Camping and the clegs of Loch Etive

I decided to stop for a well earned rest and walkabout at an old abandoned pier, deep in the heart of Loch Etive. It was too hot for the midges to be around but the clegs were in abundance and made a meal of me as I ate my sandwiches. Clegs are a horrible kind of horse fly, with a steel proboscus that can drill through clothing to get human blood.

The boat anchored off shore had the right idea. The owner obviously had stayed over night on the loch and was in the process of dismantelling his tent cover as I watched from the shore.



It reminded me of the times I too anchored here and slept in my little red boat with the white cuddy. I swapped it for this much more sea worthy boat. I wondered if I could devise a way to sleep in it ?

I have a foldaway camp bed that would fit nicely...perhaps a tarpaulin on a stretcher type frame ? Yup..it could be possible with a bit of thought. anything to keep away from the clegs and midges.



Near by another group of boaters had pulled ashore had camped overnight in tents on the land ....but Im sure they must have made a meal or five for the vampire clegs.



Once my sandwich was finished I decided to leave the clegs to find another meal. I was fed up and had enough of them. I headed up the loch as fast as I could go.. fortunately it was too fast for the clegs to follow. The cool wind in my face, as I left a trail the lenght of the loch, helped soothe the bites.




I was smiling ear to ear in paradise ...to be continued