Most people up hear swear by smidge but your just paying a lot of money for a fancy smell. Anything that is 30% deet minimum will work... the trick is to find one that you don't mind the smell of because if you don't apply it EVERYWHERE they will find that one spot and swarm to it. I'm talking eyelids, top lip, ears, any exposed skin surface and anywhere that could be exposed when you bend over... just above your sock for example. I personaly use the 50% jungle formula sold by boots (marked as suitable for yellow fever zones! Its water resistant so I don't have to keep reappling every time i break into a sweat - yes it does get that hot up here...occasionaly) they do it as a spray and as a roll on for the face. You have to buy the stuff in batches cos its only sold up here around the summer holidays.

Then again I live out in the sticks you might get away with a milder formula out in the towns. Anyone else care to comment.....

JANJO is a little pesamistic but she is right about taking your time you can't appreciate the isolation up here with just a few short visits and as dozy said once you have moved up it's hard to move back out. If you have the finances / flexibility renting for a while would give you a good idea whether you can hack the weather, popping down to Invernes ectra whilst leaving you free to relocate if needed. (I hope you wont it is great up here :-D.)