Scotland Isle of Skye in Early May

texfoto

texfoto

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I happen to be in Glasgow in early May. I have a chance to stay up that way and head further into Scotland. I wanted to either stay on the Isle of Skye but I think that means I need to stay for a few days.

I obviously want to take pictures of the area and maybe end my trip in the Cairgorns if I can.

I have a large tent for my stay. Any recommendations? Am I making a mistake with the midges? How bad could they be in early May? Are they worse on Skye or Cairgorns?

Regards,
Mike
 
Early May is generally when I expect to see them appears, but it does vary.

I'm not sure about Skye but this year in the NW of the mainland has been very mild - some very warm days in Feb and March and the last week or so has also been very mild. Therefore the midges could be out in force early. The only times I have known there to be very few are if there is prolonged very dry spell.

I don't know the Cairngorms but I've had some of the worst midges I have ever experienced in Skye, but that was in late July/August, however, anywhere is just as likely to be rough if the conditions are right.

However, do not be put off by them. For those of us who get bitten they are horrendous but it is a price worth paying, IMO, for some exceptional scenery.

Some people are lucky in not being too badly affected by midges - these are the blessed; for the rest of us there are plenty of products to deter the midge.

The DEET based ones are IMO the best but they have unfortunate side effects - they melt plastics(not great if for camera owners) and I find they numb my lips and sting the eyes.
My current favourite is Smidge. It is just about as good as DEET ones but without the side effects.

Haven't camped on Skye for years but the campsite at Loch Greshhornish was good as was the one at Staffin.

Hope you have a great time.


Dave
 
Many thanks for your reply Dave. I'm stuck with the time of month so I guess I just need to bite the bullet as they say and enjoy it. I'll look into Smidge.
 
Stick with natural citronella essential oils. Deet is very toxic and smidge fairly useless. As long as you keep moving or there is wind they won't get you anyway. I never found them such a big deal
 
texfoto said:
I have a large tent for my stay.
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You haven't said what type of large tent that is, though. Some tents are more wind-proof than others, and the word 'large' rings an alarm bell. There can be gales at any season especially near the coast, but I suppose you're going by car and could sleep in it if the tent collapses?

When you're going is pretty early in the season for midges, but every year's different, they don't have a set start date. They find me so tasty that I've never found a repellent that works. Other people seem to be impervious to them - I think it might be half personal metabolism and half personal temperament. Aren't they worse in the west than in the east (being associated with wet ground)?

I have the impression that your time up there is short - it sounds a bit compressed and desperate - you're not sure where to go, distances in the Highlands are relatively large, and the cloud can be down for days at a time. But overall, my message is just to relax about all of that, be ready to improvise, and concentrate on having a good time as effort and serendipity allow.

Clue in to the weather forecasts, especially the more detailed mountain & shipping ones.
 
droj said:
going by car and could sleep in it if the tent collapses
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Large estate / SUV or a van is the very best tent and more you will ever have. I wouldn't bother with that exposed insecure cloth unless you want to lug it to the mountain tops.
 
The less windy spots are where the midges are worst, but agree they aren't usually too bad in May.
That's often the best weather of the year up there too and you already have very long days.
 
All you need is a 5mph breeze and you will be midge free.
Skye is an island so you will always have a coastal breeze so "may" be less bothered by midges there.
Inland is a different story though.

The Cairngorm National Park is an amazing place, my favourite location as I live an hours drive away.
Most photographers visit the Aviemore area but I much prefer the southern and eastern part of the park as there is as loads to shoot and generally quieter - wildlife, castles, waterfalls, forests, lochs, distilleries etc
The CNP is huge so a lot of photo opportunities can involve a bit of a trek, however, there's lots to see from the roadside.

Enjoy your trip (y)
 
Good info on the midges. I'll be walking around closer to the coastlines so I suspect I'll be fine with the wind and some chemical protection and clothing.

Regarding the tent, when I say large, I mean I can stand in it and it is more rectangular and tall than it is short and aerodynamic. Sounds like I'll be catching a lot of wind. I'm only taking this because I already own it. I guess this all depends on which camp site I stay at (which one is the windiest).
 
Have you planned locations to visit yet? I'm up in Skye (first time) later in May, and even for 6-7 days there seems too much to go at!!!! Mines with the family though so it'll only be either a sunrise or sunset each day
 
popcorn said:
Have you planned locations to visit yet? I'm up in Skye (first time) later in May, and even for 6-7 days there seems too much to go at!!!! Mines with the family though so it'll only be either a sunrise or sunset each day
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I have several of the picturesque sites planned. I'm not able to get to all of them with a sunrise/sunset but I'm ok with that for some of the sites anyway. I provided a link below with some locations.

Skye Photography Hotspots

Family won't be with me so this works well. I was planning on a road trip to a few areas in Scotland but it is difficult to do with my limited time so I'm keeping it to just the Isle of Skye and a few locations along the way. I've been to Ben Nevis so I think will hit the Glen Coe area on my way up from Glasgow and that's about it before I have to drive back home later in the week.
 
Looks like you have a great trip planned. Some of your locations are on my list too, along with a couple of others
 
Get up on the Black Cuillin - the most uncompromisingly rocky hills in Britain, the stoniest landscapes you can find.

Amongst them too is the remarkable Coruisk, a dramatic glacially-carved trench harbouring a freshwater loch that nearly reaches the sea.
 
droj said:
Get up on the Black Cuillin - the most uncompromisingly rocky hills in Britain, the stoniest landscapes you can find.

Amongst them too is the remarkable Coruisk, a dramatic glacially-carved trench harbouring a freshwater loch that nearly reaches the sea.
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I have just had a look at this. Which type of map would you recommend to navigate this area, or any of the walks on Skye? There are OS Landranger and OS Explorer ordinance maps out there. Not sure which are better for detail and walking remote areas. I would only do a day hike for this. I’d love to wild camp but it will have to be another time.
 
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OS Explorer my first choice. The Cuillin ridge is serious territory - though sections of it are walkable, much requires scrambling and some requires climbing. Explorers are good for showing field boundaries which hardly applies in that sort of country even in the glen, so I feel that you can navigate ok in mountains with a Landranger. On the actual Cuillin a magnetic compass is unreliable so traditionally you'd navigate more by relating the shape of the ground to the map.

Much of the rock is abrasive gabbro, which is good for grip but tough on boots and clothing.

Glenbrittle used to have a campsite, and Sligachan. Coruisk is hemmed round by those rugged peaks but there is access from the sea and there used to be a powerboat running trips to its mouth from Elgol, I think. It would be a place to spend some hours or even a whole day, so the first boat out and the last one back could work?

You can walk from Elgol, though it's a fair step and there's a rock traverse exposed above the sea. Stunning place. It can rain for days but sooner or later there'll be a break. Weather breaks can be mercurial. Atlantic weather.

https://www.walkingbritain.co.uk/walk-1166-description
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/skye/lochcoruisk.shtml

https://www.360cities.net/ge_image/...utm_source=google_earth&utm_medium=all_images
 
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Skye can be very bad for midges and they are out early this year, at least where I am and I’m on the east coast of the Highlands. Generally, the west coast is worse for them. If you’re not bothered about street cred invest in a midge jacket, it’s a lot better than keeping on applying any form of deterrent, they tend to be oily and you have to reapply if you are perspiring as it washes off.
 
Just got back home from Skye (11 hour drive!!!). First time visit for us and we all loved the place, absolutely stunning. I didn't get out as much as hoped with the camera, but first and foremost it was a family holiday. I had some Smidge but didn't need it all, the midges never bothered us.
 
Glad you had a good time and that you didn’t have any problems with the wee midgies!
 
I made it out there as well. It didn't rain once in 4 days. Almost didn't think I was in Scotland.

Buachaille Etive Mòr with the early morning light revealing itself.
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From the top of Sgùrr Alasdair looking down towards Glenbrittle Camp Site. Light wasn't the best but the view made up for it.
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I think I was in Glencoe when you took that picture of the Buachaille - the sky looks familiar. That was the best week of the year - you got very lucky. Normally it is a high wind wet misery of a place.

2nd picture - down by the River. If you saw the white Lexus parked up on the A82 layby just past Kinghouse - that was me :D

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/three-from-this-week-in-glencoe.696213/
 
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SFTPhotography said:
I think I was in Glencoe when you took that picture of the Buachaille - the sky looks familiar. That was the best week of the year - you got very lucky. Normally it is a high wind wet misery of a place.
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I was in Glen Coe on the 13th and 14th of May. On the 13th a military helicopter flew through there really low towards the end of the day going both directions. Of course, my camera was nicely tucked away so I could enjoy it without snapping any pics.
 
texfoto said:
From the top of Sgùrr Alasdair looking down towards Glenbrittle Camp Site. Light wasn't the best but the view made up for it.
47980022207_b62b677879_h.jpg
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Good to see this. I was on Sgùrr Alasdair just the once, way back in '96, and the cloud-base was hanging low so I never saw this view. I'd come up the ridge to the left of the photo and went down the conveyor belt of the Great Stone Shoot, and dawdled round the lochan shown, then on down.

I still have a few photos of the corrie and lochan from those days of film when I had a Nikon slr and tended to economise on the number of shots - which would hardly be a consideration these days.

Did you get along the main ridge beyond?
 
droj said:
Did you get along the main ridge beyond?
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I spoke to some folks the day before who went up the same ridge you mention they said their day was 9 hours after coming down the "Great Stone Shoot" as you call it. I call it a very broken scree chute that was hell.

I was not fit for it and this was my first munro. I decided after talking to the folks that 9 hours was too long so I decided my goal was to get on top of Sgùrr Alasdair and that the fastest way was up the scree chute. It was nasty. It was a case of take 2 steps up and 1 or 2 back. Knackered doesn't describe how I felt. Once I got to the top I was fine but it all hit me on the way back down the chute which was less difficult but still took a lot of energy.

I saw other people on the ridge. I would have needed the entire day and used a different path to get more of the ridge done. I took a D850, 20 1.8, and 70-200 with me in my backpack. It was a lot of weight but worth the pics I was able to get. I'll post more in a separate post.
 
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