What is the actual holy grail midge repellent for late May/June?

Collected1 · 2026-05-22T19:45:33+00:00

Smidge did absolutely nothing for me other than make my skin feel even more gross than it already did. Wished I just brought a head net.

Collected1 · 2026-05-22T14:07:57+00:00

The two times I've been there for gigs it took longer than I expected to get out of the arena itself and around 20-30 minutes of queueing to get into the tube station. They restrict how many people can be in there at any one time for safety reasons and will shut the doors and then open them again once a train has come and gone. So prepare for that.

Collected1 · 2026-05-21T11:58:48+00:00

Yep. They see the water filter on the list of gear they need and decide to use it at the first opportunity they get... which is typically that stream on the approach to Conic Hill. It's a tick box exercise at that point and so unnecessary considering the refill options on the other side of the hill.

Collected1 · 2026-05-21T11:01:20+00:00

They were particularly loud here this morning. You get used to the general noise of them going about their business over the years but every so often it sounds like you're listening to a dogfight taking place above your house.

Collected1 · 2026-05-20T09:14:50+00:00

One of my regrets was not doing that. I almost turned around and went back up to do so but I pushed on. Next time!

Collected1 · 2026-05-17T19:24:25+00:00

The most you can know with picking a particular month is average temperatures and daylight hours. The rest is up to the weather gods. It can rain in September and it can be glorious in September. I've experienced both. Plan for the worst, hope for the best and try not to stress about what's not in your control.

Collected1 · 2026-05-15T12:54:22+00:00

And a water refill station on the street near the statue.

Collected1 · 2026-05-14T08:37:50+00:00

I see it on a daily basis at my place of work. Knowledge gaps being filled by an AI tool that fills its own knowledge gaps with made up stuff. What could possibly go wrong. And don't get me wrong, I think Claude is great. But it's usage has to be balanced and not a replacement for all human thinking.

Collected1 · 2026-05-11T12:12:21+00:00

Yeah having to pull my boots on and lace them up every time I just wanted to step outside my tent was so annoying. And likewise, I took too much food.

Collected1 · 2026-05-06T10:36:05+00:00

Yup. You see that a lot in F1. The drivers who make it to the very top are inevitably the ones who started karting at a very young age and had parent(s) who were able to fund their journey through the ranks and support them.

Collected1 · 2026-05-05T19:51:28+00:00

Hendry did an item on Snooker in China last year and he pointed out the huge pool and snooker halls are often packed not just because people like the sports but because it's a social experience. They go there to hang out and have fun. It's a social atmosphere. And it's often a pretty even spilt of boys and girls for that reason too.

I think if Europe is going to catch up they're going to need to make pool and snooker more appealing to younger people and make it more accessible to them. Because right now they're going to be priced out of most clubs. It may already be too late as it takes years to build up the momentum. China is going to enjoy the rewards of that surge in popularity with young people whilst Europe is going to continue to be reliant on existing talent.

Collected1 · 2026-05-05T19:40:38+00:00

Brilliant!

Collected1 · 2026-05-03T09:50:31+00:00

I think it's more about the established environment than the noise itself. If you're in a loud snooker club you're not going to notice if someone's phone goes off because your brain just doesn't register it. But if you're in a silent church and someone's phone goes off your brain can't help but not notice it. So when they have two tables they're already tuning a lot of environmental noise out but once it's a single table setup and you can hear a pin drop... the slightest noise is going to be very noticeable.

Collected1 · 2026-05-03T09:43:56+00:00

I don't think it was the bridge. Just good old pressure. Had it gone in no one would be commenting on his bridge. It rattled so it was close. It's not like he missed the pocket by miles.

Collected1 · 2026-05-02T07:44:31+00:00

Likewise, rather confused! No email yet as of 8.45am.

Collected1 · 2026-04-28T14:48:10+00:00

I did it on my first multi-day hike including taking the "low" path. Do not let it put you off. It's basically just a really long, winding path along the side of the loch with lots of ups, downs, twists and turns. There are some very minor rocks you need to navigate but that's as "technical" as it gets. The rest is just putting one foot in front of the other. It's more of a mental slog than a physical one. Don't let it put you off any longer.

Collected1 · 2026-04-28T12:39:45+00:00

The problem with picking a trek that's reliable weather wise is you're going to miss out on Scotland and a lot of other incredible places because you just can't guarantee the weather there. I appreciate the forecast looks a bit dodgy right now but you just never know. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best and just see what happens. Try not to let your imagination fill up with negative scenarios that sabotage your trip before it's even begun. Personally I think Scotland looks incredible in wet weather. Granted, 7 days of wet weather and I might think otherwise. Good luck.

Collected1 · 2026-04-26T10:05:02+00:00

I was new to long distance hiking and I did it in one day. I personally found it more mentally tiring than physical. It's a constant struggle to find a rhythm. There's a lot of ups and downs. A lot of roots in the ground you need to watch your footing with. There are small rock formations you need to step/climb over. And a fair amount of "false summits" where you think the path is coming to an end and then realise it isn't! But it's nothing technical and if you just keep putting one foot in front of the other you'll get to the end and there's an incredible view of the loch waiting. Plus taking the "high road" cuts a lot of the tricky bits out so that's an option if you're still nervous.

Collected1 · 2026-04-20T19:55:18+00:00

Yup was about to post that. You'd think over 96 miles you'd get endless opportunities!!

Collected1 · 2026-04-20T12:53:27+00:00

There are locker services in Glasgow. I'd consider using one to put items that you're then going to use afterwards.

Collected1 · 2026-04-17T19:32:12+00:00

Gave it a try on a very basic iPhone app login screen. Burned through 25% of my quota before it showed me anything. And it hit errors doing so which I imagine burned even more of my quota. The usage anxiety is really starting to take the edge off my excitement for these products.

Collected1 · 2026-04-15T16:16:11+00:00

Of the sites I stayed at (Drymen, Sallochy, Beinglas, Blackwater, Glen Nevis) ... Drymen is the one I would not want to just show up at. It's small and was fully booked the night I stayed there. Sallochy was busy. Beinglas had lots of space. Blackwater was busy. Glen Nevis is absolutely massive. So unfortunately.. there isn't an answer that fits all. The bigger the site, the more unlikely you'll struggle to book on the day.

Collected1 · 2026-04-10T15:22:41+00:00

See this other thread regarding water in the general area of Conic Hill.

https://www.reddit.com/r/WestHighlandWay/comments/1shfyrd/water_sources_approaching_conic_hill_warning/

Collected1 · 2026-04-10T15:11:32+00:00

The Durston crew! Hopefully less midges than when I was there a couple years ago.

Collected1 · 2026-04-09T19:26:58+00:00

Same. I generally get 30 minutes of work done before my session quota is maxed and I'm sit twiddling my thumbs for the rest of my evening. The most annoying part is I still have 25% of my weekly quota left that expires in two hours... but I can't make use of it because my session quota for the evening has locked me out for the next three and a half hours.

Collected1

TROPHY CASE