There's a tick warning - apparently because of the mild winter there are loads of the buggers about.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-h ... s-27325018

I once had to pick 12 off me in a shower cubicle in Achiltibuie.

Longs for me next week on the Cairngorms loop then, might even invest in a tick remover thing. Anyone know what midge activity will be like? Gari? Scotroutes?

Hmm might wear full length cover. I don't need that shiv in my life.

Midges are currently not in action from what i gather from http://midgeforecast.co.uk/home

Nae midges so far, though Feshie remains a high-risk area. I picked up a couple of cleg bites last week in the Trossachs (not a euphemism)

As for ticks, I've been inspecting myself regularly and seemed to have escaped their attentions (so far). I normally get between 5 and 15 any given summer.....

Last tick I had was in the depths of my belly button didnt know it was there for over a week
Getting it out was rather a saga

ScotRoutes wrote:I picked up a couple of cleg bites last week in the Trossachs (not a euphemism)

*sniggers*

As for ticks, I've been inspecting myself regularly and seemed to have escaped their attentions (so far). I normally get between 5 and 15 any given summer.....

Where do you get them - just legs, or anywhere?

Not everyone's cup of tea, but I wonder if shaving legs would help reduce risk.

They'll grasp on to any clothing and then crawl around. I usually dig a couple out of my torso. Legs are obviously a classic and it's not unknown for them to head for your, err, "Trossachs" in search of a warm spot. Obviously, camping/bivvying puts you at higher risk and think about things like where you lay down your helmet when you stop for a bit to eat. They are common where you find deer roaming, so not just in sheep grazing areas.

A tick remover tool should be compulsory.
http://www.otom.com/how-to-remove-a-tick

Tick-dick !
After 3 days in the Cairngorms last September I got back home tick-free ! On the Sunday got all my gear out (tent, sleeping bag etc.) at home, in the living room to dry/air out... so far so good...
then a bit later felt an itch on my willy !
Glasses on and armed with my magnifying glass horrified to find one enjoying a feast on my willy !
Got the bugger off with TCP and tweezers...

So they can live in your gear and jump out afterwards !!!
(in fact I remember a friend of mine years ago telling me that they can be 'dormant' on undergrowth for a long time then jump on you as you go past... he said the 'long time' was 17 years !! I don't know if that's true but he was a vet, so perhaps...)

I kept it in a jar of water for quite a long time afterwards, just in case I went down with something bad, but absolutely no problems...

You kept your cock in a jar?

Removers are under 10g for a pair

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B004M5O ... X110_SY165

I remember a lad on a DoE finding one on his bollock ... I was so glad it wasn't one of the girls*

*Obviously that wouldn't be a bollock.