A Warm Welcome to the 139 new Challengers this year!

We have just one month before we launch our bodies eastwards from the exquisite West Coast of Scotland.

How will you cope with the pack on your back for a fortnight?
Are your navigation skills up to the job?
Will you miss your dog/cat/budgie?
Are you nervous?

Don't let these doubts nag away at you - Here are a few real things to worry about:

Cautionary Tales, Part 1: The Tick Bite

Cautionary Tales, Part 2: Hotel Bathrooms

Cautionary Tales Part 3: Binder's Beginnings - Choosing your Walking Partner

Enjoy!

:joy:

Alan,
Thank you for sharing your great wisdom with us newbies!
I've read your epistles carefully and come up with one question and two strategies:

Question:
How did that particular part of your anatomy become vulnerable to tick attack?
I suspect that may be an even more entertaining story than finding a solution to the invasion.

Strategy one:
Sleep in the tent every night and avoid hotels - they're obviously dangerous.

Strategy two (already in place):
Walk solo - partners are dangerous too!

I've now decided that my preparatory walks will be curtailed and the time spent more usefully in practising tick and toe removal.

Its getting close!!

Looking forward to meeting you all on the hill.

Graham

All apocryphal and true.
And no mention of Dave's roaming in a Loch and subsequent shredding. :cold_sweat: :face_with_head_bandage: :joy:

I’ve just read it again. Funny and eye watering!

Cheers, Graham

:slightly_smiling_face:

Ticks have a peculiar knack to find hot & damp dark recesses. In the past I've found a whole family buried in my wrist beneath my watch. Armpits are a favourite haunt. Also that place in the crook of your arm on the other side of your elbow.

But the groin. Oh yes. Ticks just love your groin!

*******************************************************************

Another Cautionary Tale alluded to by Mr Walker and Mr Evans can be found in two parts here:

Where's Dave?

and

Shredding Shreddies

:joy:

I found one three days after the challenge once,it was in between one of my toes,I had to go see the nurse as I couldn't get at it,:grimacing:
I also remember in the fife arms once somebody had one in between his eyelashes and he didn't know it was there, 😜😜