UKH

Hi Folks,

I'm looking at the ridge this coming weekend and the Clachaig Inn where my pals are staying is full.

I have read online that camping is tolerated near the road 'if discreet' I am a responsible Outdoorsman and would leave no trace of my being there but don't want to get in trouble!

Does anyone know a good place near the inn I can wild camp (or even a campsite) where I won't be feasted alive on by midges?

Thanks in advance for any help

Chris

In reply to Chris Huntington:

Chris.
Your chances of not being midgied are nil unless it's windy.
We stayed on the Squirrel site just down the road.
You can have fires in certain areas there, but the midgies were still a mare.
You can buy logs for £7 a bag.

In reply to Dave the Rave:

Thansk Dave I'll have a look...

In reply to Chris Huntington:

Also. I camped as close to the river as I could. The midges were less by the river rather than on the grass where the tent and fire was. This was a better place to cook. Recommend a midgie head net.
Avon didn't work with those feckers!

In reply to Chris Huntington:

If you stay at the red squirrel you should also take ear plugs to cope with the piss heads staggering back from the clach. Or just get more drunk than them....

In reply to Chris Huntington: I can recommend http://www.glencoehostel.co.uk which has a range of accommodation options just down the road. Keith who runs it is a local walking guide and a good chap.

In reply to Chris Huntington:

I camped at the Invercoe site a couple of weeks back. They have midge-eating machines onsite. No idea how well these things work but it was only mildly midgie whilst I was there - that might have had something to do with the rain.....

Site was quiet and all facilities spotless. Further from the pub but if you want decent sleep, that's maybe a good thing.

In reply to Chris Huntington:

Another vote for the hostels - I wouldn't camp at this time of year unless absolutely forced, and then only in a hermetically sealed container!!!!

In reply to Sealwife:



Interestingly the Red Squirrel had one of these. It was filled with Buffalo blood and was supposed to draw them in.
I haven't seen it for years. Either it was no use or they want to sell firewood?

In reply to AlH:

Thanks for all the advice guys.

I was hoping for a few beers at the Clachaig inn and then head back to my tent hence no hostel. Midges sound bad, I confess I've ever camped in summer in Glencoe... any advice around anti midge gear? I agree about the Avon stuff I know people swear by it but I'm like an all you can eat buffet to those little bastards...

In reply to Chris Huntington:

You will be fine. Try the marmite starting now or vitamin Bwotever.
Invest in a fine gauge head net, no bare skin ie tuck trousers in socks and tight wrist bands. Then, you may get away with DEET on your hands.

In reply to Chris Huntington:

Views to thread now 666! The number of the beasties!

In reply to Chris Huntington:

the first time i did the traverse, i was coming up from glasgow on the bus the night before and was thus needing a camp for the night.

i brought a minimal bivy arrangement along and ascended bodach from the sisters car park, but found two gentlemen already settled in for the night on the summit. i headed onwards to give them some space and did the initial downclimb onto the ridge before walking onwards to the next peak. i spent the night there, with the crazy pinnacles visible beneath the moon.

i strongly recommend this approach! the red squirrel can be kinda fun (and obviously the clachaig is a wonderful place to get leathered), but i really enjoyed doing it as a bivy trip instead. naturally i finished up in the clachaig the following afternoon and was pleased to discover that they had cairngorm black gold on tap at the time. i rehydrated to a point of extreme inebriation.

In reply to don macb:

Brilliant!

In reply to Chris Huntington:
Avon took the active ingredient out a while back as they didn't want their product being seen as an "insect repellent", deck knows what else you'd use it for.

Smidge is sold in Tiso's, the Green Welly stop, the Red Squirrel campsite and probably every other stop on the road their and works pretty well against the wee buggers.

Would recommend once you get to the end of the ridge just turn round and do it all again, makes for a satisfying day out, you get a whole bunch of new views.