Loch Lomond & The Trossachs Midges in November — Risk, Peak Times, Kit
Effectively no midges. Plan freely. The first proper midge country going north from Glasgow. Loch Lomondside, the Trossachs lochs and the Arrochar Alps all hold strong populations. The east shore at evening in July is a textbook case of why head nets exist.
Current risk
Loch Lomond & The Trossachs in November: None. Effectively no midges. Plan freely.
When they bite
Out of season — no significant biting activity in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs this month. Atlantic storm season fully arrived. First snows on the Arrochar Alps and Crianlarich tops. Daylight under 9 hours by month-end. Adult midge population fully dormant.
What to wear
No specific kit needed for midges in Loch Lomond & The Trossachs this month. Build the kit list around weather, daylight and route choice.
Tactical notes
November in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs is fully out of midge season and the start of the proper winter calendar on the higher hills. The Arrochar Alps and the Crianlarich tops typically see their first sustained snow by mid-month. The Trossachs woodland and the loch shore enter heavy-rainfall mode. The midge population is back to winter dormancy until at least the following May.
The hills become serious propositions earlier than the calendar suggests. [The Cobbler](/hillwalking/corbetts/the-cobbler) in November freezing rain becomes a treacherous summit even by its standard summer route. [Beinn Ime](/hillwalking/munros/beinn-ime), [Beinn Narnain](/hillwalking/munros/beinn-narnain), [Ben Vane](/hillwalking/munros/ben-vane), [Ben Vorlich](/hillwalking/munros/ben-vorlich-arrochar-trossachs) need winter judgement on their higher routes. The Crianlarich Munros — [Ben More](/hillwalking/munros/ben-more-arrochar-trossachs), [Stob Binnein](/hillwalking/munros/stob-binnein), [Cruach Ardrain](/hillwalking/munros/cruach-ardrain), [Ben Lui](/hillwalking/munros/ben-lui-beinn-laoigh) — give serious early-winter days reachable by train.
[Ben Lomond](/hillwalking/munros/ben-lomond) from Rowardennan with the lochside birch losing its leaves is the standard November Munro day for Glasgow walkers; in proper winter weather it becomes a serious mountain. The Trossachs viewpoint hills — [Ben Venue](/hillwalking/grahams/ben-venue), [Ben Ledi](/hillwalking/corbetts/ben-ledi), Ben A'an — give shorter weather-window walks in November atmospheric conditions. The Loch Lomond camping management zones run until 30 September each year, so November pitches are unregulated — but expect heavy ground water and limited dry pitching. Head net stays out of the kit list entirely; storm shell and four-season sleeping system come instead.