I recorded a few videos on the challenge, none very exciting. I really wish I had done more but was unsure how the camera battery would last. All veyr boring but they’re embeded below anyway. I’d recommend you check out Phils videos a few have me in (oh no), like this.
I have been thinking about how light I could actually go for a day trip or 1 night wildcamp. I bought a Terra Nova Laser 20L pack to try as a daypack before I went to Finland but never had chance to test it before doing the TGO Challenge. When I got back I read a post Darren had done about getting everything into a SeatoSummit 20L pack. So while I still had everything lying about I thought I’d test my laser pack. Sorry the pictures are rubbish they were taken on an iPhone, as main camera was in the picture.
Packed
Unpacked
I never really really tried to make this lightweight, it’s 4.5kg.
As you can see I’ve hardly tried to keep it lightweight, it easily fits into the bag even though for the pic I just threw everything in. I never used the outside stretch pockets on the back, but for a wet shelter they’re perfect. The only problem I have is the stitching isn’t the best on the Laser pack, if trying to cram it full, it may come apart.
You could easily use this for a couple of days, just increase the food. If I was confident of good weather I wouldn’t take the waterproofs (rarely in the UK) as they take up more room than I’d like.
Below are a few of the pictures from the TGO Challenge, you can find the rest here.
Heading for the sky (Bealach an Sgairn)
1st Night wildcamp at Loch Affric
View as I woke up on Day
Dark and Moody
Loch Ness
Garva Bridge
View back towards Laggan & Garva Bridge
Phil walking through the Lairig Ghru
Derry Lodge camp
Marr Lodge
Bridge of Dee
Balmoral
View from Mount Keen
St Cyrus
I will break the roundup of the gear I carried on the challenge into multiple posts. My pack weight minus food and water was 7.51kg, this was at the end. This includes several things most would class as wearing like hat, gloves, buff and several other things. There are lots of items that I probably wouldn’t take again and could get this under 7kg. Here’s the first post with the major items.
Pack – Golite Jam 2009: I bought this a few months ago when Go Outdoors were selling off last years model for £35. I’ve now used this on the Challenge, West Highland Way, Finland and a couple of other shorter walks. Its fantastic, light comfortable and holds everything I need. I wish it had a see through mesh pocket at the front as it can be hard to find your stuff in the big front pocket. Otherwise I have no complaints with it and doesn’t look too worn either. (732g, you could remove some straps to save weight)
Shelter - MLD Trailstar : This is amazing, I first saw this when Phil Turner used his in January in the Lake District. After seeing it on another trip I decided I had to have one ($155/£115). Its amazing value, you can fit 2 people in comfortably with all their gear and still have room to spread out, its possible to fit 3 or 4 in if needed. My idea of a tarp or single skin lightweight shelter before seeing this, was of something flapping in the wind with both ends open. You really need to see the Trailstar to understand just how rock solid it is in wind, flaps less than my Akto. Weight was initially my biggest reason for looking at this (560g seam sealed with guys attached and in supplied bag). I use the stakes you can buy with it, five 9″ Easton stakes & five 6.5″ Titanium Skewer stakes, also one titanium V peg for front pole guy (total 141g in Akto peg bag). So a total of 701g for shelter and pegs. I use my Pacer Poles which I am already carrying, so wouldn’t include them in weight total. Everyone who saw this on the challenge appeared to be impressed, with a few thinking of buying one of even making one. You can find an excellent PDF by Colin Ibbotson all about the Trailstar here on Andy Howells site, an essential read.
Sleeping Bag - PHD Minimus: My Minimus has a couple of options added, I got it with 900 down and in MX fabric both to save a few more grams. I was slightly worried about taking this on the challenge when I’d not had chance to test it. When looking at it compared to my normal Alpkit Pipedream 600, I thought I’m going to be freezing. It weighs 427g (30g over what is quoted with the options) I carried it in an Extra Small Exped Drybag (35g). The first few nights I used an Alpkit Hunka Bivvy bag around it and my legs were slightly chilly. Then I tried it without the Hunka and I was lots warmer, the bivvy appeared to be compressing the down. I never used the Hunka again.
Bivvy bag- Alpkit Hunka: This is incredibly cheap (£33),I bought this ages ago and never used it until this year. Its not exactly lightweight at 385g but its functional and was bought for summer wildcamping. I have always taken it when using the Trailstar in case I got wet, wasn’t sure about my seam sealing. I have some problems with it, it looks quite big but it tapers down to your feet andI tend to sleep on my side, when you do this I find it tighter around your hips and this compresses the down in your sleeping bag. I also find the hood too big, no matter how much I pull the draw strings. In the end I stopped using it and found I was much warmer. I will probably test it on a summer night with no shelter. For a cheap bivvy it is excellent, but not really needed on this trip.
I’ve been back home for 3 full days now, nearly all that time has been spent with my feet up, literally. I have hardly been able to walk since finishing the challenge. I will hopefully be seeing a doctor tomorrow to find put what’s wrong, possibly a sprained right ankle but i will see…
While sitting about I’ve uploaded the photos to picasaweb and along with captions, I’ve manually set the location of each photo (5 hours for that). There’s a few YouTube videos uploaded with another two to do. These could all be found from the links at the top right but I will do a post with links and the best bits embedded, but thought I’d give a quick update.
I have at least 2 other blog posts to write up, one being Gear the other is a better response to a question I was asked in the comments.
It’s been good to here that people I met on the challenge have also been finishing yesterday and today. Congratulations to everyone 
I was up at 4, after some coco pops and dried milk and covering my fet with duct tape I set off at 5am. I noticed that another challenger had turned up during the night. I walked down the road to where it looked like there was a bridge shown on the map, once by the river side there was no bridge just two cables going across and some sort of scientific testing gear. I thought about shimmying across but thought better of it. A ford was shown just down but decided against soaking feet this early into the walk wth 24 miles ahead of me.
Back to the road it was and heading for Ferney Bridge where a clear bridge was shown. I could see the bridge but what I thought would be the path took me to someone back door. The only other route was through the grounds of the same lodge by their cricket pitch, which had gates and Private signs. So decided to just keep following the road to Edzell rather than wasting time looking for bridges to avoid the road.
I made good progress and once into my stride the first couple of hours were quite pleasant with hardly any cars on the back road. The traffic picked up slightly as I got closer to Edzell. The hills were becoming noticably smaller, a good sign. Eventually I hobbled into Edzell and the first call was to the pharmacy for some pain killers. The 2 Ibuprofen I’d taken had worn off as had most of the skin from my heel.
Then onto the Spar for food and batteries and was asked if I was doing the West Highland Way, just as well I wasn’t or I’d be over a 100 miles off course. I left the pleasant lady in the shop after asking how to get to the bridge, which is behind the petrol station. I stopped near the bridge to eat some of the goodies I’d just bought and to double doze on the pain killers.
I knew there was a long straight road to come towards North Water Bridge, I hadn’t realised quite how long this straight road was. I do not like straigh roads that go on forever (several miles). After what seemed an enternity I rounded a corner (finally) and saw the Scottishflag flying at the entrance to the campsite. This would of been my final destination for the day if I’d been sticking more to the plan but I couldn’t see the point of having 2 days of pain when 1 would do.
After a brief rest I set off for the final 8 mile push to the end at St Cyrus. I was tweeting as I went and was happy to receive encouragement from Hendrik, Darren, Joe and Becky. The next few miles went by in a bit of a haze maybe it was from all the over dosing on pain killers or me trying to take my mind off my feet. The path over Morphie was a suprise, being over a little hill and longer than expected. I hobbled/stumbled through St Cyrus eading for the sea, its not over until my feet got wet from the sea!!
I then saw just how the cliffs were, no wonder people kept mentioning them. I jogged down the steps and about threw myself at the sea. The cooling water soothed my feet, until the sand got into my shoes and felt like sandpaper. I really didn’t care, I’d made it
After sitting on a log and looking out at the sea for a while, I made my way to the bus stop to catch the bus to Montrose. I had to wait 20 minutes for the bus and ended up talking to the lollipop man who it turns out had done the challenge about 3 times before. By the time I got off the bus at Montrose I was struggling to stand, nevermind walk (the tablets had worn off again). I found my way to challenge control and was greeted with a cup of tea and a biscuit. Roger arrived a few minutes later, signed my certificate and I was also given some Bowmore whiskey, a bagge and T-shirt. After signing the record book and leaving a message, I headed for the train station and home…
I’ve loved the journey, although maybe not every step of the last few days. Even while still in pain and imagine I will be for several days looking at the lack of skin on several part of my feet, I would like to do it again. Its better than being at work and what a way to see Scotland and so many great people (a couple of annoying ones too). Looking forward to next time…
It was another long day in terms of distance, 17-18 miles from Ballater to Tarfside and walked over Mount Keen (a Munro). The day started with Bacon Sandwiches which Phil cooked in the hostel, we left at about 8:15.
Shortly after starting to climb out of Ballater, the rain started. The weather wasn’t sure what to do, this is the worst kind when walking. Constantly putting jackets on and off.
The walk was over moorland today and parts of it where signposted, but later heather bashing before joining the big track over Mount Keen. I struggled a bit up Mount Keen with my feet and Phil wasn’t stopping, so was slightly worried about my heart. Eventually Phil stopped and I caught up, he said he wasn’t going to the top but around the side.
There was no way I was going to miss the summit, we agreed to meet at the Queens well a few miles further on. It took me a while to get to top, it’s one of those where you keep thinking you are there but there’s more climbing. Eventually I made it and took some pictures and video but they’re all on the camera.
The path down was well maintained and appears to be the main way people climb it. I kept leep frogging some guys on mountain bikes who had taken the same route as Phil, I wished I was on a bike going down.
My feet were taking a real punishing descending, I’d bought some liner socks yesterday to try as main socks as my feet had been so hot. Today they were soaken from heather bashing.
I realised I still had over mile to meet up with Phil, so picked up the pace and sort of ended up doing a sort of jog. Stopping a couple of timed for a drink of water from streams in the Kuppska.
I saw the well come into view, which has a large stone crown over it. Phil was sat waiting, I was pleased of the rest. He asked how my feet were as he was thinking about walking to the end, another 30 miles. We had already done 12 or 13 by then. I said there was no way I could walk that far today, my feet were battered. I said go for it if he wanted. So we parted ways.
I sat for another 20 minutes before setting off on the 5.5 miles toTarfside where we had planned to go to. Tarfside is a sort of tradition on the challenge, the people of the village allow challengers to camp in a field not far from the toilets.
As I entered the village I started to see the signs directing challengers to St Droisdens another tradition. A few older ladies run the place for challengers so they can get a bed, drink or meal. I decided to pitch first.
When I got to the field there were 2 tents but not challengers. It was only 3pm but I would of expected others. After pitching I headed to St Droisdens and had a bacon sandwich and some tea. I was the only challenger there, the ladies said Phil had left an hour earlier and a couple of others had passed through. I spent about an hour there and rang Challenge control to let them know where I was.
It’s now 8pm and I’m still the only challenger on the field, strange. I know the main day is Tuesday not Sunday.
I’ve been thinking about tomorrow, my planned target is North Water Bridge campsite. Passing through Edzell on the way (17 miles). This leaves me with 8 miles to St Cyrus, planned the following day. I’m wondering if I can walk the 8 miles tomorrow too and finish 2 days ahead of the original schedule. I really don’t know. I struggled to walk 200 yards to the toilet before.
I don’t have many Compeed left, will sort feet in the morning. Will also take the 2 Ibuprofen and cross my fingers I make it. I’m going to set off at 6, which should get me to North Water for around lunch time if I can keep an average pace. That’s it for today…
I’m gonna keep this post short because I’m tired. It was another early start with a quick call at the supermarket in Braemar for an ice cream for Breakfast. Even early in the morning it was hot.
Today myself and Phil walked from Braemar to Ballater, while most challengers took the day off. Our route I’m guessing was about 18 miles which we did in about 6 hours.
The going was mainly on roads and some hard packed forestry tracks, I hate roads. We walked through the grounds of Balmoral Castle and called at the Royal Distillery, which was a bit rubbish.
Eventually after much road walking and pain in my feet, we made it to Ballater at 3pm. First call was the pub for a lemonade and a pint. Then the Butchers for pies for tomorrow.
We then went to the campsite and found it packed with families and nightmare people. Not the sort of place you want to pitch a shelter with no door. So we left and went to the tourist information who directed us to Habitat which is an excellent independent hostel. It’s the first time I’ve not camped since the start.
Tomorrow is another big day but hopefully not so much tarmac, it’s over mount keen then into Tarfside which is about 17 miles.
That’s it for today, I’m shattered. Oh I forgot to say it was 26C in the shade, 32C in the sun. Bring on the cloud, please.
Today we set off at 6:30 from our Derry Lodge wildcamp with the aim of getting to Braemar early for Breakfast in the Old Bakery. There were 9 miles of track and road walking to cover the get there, Phil was on a mission to get there for his 12 piece TGO special breakfast.
The walking was fairly uneventful and boring until reaching Marr Lodge, which is a huge building which I guess the Laird for the Marr estate would of lived. I believe it is now owned by the National Trust.
Several challengers were booked in the lodge and you could call in for tea and biscuits. There was no sign of life as we passed by at 8. The next 3 or miles are all on tarmac which I hate at the best of times nevermind when my feet are a mess.
Anyway we made it into Braemar and the Old Bakery just after 9, only to find the door locked and blinds closed. While waiting for it to open I collected my supplies I’d posted and we sat and waited for what in the end was 2 hours!
Just after 11, finally they arrived and opened up. Supposedly they should open at 10. In the end the 12 piece breakfast was excellent, I swapped mushrooms & black pudding for chips though 
We met a couple of other challengers who joined us in there, Oliver and John who had camped with me the first night at Loch Affric. After the breakfast we moved a few yards along the street for a pint in the Fife Arms before heading to the campsite to set up our pitches along with Andy who had arrived.
We had another couple of pints and fish and chips before 4 of us headed back to the campsite at 6. That was it for Day 8, 9 miles, 4 pints & 2 big meals.
Tomorrow I am leaving Braemar and heading to Ballater with Phil, originally it was a day off, but there is nothing to do here but get drunk and I’d rather not. So I will finish a day earlier on Tuesday now and will most likely get an earlier train home on either Tuesday or Wednesday.
This morning Phil and I had planned to be away from the campsite by 7, so I was up and about by 5:45. More or less on time we set off, saying goodbye to Andy who would meet up with us again at the end of the day.
The first few miles towards the start of the Lairig Ghru is through Forestry very similar to yesterday, although height is gained quite speedily and as we popped out of the tree cover we could see Aviemore in the distance.
The scenery then changes and the mountains become more prominent, snow covered today. We could see snow up ahead and before long we were walking through it. The previous 2 days had been 24c in the shade, now there was snow.
The snow became deeper and there were some impressive looking crevases we avoided. Above us there were also cornices. Near the pools of Dee the snow was several feet deep, luckily we generally managed to avoid sinking too much.
We then noticed someone up the side of the mountain, falling and generally struggling to descend. We thought we were about to witness an accident. Eventually the man made it down and spoke to us, he was French and had gone higher for a different viewpoint.
After the pools of Dee we started to descend and after maybe an hour we made it to the Corrour Bothy where we ate lunch. There were 2 tents pitched there. The walk from Corrour Bothy is a bit of a trudge, until we had to forge the river, which was up to thigh height. We’d already waded to knee night but this time the water was warmer.
We made it to Derry Lodge at 3pm, laid about for a while before pitching at 4pm. Other Challengers started to arrive from 4:30.
It was a good day, not too long. My feet don’t look great but I’m managing. I am probably going to walk to the end with Phil and miss the rest day in Braemar. Tomorrow morning we should arrive in Braemar for late breakfast have a day stocking up and stuff, them set off on Saturday, rather than the planned Sunday. I am intending to walk to Ballater, then Tarfside rather than my planned route via Lochnagar. If things pan out I will finish on Tuesday, a day early.
Will see what happens…
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