Morning all,

Final Details have just been posted (timely query Rod!) to all and most sundries…

As Jeremy correctly recollects, this document includes the all-important Challenge number, as well as being accompanied temporary SYHA membership cards for all Challengers. These now include the Challenge Control number (phone and text) as well as a space for your name and Challenge number. Thanks to the efforts of Doug Bruce in Braemar, these will also entitle bona fide Challengers to discounts at a few locations there, so keep 'em close at hand.

Jeremy's note about DoE students collecting Challengers' numbers is pertinent. After the storm of 2012, we were able to establish that a good number of Challengers were safe simply because they'd had their numbers recorded at several places they'd passed through, notably Cougie Lodge. If you're using accommodation, signing bothy books or whatever, it's a good idea to include your TGOC number as well as your name as it's a traceable means of establishing your last known location in the event of a mishap.

Also in the pack is a John Muir Trust leaflet offering a fine discount on membership, for exclusive Challengers' use only… note that more copies of the JMT leaflet with the discount code will be available in Montrose.

Please note that we were very careful to ensure that adequate postage was paid for each envelope, all 250+ of them… if your postie claims it was underpaid, have them double check.

As usual, the Final Details will be emailed to overseas Challengers, who would otherwise have to wait a while; unfortunately we cannot email the SYHA card or JMT leaflet – you'll have to rely on the postie for that!

The Final Details will also be available in a few days to download from the Challenge's online resources page.

Oh Goody! Thanks Mr Manning & Team

Final details on the way, Outdoor grub has now arrived and I'm so ready to go I could leap to Mallaig with one giant bound (figuratively speaking), which would have saved me the fare.

Looking forward to meeting with any who cross our path on the way and loads more at Montrose. Remember to have fun everyone

Liz

I love getting this big white envelope! Nice cup of tea and highlighters to hand, let's see who's in the list and where they're all going.
Thanks John et al!
I may be some time...

(for some it's a wee brown envelope…!)

Oh, so some people are favoured and get big white envelopes, do they? Mine arrived today, anyway, (wee brown jobbie) and made me very excited + a kind of ID card. As an SYHA member I don't need a card (and I would encourage everyone to join their local YHA) but this is clearly something more.

I have to fill in my name and no, presumably so that when someone finds me they can tell Challenge Control.

I am not sure about this. It leads me to think our esteemed leader expects us to get lost and not know who we are .... I may have brief moments of uncertainty about where I am, but I was not expecting to be unsure who I am.

I think I shall have to go for a walk and ponder this one....

Don't worry, I know who you are, even if I'm not sure about me.

Most folk forget their Challenge numbers, or claim they didn't call in because they didn't have the number with them (in most cases they did have the number but had rendered themselves unable to speak). Hopefully this helps solve one problem as well as negating any excuses. Hopefully…

The keenest Challengers will, of course, have their event number, the number for Control and their name tattooed on their foreheads (backwards, so they can read it in a powder room mirror) but should bear in mind that their event number will change each year, resulting in some painful crossing out each April.

That's what I thought, too ...

... but my SYHA Life Membership card is currently residing (along with my credit card - now cancelled) in my money belt which I managed to leave in the Stainmore cafe on the A66 yesterday.

I've not been able to find a telephone number for the Stainmore cafe (if anyone has one, please let me know). I have written asking that they use the money in ht ebelt to pay the postage to return it to me ... but I've no idea whether or not I shall receive it back in time for the Challenge.

Jeremy. Cafe number - try 07879 646164

Tried 3 times ... just getting engaged tone ... but will keep trying.

Thanks for finding it for me