Summer is high season in Scotland, with the busiest times being July and early-August, during local school holidays.

In Edinburgh the whole of August is extraordinarily busy - the population of the city doubles for its various festivals (below).

The weather is at its best in the summer months, though still unpredictable, with the temperature variation also at its highest around the country - Edinburgh averages about 18ºC (65ºF), while the average at the northern end of Scotland is more like 15ºC (58ºF). But at least the nights are long, with daylight until at least 9pm, or later the further north you go.

The Midge

All this makes it an ideal time of year to explore the great outdoors, but be warned, it's also prime midge season and many pockets of rural areas affected. These tiny biting insects are hard to fend off and wearing a net on your face may be the only options when their at their worst. Forget deet products; but there are a few preventative lotions, particularly the body oil Skin so Soft by Avon. All that said, don't be put off: in general it's only at dusk in wooded areas and by water that midges are a problem.