Nice straightforward video! Thanks for sharing your observations and tips. Very refreshing to get such valuable Scotland tips without loads of just pretty loch flybys. I mean, lochs are great but also good to know I might want to check Newcastle for a rental. 😊
@@cdcurry1203 You also don't get them all the time. They usually start to become more active about late May and in the Autumn they eventually die off, perhaps about October. Even in the summer though, they do not like wind, as they are too small to fly against it and also they seem to dislike strong sunlight, so they are not a problem in even a breeze and are unlikely to be during the day, if it is hot and sunny. They can tolerate rain, but not heavy downpours. They like drizzle though and overcast conditions. Another thing is that they are generally worse at night, but if the temperature drops during the night, they become less active. If you camp in Scotland in the summer though, it is best to zip up your tent as soon as you enter or exit it in order to keep the little brutes at bay. If you ever stay in a bothy, they tend to be a bit more midge proof and also, if you get a fire going (which may be less necessary in the summer, right enough) they do not like the smoke from it. As has been mentioned though, you are safe from disease from them. You can get ticks though and they can carry Lymes disease. You can Google stuff about that though, before you visit Scotland, if you intend to. I personally know only one person who has had that and I know a lot of outdoorsy people.
I'm going to Scotland in June and can't wait to see the beautiful landscape of the Highlands. We will be driving for 7 day's so thank you for the tips. Cheers from Canada 🇨🇦 👍
I know sometimes tourists have a bad experience because of their expectations. Another one to add is the infrastructure can get overwhelmed at the busy times and its best to make sure you have things and arrangements sorted out in advance yourself, don't nesceseraly expect the guest house, hotel, to solve it for you again because they can get totally overwhelmed as well, don't just turn up unprepared expecting to wing it, it won't go well
It is well worth checking out hostels esp. if you are younger or more adventurous. As in the rest of UK, petrol/diesel is normally cheapest at large supermarkets. August is horrendously busy esp. Edinburgh/route 500 and often has less good weather and shorter daylight than June. For walkers, do check for local groups, always take an OS map and compass, be well prepared and tell someone of your route and expected return time. It is not like the English Lake District, with a pub close at hand.
One other wee point about booking in advance, is if visiting any of the isles that require a ferry trip in high season, book your tickets months in advance At the same time you book your accommodation as you could yourself with accommodation and no means of getting there as the ferry is booked out.
If you're traveling in the Highlands Make sure you've got your groceries by 5 all the shops shut A hat with brim and a head net over it is good for midge's Midge's can't fly when the wind is over 12 mph I've seen people sit with a stand fan behind them to keep the Midge's at bay also Avon skin so soft is a good Midge repellent it's better than the expensive stuff and it smells nicer You'll find it for sale in most outdoor shops
I, living currently in Germany, have another point of view regarding the cellphone coverage. I had almost everywhere but in the mountains or near to a loch, a 4G! I would also add, that they have almost no traffic lights so they have everywhere roundabouts. Those were a bit challenging for us. Also, also, listen to the locals. We did not ask, for example in Edinburgh, for a place to have the tea time. We got to a nice Café, where I ordered a small cheesecake, it was literally a small-tiny - non existent cake, I swear it was like a cookie size. Tourist mistake!
I guess you have a better cell phone provider than I do ;) And I totally forgot about all the different roundabouts, but I like roundabouts so that’s good :-)
Midges form in their 1000, so keep your sleeves covered, purchase a midge net which covers your face! Also beware of clegs, which look like blue bottles, but these blighters take a large bite as to suck your blood! Even the cattle/live stock are frightened of them! Apart from that - Scotland has more too offer that a viaduct!!! Pitlockery is very popular with tourists, but 20 miles west of Pitlockery there is a small village called Rannoch! On your travel there (by road) you can stop at Queens view, which is a view point looking over the Loch! It is a loch, carry on to Rannoch and climb Craig Var, once you are at the top, you will view two Lochs - Loch Rannoch and Loch Tummel. You can hire a pod which is situated behind the café, the pod sleeps 4. The café soup of the day is fabulous along with huge scones if you are hungry! Your camera will be well used when taken panoramic pictures! You could even drive on to Rannoch station, read in how the railway was built, then take the steam train over the famous Viaduct! Rannoch has a club which is timeshare holiday lets which look over the Loch, bikes/boat/canoe/wind surf etc! There are two hotels in Rannoch, I would suggest Rannoch hotel which looks over the loch! Loch Rannoch is 27 miles radius if one is wanting to cycle! Rannoch is a great area if one likes a hike, even climb the Schiehallion, it's huge, but the view is breath taken! I know, as we have been going there for well over 35 years! - There are no clegs there, midges only in the evening!
Thanks for information on the free maps. I'm moving to Scotland in a few months. Only thing I can think of that you forgot was midges prefer marshy areas, mostly on the western side of Scotland and only in Summer months. (If Google information was correct)
Not true . Midges can be a nuisance in most rural areas in Scotland but particularly so in Highlands. Anywhere that has vegetation to hold moisture. They are more numerous and bite more at certain times of the year. Winter is best time to escape them.
Any where in the UK is covered by incredibly good quality mapping if you can get UTM mapping that's down to 1 in 10,000 basically every single hedge row is on the map but the whole country is covered by 1 in 50,000 these maps will show every stand of trees every electrical pylon every foot path trigger points the works these maps are available in any good book store if you need more than 1 in 50,000 i.e. UTM your a surveyor or something like that.
Note on transport that you can take bikes and e-bikes on with you if it isn't really busy, I get trains half price, so I can take my bike anywhere in the country for a reasonable price.
Amazing job, thank you very much. This video is the most helpful, informative and practical travel tip video I ever watched. Could dye your hair ginger red to make the video look more persuasive? Kidding
Here's a tip for camping don't use tents ,use hammock basher and fine mesh insect net,it's far lighter ,cuts down on yurr costs on rooms etc ,and standing waters never good-the midgees,concrete,sunshine and running water near yurr camp cuts down on em,
I’d love to go back to Scotland! There are talks of starting a ferry line from Groningen to Scotland. That would be very convenient for me, I’ll be over much more :-)
I am very excited to plan my first visit to magical Scotland. I am from the northeast U.S. and I am looking into a good visit to determine if Scotland will be for me. I am a nature freak and I hike for hours. I am not a fan of cold ocean waters, but all the nature options seem too good to be true. 😃 I am coming Scotland! 🏴
I too am coming to Scotland in May. Bringing my elderly mother for her dream trip. Thank you for these tips, much appreciated! I do have to ask for honest answers. I'm Canadian and I was thinking of renting a car but I am really worried about the driving on the opposite side of the road. We are going to Edinburgh for a few days then heading to the highlands as that's where our ancestors were from. Do you think I should try renting a car?
Do not underestimate how annoying midges are. I have met lots of people coming to Scotland who initially scoff at the idea of what midges are like. They quickly learn! Especially on still, wet days.
@@StimParavane well I worked out of doors on Orkney for 6 weeks at a time over 7 years and it worked for me. Plus you can put it on your face without worrying about getting it in your eyes unlike most insect repellents. And unlike deep etc it doesn't contain ddt or other environmental nasties. So sucks to the study - I'll stick to using it.
As a scott I would have to say you got it spot on, but I didn't know anything about a midge website so will have to check it out next summer and see how accurate it is
In regards to midges it depends on where you go. In the cities not a problem but in the highlands on the west coast you’ll be devoured from May to October. No slap on solution has ever worked for me I so stay inside when they’re most active; dusk and dawn. Midge head nets and covering yourself up works as well. Also if you’re camping/backpacking get yourself up 500ft on a ridge line; the wind up there should take care of them.
they honsetly swarm to hell and back... emm.... there are things that stop them.. some skin moisturisers they hate the taste of.. "skin so soft" I think it the brand
it is honestly only an issue on the west.. I do not know why... split scotland in half and the west you will get eaten by midgies... the east ... emm... they kind of exist but never bite............... the same swarms but never.. anything
A bothy is a no frills house in the hills ,has a fire 🔥 to burn some wood,the kayak trails in Scotland are good as well toilets and shelters along the coasts and deep in the hills if u know where!!Google knows,if u wanna see Scotland in depth watch weirs way,
Hi David great video and tips. We are driving up from London next week and the harry potter train Jacobite is booked out already. Can you please tell me the Scotrail train route is called which is the local option ? Also whT is the option if we drive Is there a road we can use instead?
Being a true Scotsman such as myself, midgies don`t bother me in fact, i can walk through swarms of them without any worries but, if you`re not a true Scotsman or have some in your history, here`s a wee tip : Never put on any perfume, aftershave or deodorants, not wash your clothes in perfumed powder/liquid as its sure to attract 1000`s of them. The midge was given to the Scots by God to stop the English from overstaying their welcome so, remember that when you come here.
"Beautiful roads..." I'll give you that. But word of warning, our roads evolved organically over thousands of years. That means some of the corners have corners in them. In fact, the only straight bits on the older roads tend to be vertical. My New York uncle drove my aunt from Bannockburn to Inverness on their anniversary and then swore never to drive in Scotland again
Gordon Shand I haven’t been to Europe since the early 1980s (American military,) but it sounds like a lot of things have changed...a lot! Back then, most people and businesses in most countries accepted any currency, albeit with a slight nudge of the exchange rate in their favor for that convenience. But it’s very surprising to see that the English won’t always accept currency from another UK country. Does it have much to do with Brexit, the Euro, and all of that mess? I found it to be generally inconvenient to have to exchange currency all the time.
Unfortunately, not many Scottish notes get into England, so people in local shops are unfamiliar with them, especially as there are two seperate sets off designs from Clydesdale and Royal Bank of Scotland. It is very, very irritating when the notes are questioned, especially when twits ask if you've got any English notes instead. I'm English living in Scotland, and I cringe every time this happens.
Must actually be a limited area of Scotland you encountered? I just got back, yesterday, from two weeks. Coming from the states, I changed my money in Washington DC. From Edinburgh, to Orkney Island, to Donnie and Donnen Castle, NOBODY even commented on the British version of UK pounds. I stayed with local people, bought food at markets, as well as the "Top Five" tourist sites. Scotland lives off of tourism.
Hi sir, I'm a bit late to the party, but I was wondering if I might be able to get your email so i could fire off a couple of questions about Iran (hopefully I'm going to drive there next year!)
@@DavidBakker Ok cheers mate! 1. Basically I'm in a relatively lucky position whereby I'm a dual french UK national, but I was wondering if this would pose any problems; like if I get in with my french passport will I still need a guide because I'm half english? 2. Are there any areas that are seriously ropey (travel advice says Baluchistan is an absolute no go for instance!) 3. With the driving, I've heard that in some places (Khazakhstan seems particularly notorious) the police will just arbitrarily detain you in order to extract money, does this sort of thing go on in Iran? 4. Any places you particularly recommend someone should go see? 5. Is wild camping ok? So say I fancy just going for a wee trek up a hill of some kind, would I be alright to leave my car somewhere random and pitch a tent just anywhere? 6. Have you ever felt at all unsafe when you've been, and if so where? 7. Any serious prep I should get stuck into before I go? Thank you so much, apologies for the somewhat lengthy post!
@@bobbeverley5398 1. Don't think it will be a problem at all, they even welcome American guests 2. That something I'm not very familiair with, I only visited one place which felt a little dodgy (clothing market in a part far from Tehran center) 3. I got pulled over by the police whilst driving in Iran, the policeman was very ashamed of his English and that he had to fine me for speeding (I was 20 over the limit). I had to pay $5, or the rental place had to. So that was official police, well within their right, no issues. 4. To me it's about the people in Iran, not the places. As long as you get to spend time with locals.. But Isfahan is very much worth it. 5. Camping.. I don't know! Haven't tried it in Iran. 6. Only in a dodgy part of Tehran which I would never have found without a friend finding the place for me 7. Couple of Persian words are really really helpful and highly appreciated, find pictures of food you like the looks of so you know what you want to try, take pictures from home with you to show them, and if you can, bring your local sweet treat to hand out to friends in Iran (they love sweet treats).
Tip no 7 (6:24) : the remote places are *REALLY* remote. So if I go to one of these places, there's a chance I'll be stuck there... and become a part of Scotland for all eternity... :0
Awww man midges are evil the worst times are may to September . You can but repellent out mostly any shop in Scotland but I don’t believe it wokrs😭😭😭😭😭 lol for people that have seen the first lord of the rings movie. One of the i thing it was Merry they was walking threw a swamp like place and said what do they when they can’t have hobbit 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Wee lost then turned English all they prob wanted is for us to turn English and let us say our word (get the shi5 outta here and they got the woop out sorry for swearing :c also if wee speaker the same language wee were before wee would get headed or.. be in police you don't wanna be headed.. its a thing Where's there's a kn!fe and it chops your head.
There's scrimping and there's not throwing money away unnecessarily. For instance, you can buy whisky in the tartan draped tourist shops with a muzak version of Scotland the Brave playing in the foreground or you can buy the selfsame thing in a local supermarket at far less. (Probably cheaper at the distilleries but distillery tours aren't my thing so I don't know). A lot of the tours can be easily, cheaply and much more flexibly done on public transport if you put in a modicum of research.
