Midges 1, Hikers 0

Highland Midges (pronounced “mi-jees”) are nasty wee biting beasties, roughly the size of your fingernail, but with the ambition of much larger predators!

Scottish midges are tiny, gnat-like flies, about 1-3mm in size, much smaller than mosquitoes but significantly more obnoxious.

The problem?

You never get just one.

They arrive in swarms, determined to turn your scenic hike into a full-scale battle for survival.

These relentless little nuisances dominate the Highlands from June to September, with a particular fondness for humid, damp conditions and shady spots.

Seemingly, they’re most active at dawn and dusk, presumably because they enjoy making sure you start and end your day in absolute misery.

And so, with great enthusiasm (and just a hint of trepidation), we set off on our 96-mile trek along the West Highland Way to raise money for Mary’s Meals on May 28th for nine days of adventure, blisters, and, most likely a few midges too.

Well maybe, lots and lots of midges.

Yesterday, on the advice of a dear friend, I invested in a midge-proof head net.

I put it on this morning and felt utterly ridiculous!

What do you think?

But I’m not stopping there.

My anti-midge survival kit will also include:

– Light-coloured clothing (because apparently, midges prefer dark colours)

– Avon Skin So Soft (allegedly a midge repellent)

– Bite treatment lotion (Sudocrem – because hope is not a strategy)

I’ve also been assured that midges prefer some people over others, so I can only hope that I’m one of the lucky ones.

Don’t forget you can donate to Mary’s Meals by clicking in the link below in the comments.

Let the adventure begin!