​​​​​​​

MESSAGE BOARD

THE CHALLENGE COMMUNITY, ON-LINE!

FRIENDLY ASSISTANCE AND ENCOURAGEMENT AVAILABLE FOR CHALLENGERS OLD AND NEW,

FROM FRIENDLY AND ENCOURAGING CHALLENGERS, NEW AND OLD

PLEASE USE YOUR OWN NAME WHEN POSTING. THANK YOU!

Download route sheets, admin forms, event documents here

Any queries? Email the coordinators  Sue, Ali & Mick at tgochallenge@gmail.com 

The TGO Challenge Message Board
Start a New Topic 
Author
Comment
View Entire Thread
Re: A helping hand, getting the big picture

Hi Colin , I believe our paths crossed around the Great Glen area 2007 - 9 . With regard to your posting problem . The protection link to copy as i recall was not " case sensitive" when i last used it in 2012 ish . Could this be your difficulty in posting .

Re: A helping hand, getting the big picture

Michael, I agree with Alan as well as Colin. A lot depends on your day of travel. For my first Challenge I started on Saturday and I didn't meet a single Challenger on the way to my starting point. At the end of day 3 I met the first fellow Challengers.

Re: A helping hand, getting the big picture

First of all, thanks for all the replies. It's very nice that everyone is willing to help.

The reason that I asked, were not in the attempt to make/do and social-route... but more to be able to make informed decisions when deciding on our route. First of all the idea is that we will make our own route. No copy n past. But while we are seeking wilderness and planning to wild camp along the way, we will try to fit our resupply points at places where we are likely to bump into fellow challengers.

Could we get away with it - we would select out start and end point.. and a general direction. Making the route along the way... But I guess that won't pass with the vetters

The social aspect, the stories and tales told over pints... be it in a booty or pup, is one of the strengths of the Challenge in our view. And definitely something we will facilitate in our route planning. If we were to seek solitude, we could opted for a trip to Sarek in Sweden, we're pretty sure we won't see another soul there. But that'll have to wait until 2016.

Again, thanks for all the replies. Hope to see all of you in May.

Regards.

Re: A helping hand, getting the big picture

For me, the "big picture" looks a bit like this.

A typical route consists of four distinct sections:

1. Start point to Great Glen crossing
2. Great Glen to the A9
3. A9 to Eastern edge of the Cairngorms
4. Eastern edge of the Cairngorms ot finish point

I always think about my routes in these stages. There are, of course, lots of exceptions and special cases. But this is the essential big picture. Taking these in turn ...

1. There are 13 start points. The most southerly two (Oban and Ardrishaig) are South of the Great Glen. All the others are North of it. There are only ten places you can cross the Great Glen. From the South they are Corran Ferry, Camunagaul Ferry, Corpach, Gairlochy, Bridge of Oich, Laggan Locks, Fort Augustus, Drumnadrochit (where a ferry crosses Loch Ness to Inverfarigaig), and Inverness. There's one other which I cannot remember offhand, and I may have Bridge of Oich and Laggan Locks in the wrong order. But that's esentially it. Only two or three of these crossing points make sense for each start point. So you may as well work out a route from your start point to each of the possible Great Glen crossings, before deciding which one you're going to do.

2. Great Glen crossing to A9 - much depends upon where you are. At Inverness, you have the choice of staying North (roads and costal walking) or heading into the Monadhliath. Drumnadrochit / Inverfarigaig means you need to cross the Monadhliaith for sure. Fort Augustus gives you the choice of heading into the Monadhliath or using the Corrieyairack pass. South of that but North of Gairlochy and you can go over the hills to the Corrieyairack, or over the hills into Glen Roy. From Gairlochy and Corpach you are looking at Glen Roy or Loch Treig. From Camusagail or Corran Ferry, you are probably either heading up Glen Nevis, or through the Mamores, or onot the West Highland Way for Kinlochleven. If you went through the Corrieyairack or anywhere North of it, then you are going to have to cross the river Spey as well as the A9 - and there are not that many bridges. So head for a town. Grantown on Spey, Aviemore, Carrbridge, Kingussie or Newtonmore. These towns are key to crossing the A9 AND the Spey. South of the Corrieyairack, the governing geographical feature is Loch Ericht. Stay Norht of it and it will usher you into Dalwhinnie. Go South of it, and you are likely to find yourself in Blair Atholl (although South of Blair there are other options ... Pitlochry and Dunkeld are not much visited by Challengers). If you started at Oban or Ardrishaig then the challenges here are a bit different .. and probably include Rannoch Moor.

3. After the A9, the question is how you are dealing with the Cairngorm Massif. There are, essentially, 5 options: (1) skirt it to the North, and probably end up in Tomintoul; (2) skirt it to the South, and probably end up at Spittal of Glenshee (where the hotel shown on your map is now just a mess of charred and twisted metal); (3) go "over the top" and bag a few fine Munros; (4) take one of the great clefts through it (the Lairig Ghru and Glen Tilt); (5) link the Feshie and the Geldie, and probably end up with very wet feet. If you take options 3, 4 or 5 then you will almost certainly fetch up in Braemar, and possibly Ballater as well.

4. Finally, you have your route to the coast. North of the Dee you will have rather more road walking ahead of you, but there are some fine finish points North of Aberdeen. From Ballater there is the Deeside way - two or three days' easy walking on old railway track bed into Aberdeen (or branch off at Banchory and follow the Slug Road to Stonehaven). South of Aberdeen is the Fetteresso Forest - abandon hope all ye who enter here! South of that, and you're in the Angus Glens. Glen Esk, Glen Lethnott, Glen Clova, Glen Prosen, Glen Isla. Most Challengers emerge from one of these, or walk the ridges between them. Beyond that, it's a day and a half to two and a half days (depending upon your route) through the agricultural belt. Mostly road walking, but there are a few nice little paths and riverside walks to be found if you go looking for them. The last big hazard is the A90. This is a HORRIBLE road to cross. If you can find a road which crosses it on (or under) a bridge, choose this for preference.

Choose your finish point carefully, always remembering that you then have to get to Montrose. There is a good bus service between Aberdeen and Montrose, calling at all the coastal villages. And there is a railway lin eserving some of them, albeit rather less frequently. Stray into more remote parts, though, and you may still have some walking ahead of you (not too bad from St Cyrus or Scurdie Ness ... but quite a big ask from Rumness, say.

Hope this all helps ... and do please post any particular questions you may have as you plan your route. For all that it's wilderness, there are very few parts of it that haven't been visited by several people on this board!

Re: A helping hand, getting the big picture

I divide my walk into the same sections as Jeremy. In fact, I think of it as 4 walks, each lasting about 3 days. For me this is an important part of managing what goes on in my head. The Challenge is not just physical or navigational but also tests resilience and staying power when it's cold and wet and I'm tired and wondering why I set out on this thing in the first place. Saying to myself at moments like that: "I'll be somewhere with lights and warmth the day after tomorrow, so I'll just carry on till then and then I can stop if I want to" stops me feeling overwhelmed. Then when I get there, I say: "well, I'll just do the next bit" and so I fool myself to getting to the east coast!

On the social vs wilderness question, there are as many answers as there are Challengers and that is one of the joys of it. Personally,I like to walk alone and wild camp alone. I am always pleased to meet people on the way, but rarely hook up with anyone for any length of time. When I come down to the crossing points, though, I head straight for the pub and seek out the Challengers. But the walk tests me physically and so I can't drink heavily one night and still walk the next day. I wish I could, though! :)

And, Michael, a pup is a baby dog (seal, elephant, ....). A pub has the beer! :)

Trying to post for the second time .....

Re: A helping hand, getting the big picture

Very impressed by Jeremy's comprehensive geography lesson. But may I gently remind folks that the lovely highland village of Kincraig also has a crossing across the Spey (where you might see ospreys), and where you will definitely get a warm welcome.

Re: A helping hand, getting the big picture

Hello Michael

As a fellow would be Challenger from Denmark. I am curious as to how you know, that you and your group are already accepted for the Challenge.

Myself I have not heard anything yet, so I guess that unfortunately I am not in.

Best of luck to you and your group.

Regards
Niels

Re: A helping hand, getting the big picture

First of all, thanks for all the replies.

And to you Niels.
We don't know. Sorry if we gave that impression. That wasn't intended. Of cause we are all hoping... and 'frustrated', waiting to hear something from Ali and Sue.

Hope to see you in May. Speaking of May and you being a fellow dane. How are you planning to travel to Scotland? Just curious. We have looked at flying and driving (through the tunnel), since the ferry from Esbjerg to UK aren't an option anymore.

Re: A helping hand, getting the big picture

Have a look at driving to IJmuiden (15k west from Amsterdam) and using the DFDS night ferry to Newcastle. You'll be in the Highlands at noon next morning.