#JoGLE

[@COYSMike]

I'll never get tired of seeing Otto eat those crisps at the start. Hopefully that's the last of the ticks for now!

[@ellihikes]

He looooves crisps, I think he'll even leave a piece of sausage for them 😅 he's obsessed 😅

[@nickwinter991]

Great idea catching the ticks on duct tape - I know its a small victory and there are thousands more outside but you can look at the ticks stuck fast to the tape and think at least they aren't going to bother me any more! After such a bad night and morning, when you got to the camp site and your pod, you and Otto looked so comfortable and relaxed - a shower and the prospect of clean, dry, clothes makes such a difference to how we feel! Splendid shots of hills and rivers - thank you again for a lovely video.

[@ellihikes]

Yes, at least I could catch the ones that were crawling inside the tent and over my hands! It’s very interesting how much hiking changes your focus and your perspective and the smallest things become so much more valuable. Thank you so much for the kind words and your support on ko-fi. That means so much and made my day :)

[@garyparker7494]

That's what i love about hiking you get in the moment and things like washing your clothes is a joy 😂

[@ellihikes]

Yes, 100%! So true, it's the little things that become so special 😊

[@TAT660X]

I love the way Otto just plugs away at the miles ❤️ don’t think I could cope with the ticks 😬

[@ellihikes]

Yes, he's a great hiker 🥰 as for the ticks: it was very unsettling, but you just have to deal with it. There are everywhere here 😪😵‍💫

[@havelegswillhike]

Oh those ticks are a nightmare! I had experience like that once, and I still shudder to think of it. Glad you got to a cozy place to rest!

[@ellihikes]

Yes, they really creep me out too. Just the thought, that they can just crawl all over you without you even knowing..... aargh 😬😵‍💫😵‍💫

[@jamesalexander4926]

They were not Ticks, it is the Scottish Midge. you can get a net to put over your head to keep them out. You could try Smidge spray as well.

[@ellihikes]

It was a few weeks back, they were ticks (nymphs), not midges. Got some smidge already, as the midges started became active a few days ago too.

[@stuartchester6899]

Yes, I thought they were the highland midge as a Deer tick is larger and attaches by leaping from undergrowth .Highland midge is an annoying nip and can drive you mad in large numbers. Ticks are much less dense

[@OddManAndTheSeaUK]

Tent pitch is looking 👌. Pick up permethrin in town and spray the tent inner and clothes with them, that should reduce the tick attack.

[@ellihikes]

I actually had done that before leaving, but it must have worn off after days of rain, mud, bogs....

[@janicemiddlemass5215]

Your doing so so well 👏 especially with those dreadful awful ticks yuck,we were up in the area last week it would have been good to give you encouragement for you ongoing hike 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🥾look forward to your next update good luck take care 🥾🐕‍🦺well done to Otto as well

[@ellihikes]

Thank you so much, your kind words mean so much 🥰

[@charlesdirken6653]

Little tip against tiks. Use a qtip with some alcohol, parfum or after shave. Just let the tik smell the qtip.

[@sticks333richards5]

I cant believe i was talking to KZbin super star and otto at beinn glass farm. I was the guy with the tarptent aeon lithium lol. Looks like your smashing out the trails, have a good one elli and Otto. Drewf

[@ellihikes]

Hahahahahaha, yes! I remember you, not a lot of TT Aeon Li out there 😅😉 thank you so much 😊🤗🤗

[@stevenhogg2710]

great vlog again elli . shame about the wet day but it does make the sunny days so much better loved otto,s coat by the way

[@ellihikes]

Thank you so much 😊

[@ellihikes]

That's so true, you just appreciate the sun even more after the hard, tough days 😊

[@darkchill34]

Good to see you're well :)

[@Daytona2]

Interesting to see your shopping basket, tho I guess there's a limited supply in small shops. Although my favourite snack foods are savoury (Tyrell's & Walker's(!) crisps!), I love plain Hobnobs too (I leave them out, to get soft). People in Scotland have notoriously bad diets. Collecting ticks with Duck Tape is a good idea! I see that you're working through all the different ciders! I enjoy them, too! Perhaps try a vegan Haggis MacSween produce them? (Boil/steam for ~45mins along with parsnips)

[@ellihikes]

Yes, there were not many options, but I also took 2 apples, the only food they had... I love cider and always trying new ones that I don't know yet 😊

[@TrentRidley]

I do some bicycle touring/bike packing and something I've come to realise is that it's often the hard days, the cold and wet days, the days where you feel like it's all up hill that I later look back upon with the greatest level of fondness. They're the days I'm proudest of overcoming and the added sense of hardship and adventure tend to make them the days I talk about and describe most often to family and friends. As such, I now use this realisation to help me get through those hard days by taking a minute here and there to consciously remind myself of this - to remind myself that as much as it might suck in the moment, this will be a day I look back on with pride and one I'll tell (maybe somewhat embellished) stories of to others. Anyway, this is something that helps me push through the tough days, so I thought I'd share it here. I'm really enjoying following you and Otto on your journey Elli. Looking forward to your next post. In the meantime, keep smiling and having fun..... and give Otto a relaxing massage from me to ease his little muscles one evening.

[@ellihikes]

Thank you for this comment! That's so true, I can totally relate. Overcoming these hard moments is the real challenge that makes you proud afterwards. I thought I'd share the hard moments too because I want to show the reality of a long hike.... sometimes people make it seem all perfect on Instagram etc. with perfect sunsets, perfect camp spots etc. when in reality it's also hard sometimes.

[@TrentRidley]

@@ellihikes You're welcome! Yep, there are those perfect moments to be sure, but there are those less than perfect moments also. I appreciate your approach of showing the full spectrum of the experience, it makes for a far more compelling story/viewing experience in my opinion. Again, I'm looking forward to seeing your next update. Keep on keeping on.

[@vinoto]

Otto is a trooper 😍 What breed is he?

[@ellihikes]

He's a rescue dog (stray dog adopted from a shelter in Croatia), so we don't know exactly. The vet thinks there must be some Jack Russell Terrier and Dachshund in him...

[@wandering_not_lost]

You know that you can get a free weather forecast on your Inreach mini?

[@ellihikes]

Yes 👍 didn't really use it in the beginning, but I'm using it regularly now. Really nice to have 😊

[@michaelcli2007]

How do you deal with the ticks on Otto given that he sleeps in the tent. Ive been wild camping for years and have never seen a tick yet or maybe the alcohol puts them off😊

[@ellihikes]

They are often around when there are animals. In Scotland, they are often in areas where there are deer - which is almost everywhere 😅🙈 he wears a repellent collar which helps a lot. I check him (and myself) for ticks every night before we go in the tent and remove them if I find anything.

[@michaelcli2007]

@@ellihikes to be fair I don't do the mileage you do so respect. I'm more of a haul it up the hill and relax. Looking forward to the rest of your adventure

[@Llyrianna]

How the heck do you deal with the ticks if (and when I guess) they attach themselves? Do you just take them out and hope for the best? I would die of stress I think (also I never succeeded in taking out a tick in a fast, clean way). Great to see you've survived the horrible day and got rewarded with a cozy, warm pod! I need to go catch up on the next days :)

[@ellihikes]

Yes, I just remove them with a tick remover and hope for the best. Checking myself and Otto twice a day. Apparently it takes some time for them to transmit Lyme disease (if they carry it), so I make sure that they're not attached long. There are lots of videos how to remove them in one piece. It's important to grab them close to the skin and not crush their body....

[@Llyrianna]

@@ellihikes aaah good to know that there's some time before transmitting. Even then though, they are like the creepiest bleh

[@martindolog2]

Can you compare ULA Ohm with Kakwa 55 please? These are my candidate packs. Thanks.

[@ellihikes]

I honestly think it comes down to personal preference and finding the right fit as they are very similar when comparing the specs etc. The ULA Ohm 2.0 was great when it comes to quality, layout of the pockets etc., but the fit wasn't great for me (maybe I should have sized up, I don't know). It gave me horrible bruising on my hips after a little while, which I never had before.... never had those problems with my kakwa and it carries heavier loads very comfortably!!