Hopefully links to my blog and my photographs, although I have already proved I don't do the clicky thing.
http://www.gemini-challenge.blogspot.co.uk/p/the-planned-route-plockton-to-lunan-i.html
https://picasaweb.google.com/louse4/TGOChallenge2013
It was all going so well...

Too bad Louise. Thanks for taking the time write the trip up despite not making it to Montrose. I don't think I've read a TGOC report where the person had to retire before, and it gives an insight into what could happen to any of us (in another form).

Thanks very much,

John

Thank you for taking the time to read it John. I think I was lucky to have the chance make the decision myself rather than becoming another emergency, but it has to have been the hardest 'right' decision I've ever had to make.
I'm safe and well and will be fit to Challenge again. The hills are going nowhere.
Gutted though :-(

I also was able to make that decision myself Louise, although I didn't have any physical problem. Even before the start things went wrong I couldn't explain. At the end of day 1 I'd climbed 1 Munro, EVERYTHING was wet (including some stuff in drybags), my wellprotected phone was dead and more bad omens gave me this very strong feeling of an approaching disaster. On saturday the owner of the Knoydart B&B lodge gave me a boatlift back to Mallaig.

That's miserable Theo. Glad that you made a safe withdrawal. The hills are going nowhere, we'll be back!