Here is some footage I captured while doing my second TGO challenge in 2022.
Dornie to Kinnaber Links (Montrose) 320km Day -1 The sleepless slog to Scotland I was dropped off at Derby train station at 9pm Wednesday 11th May to start my first leg of the long journey up to Scotland. From Derby I took the train to Crewe where I boarded the Caledonian Sleeper to Inverness. The first hiccup to the adventure came in the form of a leaking whisky bag, as I lifted my pack, I noticed a damp shoulder strap and the familiar whiff of “Black bottle”. So my first job was to purchase a suitable vessel to decant my …
Two weeks to I’m finally setting off for the long awaited TGO of 2022! This is the TGO Challenge that I applied for back in 2019 which for obvious reasons got cancelled during 2020. I remember back in early 2020 trying to be hopeful that the challenge would still go ahead and COVID would be over within a few weeks, how wrong was I! 2021 I had the option to take up my place which ran later than usual, June rather than May. Having already waited 3 years since completing my 2017 crossing, also mindful that my next TGO will …
A very rare opportunity to clock off early from work on Friday (25th Feb 2022) afternoon Rudi and I headed up to Edale to meet Dan, Bryn and Audrey for an over nighter on Kinder Scout. Arriving around 4pm we stopped for the obligatory pints at The Old Nags Head. Sadly they aren’t serving the famous 1577 Ale, they are expecting to start again later this year though. 3 pints of Farmers Blonde and a Glenmorangie later, we stepped out into the cool February air and made our way up the track behind the pub. Over the footbridge (currently under …
So after many many hours of gawking at maps I’ve finally nailed the TGO 2022 route! This year we’re walking castle to castle, starting at Dornie (Eilean Castle) and heading to Lunan Bay (Red Castle) just south of Montrose. A Friday start takes us from Dornie through Glen Affric to Cougie Lodge before dropping south into Fort Augustus for a day 3 restock. A lengthy windfarm track bash on to the Monadhliath but rather than a Chalybeate Springs “cocktail party”, we’re heading North up to Stonelairg lodge and over to Aviemore for another restock. Hopefully we get a clement weather …
Back to the drawing board for 2022! As the TGO 2020 didn’t happen (only virtually) and we decided to defer our places from 2021 into 2022, I’m now in the process of replanning our route for next year. Yes, we could have used the previously vetted and approved route out of Mallaig, but the route had a few issues. I can’t put my finger on them specifically but somehow it didn’t excite me and it had a few heavy road bashing days. So for 2022 I’m taking the opportunity to plan an entirely new route. This time the route will …
A friend of mine (aka Webby) phoned me a while ago looking for some advice as he wanted to start wild camping. After a chat covering the usual sorts of questions such as where to go and what kit you need, he went away to buy some gear. Fast forward to last week we’d arranged to get out Friday evening after work for is first wild camp adventure! Kit packed and laptop lid slammed shut, we headed up to the Peaks. The only plan was to camp somewhere on Kinder, given time was fairly limited we opted to park in …
Finally the lockdown eases and some sort of normality resumes…. This being the first trip since the chaos unfolded and only a couple of weeks into the relaxation of the lockdown, I was in two minds about heading out into the hills or not. Part of me just wanted to get back to normality and start enjoying adventure once again. The other part of me was nervous about how busy it would be, the reception of visiting the tourist hotspots, the perceived necessity, potential additional load on emergency services and perhaps the risk of highlighting the delicate subject of wild …
