Tick-Talk in Scotland

[awol]

Just in case boats are allowed and crews are allowed ashore - Western Isles' mild oceanic climate may help ticks thrive.

 

[Sandy]

Just in case boats are allowed and crews are allowed ashore - Western Isles' mild oceanic climate may help ticks thrive.

It has always been so. Must be another quiet non-news day at the BBC.

 

[CLP]

Beware the midges and the serpants......

 

[Quandary]

We were ashore at Peanmeanach at the mouth of Loch Ailort last August wearing shorts, the tick bites all over my wifes legs did not clear up for months, by far the worst we have ever experienced, did not seem to be the big deer ticks though but every bit as mean. I would agree that the problem seems to be getting worse, possibly bcause West Coast winters are now so mild?

 

[jamie N]

Aren't these 'ticks' carriers of Lyme Disease?

 

[Sandy]

Aren't these 'ticks' carriers of Lyme Disease?

They sure are.

 

[Sandy]

We were ashore at Peanmeanach at the mouth of Loch Ailort last August wearing shorts, the tick bites all over my wifes legs did not clear up for months, by far the worst we have ever experienced, did not seem to be the big deer ticks though but every bit as mean. I would agree that the problem seems to be getting worse, possibly bcause West Coast winters are now so mild?

Sadly the bothy is now closed. Many a evening spent there, even picked up a few ticks.

 

[wully1]

I’ve had one tick already this year. Tiny wee bugger it was and too small for our smallest tick remover.

Had to be very carefully removed with tweezers then the hole dowsed with tea tree oil and a careful watch kept for any signs of Lymes.

 

[CLP]

I've found bracken the worst for ticks. There were dozens and dozens on my wife's arms and legs on a treck on Ulva last year, strangely I only had a few and I was wearing shorts, she was fully covered, I've got hairy(ish) legs though. We both had an onslaught walking from Inverie too. We were both in shorts and T shirts as it was very warm. It was a fantastic walk though and the ticks were easily removed with tweezers afterwards.

 

[ProDave]

Well we had a cold, long winter over this side. It does not seem to kill them.

 

[NormanS]

Tweezers are not recommended for pulling out ticks. There is a distinct danger of squeezing the wee buggers, and thereby injecting yourself with their badness. Much better to use the wee plastic things like mini claw hammers, as supplied by vets etc. I have a theory that in the past, when there were many more sheep on the hill, and when sheep were regularly dipped, the ticks were picked up by the sheep, and the sheep dip killed them.
Lyme disease is serious, and is a growing threat, but can be stopped by antibiotics, if caught in time. Look out for the classic ring mark on the skin. Been there, done that.

 

[Sandy]

Well worth a look at, but not for those of a nervous disposition

Lyme Disease Action — Lyme Disease Action: Striving for the prevention and treatment of Lyme disease and associated tick borne diseases.

 

[claymore]

There is much to be said for only landing where there are mettled roads and only going to the Pub. I got ticked walking over to the Hoos o'the Troosers a few years ago - they go for warm spots, in particular the underside of women's breasts is a common place to find them.
As a responsible skipper I consider it my duty to.......

 

[CLP]

Agree that tweezer's aren't recommended and it's important to watch for ring marks appearing later. We've got several sizes of the plastic crow bar things on board but our success rate of tick removal has been higher with tweezers. It's important not to grip the wee blighter too tightly and then to ease it out gently.

 

[Quandary]

Sadly the bothy is now closed. Many a evening spent there, even picked up a few ticks.

It was in full use last summer by a couple of families of canoeists, they seemed to be in residence there rather than touring, kids in tents at the beach and adults in the bothy great place for mussels on the beach but walking out or in was through a bog with thigh deep mud. We anchored off the sandy beach which was pretty but quite a bit of rock and roll during the night as the tide turned, with hindsight we would have beenmore comfortable if we had moved close behind one the islands at the mouth of the loch overnight. Night before we were in the Borrodale Islands , night after Loch Moidart, we did not move far that trip but it was great to be out again.

 

[mjcoon]

There is much to be said for only landing where there are mettled roads and only going to the Pub. I got ticked walking over to the Hoos o'the Troosers a few years ago - they go for warm spots, in particular the underside of women's breasts is a common place to find them.
As a responsible skipper I consider it my duty to.......

Couple of years ago I seemed to have brought a tick back with me from sailing holiday in Greece. Found it on my person in the shower the first morning back. My doctor was happy to look at it (on my scrotum) but claimed she did not have one of those vet's devices. So I had to spend hours in A&E waiting for such a trivial treatment...

 

[Sandy]

It was in full use last summer by a couple of families of canoeists, they seemed to be in residence there rather than touring, kids in tents at the beach and adults in the bothy great place for mussels on the beach but walking out or in was through a bog with thigh deep mud. We anchored off the sandy beach which was pretty but quite a bit of rock and roll during the night as the tide turned, with hindsight we would have beenmore comfortable if we had moved close behind one the islands at the mouth of the loch overnight. Night before we were in the Borrodale Islands , night after Loch Moidart, we did not move far that trip but it was great to be out again.

Peanmeanach Bothy - Now Permanently Closed | Mountain Bothies Association UK

Thanks for the tips on the anchorage, I'm planning to visit on returning from my wee trip to Kirkwall over the summer.