As I was walking the Great Wilderness Challenge (charity fundraiser from Corrie Hallie near Dundonnell to Poolewe) in mid-August, I was musing about windfarms and how I rarely see any unless I venture east to Lairg. (Mind you it was so wet that day that I hardly saw anything except scary river crossings).

I then started thinking what a shame it was that Challengers don't get to experience the beautiful areas north of Torridon and since coming back I have done some sums and am now totally mystified as to why there is such a southern bias for start points.

I started with the finish area and approximate northings: 40 for Arbroath and 67 for Fraserburgh and then moved on to the southernmost and northernmost start points.

Ardrishaig is approx 85, ie a whopping 45 km south of Arbroath.
Torridon is 56, not even north of Fraserburgh, but 11km south.

If we went north from Torridon, there are 4 good start points less than 45 km north of Fraserburgh:

Poolewe: northing square 80; 13km north of Fraserburgh
Dundonnell: 88; 21km
Ullapool: 94; 27km
Achiltibuie 09; 41km
and, pushing the boundaries a bit, my own:
Lochinver: 22; 55km

So, what do you say? I offer you the Torridon hills, the Fisherfield Forest and An Teallach, the Fannichs, Seana Bhraig and Assynt. How could anyone turn it down?

The power line infrastructure in this part of the west coast is so poor that it's difficult to feed much more in, so as a bonus, it might just bring the Sloman back. Let's face it, the Challenge won't be the same without him.

Really interesting thought and argument. Beautiful country too, I'd have to seriously rethink my start point and route for 'next time'. I'm sure I've read the reasoning for the current boundaries somewhere, but can't remember where or the explanation. Perhaps having a broader area would allow for more staters spread over a wider area? However that would I suppose mean more work and more routes to keep tabs on over some really wild land.
I haven't exhausted the current options yet, the next route planned is across land largely unknown to me. Bring on the draw...

Thanks, Louise. Yes, I've still got a way to go as well, including both Torridon and Ardrishaig. I understand from a vetter that it has been discussed in the past and that some are in favour but others are strongly opposed. I don't really know all the reasons - it feels a bit to me as if someone put "Here Be Dragons" on the map. Given that I do all my walking north of the Challenge area and I am very averagely competent, it seems odd. Maybe someone else will enlighten us.

Hi Vanessa,

I have *always* wondered this! I think this would be an amazing extension to the Challenge area.

Jaya John

A Dundonnell / Poolewe / Gairloch start - There's a thought.
Fisherfield, Letterewe, Flowerdale/Shieldaig.

That would be excellent!

There would be a bit of a funneling down to Inverness, but, Hey!





And why not?

There's absolutely no truth in the rumour that Wester Ross is excluded from the Challenge area because it is kept as a restorative wilderness for hard-working vetters detoxing from a bleak winter of unscrambling incoherent routesheets.

An excellent suggestion, and one that I believe merits serious consideration.

Ullapool in particular would be a splendid start-point, with easy access - regular bus services from Inverness, and the opportunity to explore the mighty country north of Torridon, or a fine stravaig directly east.

Two of my oldest fiends live in Achiltibuie - Challengers could access this remarkable townland using the post-bus, and then explore the mighty country that leads via Stac Pollaidh and glorious tangled ground to the east.

The joy of The Challenge is that nothing is set in stone. Frankly I'd welcome a fresh look at the Challenge area per se.

There is going to be no chance of a cure to my emerging TGOC addiction if this area is added..... I would love to be able to have a route that passed through this area. Good suggestion

AS - Thought I might tempt you, but not Gairloch, please.

JD - Have you been looking in my Inbox? There is a vetter with strong views on the subject currently lurking in Wester Ross! :)

HW - The postbus service was damaged beyond repair a couple of years ago when the Royal Mail decided it didn't want to do it any more. In Highland the only route left is Lairg to Tongue and even I am not suggesting we start on the north coast! However you can get to Achiltibuie by the school bus or service bus on non-school days. Lochinver has a service bus that meets the Inverness-Ullapool bus twice (sometimes 3 times) a day and I think Westerbus goes to Poolewe and Dundonnell.

I'm glad there seems to be enthusiasm for the idea. However, being realistic, SuenAli aren't going to make any changes for a year or two and, if vetters object, it's not going to happen anyway.

But does the Challenge HAVE to be in Scotland?

Provence is very nice in May.

Yea Vanessa - my fiend Al Fraser was for many ears headmaster of the Achiltibuie primary school. And getting there isn't really a problem. As we know, the further out you get the easier it is to make a connection!

Frankly I think that expanding the Challenge area can only be for the good. And in the heel of the hunt it's our Challenge, and we don't have to be proscribed by some class of a prescriptive geography that was defined over thirty years ago.

I really hope that your initiative can open up a fresh look at the Challenge area.

All the beast!

Totally agree - a start in Wester Ross would be great. As a relatively new Challenger (2 x), I have wondered why Ardrishaig and not Ullapool?