All has gone rather quiet at Challenge HQ. We haven't had a route sent to us for two days! There are 57 still due to be submitted and only 3 weeks left. So please don't leave it 'till the last minute . . .

If anyone is having problems please let us know by email tgoc@newtonmorehostel.co.uk or telephone 01540 673360 or 673583. If you are writing your first Challenge route and are finding the planning process difficult let us know and we'll do what we can to point you in the right direction - literally and metaphorically!

When you send us your route please ensure that it is only on two pages and also that your overnight halt points are named - not just a grid reference please. There is no need to specify "camp" or "wild camp" we'll assume that's what you are doing if there are no buildings at you hslt point!

As an addendum if you are one of the 57 and have still not finished your route sheet please read again the notes sent to you. Over half the routes I have seen so far have simple errors which could only have arisen because the notes were not read properly. The Larig Ghru and Jock's Road do need a FWA. As do The Fords of Avon, the Rivers Kingie, Loyne and Feshie (to name but a few) if you plan to ford them. If you are climbing any Munros or Corbetts you must indicate them on your route sheet. Also give reasonable estimates for your daily distance and height gain not an un-educated guess. In a very few cases you are asked not to camp in specific areas, don't put these in as your overnight stopping place.
The Challenge has very few rules but we would like these few followed.

Have to go along with everthing that my Dad has just written!

cj, aka MacGrumpy(-ish),2

Hi all , With respect to all our arrangers in charge !. On my 6th crossing 2012 i named my passing camps onthe 1st. sub. It was not a high route , so i named low camps. I was knocked back and asked to specify more closely with defined points as stated as not required above . On my second sub. i included numerous grid refs. and was accepted . Elf ( the dreamers who invented it universally presumably) and safety , are i assume responsable . They have a lot to answer for with regard to retrograde progress in my opinion . I doubt applying again , much as having enjoyed my 6 successful crossings . My thanks to Roger and John . If Sue and Ally wish for help against the H&S Aspect i will gladly help if asked .

Sorry Bill, not Health and Safety but common sense.

Our coordinators and vetters stick their necks out a long way already so that we can enjoy our crossings. I wouldn't want to sit in the control room at Montrose and have an overdue walker whose whereabouts weren't at least roughly known. The police, mountain rescue, coroner/fiscal would think that to be negligent.
For the sake of those we leave back home, it makes sense.

The Challenge Team make these few requests for our benefit as well as theirs. It's not much to ask.

Hello Bill

There is a good reason for asking for the names of overnight halts that became evident last year. During an emergency the mountain rescue services asked for the names of anyone who might be in a certain area. We had to flick through over 200 route sheets to find the information. The overnight halt point column in effect gives us a quick overview of the route and it is much quicker to work out where someone might be with name places quoted along with grid references. We hope that clarifies why we need the information and hope this doesn't put you off entering for the Challenge again in the future.