. Had no prob getting a crossing whenever we wanted one tho .....
> Garcia


Hi Garcia, I don't quite understand your post. It's my understanding that Hopscotch tickets are available on any crossing on your chosen route. Calmacs prices are the same for any given crossing regardless of what time of day you travel, and since the Hopscotch tickets are not discounted, then I think you are free to travel on any available crossing.

Regards Andy


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## Garcia (Mar 5, 2010)

It was a couple of years ago that we looked at them. We went Skye, uig, Tarbert Stornoway Ullapool, and I remember that the timings didn’t suit. If I remember correct, they had to be used within so many days of each crossing and we couldn’t fit that in with our planned trip and meeting up with family.
Just think it would be worth a read of the small print if one was thinking of getting one.
Maybe it’s easier now or at least different.
G


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

Speaking only for L & H, there seemed to be no shortage of places to wild camp, and I never heard anyone complain of being chased off. The people I know just wondered down towards the beaches and found a cosy spot. It's very quiet and unpopulated there, and that was in July.

Sure Barryd and Tuggy have recommendations on Arran and maybe others.


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## VenturerDave (Oct 2, 2009)

I believe that Avon changed the formula for their skin care lotion that repelled midges so no longer effective.
of course they may have changed the formula back again, who knows.


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## mikenewson (Oct 7, 2014)

What is the Johnson & Johnson product called please


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## Pat-H (Oct 30, 2009)

The Johnson Johnson product was actually Avon Skin so soft. But they changed the formulation a while back and its not as effective now.


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