Midges swarm tent 'like something from horror movie' as Scots camper covered in bites

Summer is here, which means warmer weather, lighter nights, and, of course, holidays. While some people will jet off abroad, many Scots prefer to have a break at home, exploring different parts of our great nation.

One way to feel close to the natural beauty of Scotland is to go camping. Not only do our wild camping rules allow for you to pitch your tent in most places, as long as you're respectful, the flexibility of this kind of trip means you can stay in a variety of different locations during your holiday.

For all these positives, there is one big issue that all experienced campers will have come up against; midges. The bloodsucking beasties love nothing more than descending upon those out in the wilderness.

And this was what happened to Alan Mackie back in August 2020, as he made his first foray into the Cairngorms after the initial Covid lockdown rules were eased. The Edinburgh University worker woke in Gleann an t-Slugain to find a swarm of the impudent insects engulfing his tent.

Alan shared a stomach-churning video of the mass of midges at the entrance to his canvas shelter on X, formerly Twitter, which social media users likened to "something from a horror movie".

Speaking at the time, the experienced hiker said it was the worst swarm he had seen in two decades of camping. He said: "I've experienced bad midge swarms many times but this was on a different level for sure.

"They were the worst I've experienced in 20 years of hiking and camping. Luckily, we were well prepared with clothing and repellent. We just weren't looking forward to getting out and kitting up for the day."

But despite taking precautions with gloves, a net, and long trousers and top, Alan still suffered over 100 bites due to the insects penetrating the vents in the back of his trousers. He revealed that a mix of conditions created an ideal breeding ground for the pests at that time.

Alan said: "The combination of the warm weather and the wet has been perfect for them this month. That and the wind not getting above 4mph for three days, we were doomed from the outset."

Alan's posts triggered several Twitter users to share their own terrifying encounters with midge invasions. One woman told of her "frightening memories" of a motorbike camping holiday in Skye that was ruined by a ruthless attack from the beasts, with the biting bugs even managing to infiltrate the defences of their crash helmets.

Another person replied: "I remember sitting by a loch on Skye once, watching an otter gracefully swimming through the still, calm water as the sun started to set. It was serene - but then the midges came out. They were relentless, even attacking the INSIDES of my eyelids."

One midge sceptic said of the insects: "Every single one singing a song of bloodsucking violence." But another showed respect to the pests, saying they were the reason "the Romans weren't able to conquer Scotland."

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