Day 10: Braemar to Glen Clova

We were up early and intended to walk with Bob Cartwight, Lee Wells and Colin Ibbotson. Our small group was heading for Callater Lodge and a crossing over Jock's Road to Glen Clova. Only Colin had done this walk before, and that was in the other direction. We left the campsite on our own while the others seemed engaged in yet another, critical, conversation about gear.

Climbing to Callater Lodge

Route finding was pretty easy. Out of the campsite, turn right and keep going until you see a sign for the footpath to Clova! Once off the main road, and on the track up to the Lodge, we were caught by the other three. They were showing - possibly - an unhealthy interest in a female walker and her dog. But I'd better say no more.

This was our first time at the legendary Calleter Lodge. We knew we had arrived when we saw a signpost that simply pronounced, "TGO - Tea". In we went.

In planning your first Challenge you'll pick up lots of oblique references to Callater Lodge. Fifteen years, or so, ago, Bill, Stan, and their respective partners, decided that they wanted to restore a set of old buildings that sat on the edge of Loch Callater. The site is in the ownership of Balmoral. Bill and Stan wrote to estate - and the Prince of Wales, or Queen, or someone like that - and were granted permission to restore and to use the Lodge. These days the Lodge is wonderfully renovated, a bothy operating at the side, and Bill and Stan are as much a part of Callater as is the Loch! They are also both, now, an important part of the Challenge, One of their partners was even taking part in the Challenge this year.

Not only are Challenger encouraged to stop for tea, they are encouraged to stay for the night. This may sound a lovely, romantic, notion but I suspect that it may be a stay fraught with all kinds of danger.

At the Lodge you're ushered into the kitchen/parlour, where huge, old, pots of water are warming over a real fire. The walls of the room are plastered with photographs of Challengers who dropped in over the years. Oh, and there are a number of photographs of the Prince of Wales who often just pops in, Callater being one of his favourite places. (Apparently he never brings his own whiskey with him, but then I suppose he doesn't carry cash either). Bill and Stan keep Challenges just as royally entertained. You could say that they are there by Royal Appointment.

We'd been in the Lodge for about two minutes when we were asked were we staying for the night. It was 10.00 am! A cold shiver went through me as I imagined what state I would be the next morning after 24 hours of Callater hospitality. I suspect I would've had to abandon the Challenge there and then.

Callater is so comfortable that you have to force yourself away, not least because there are plenty following behind who are keen to sample the hospitality. We eventually left, but not before we had to pose for a photograph which, no doubt, you will be able to see on the Lodge Wall next year. The hospitality there is notionally free. But be sure to contribute to the Lodge restoration appeal tin. And make sure your name is crossed off the list of Challengers, which is part of Roger Smith's system of making sure he knows where you are.

Callater Lodge is well positioned for two routes out and on to Tarfside. One runs along Lochnagar and then carries on to the Sheilin of Mark Bothy and is the route we were taking, the last high pass of this year's Challenge - Jock's Road. At the campsite route vetters were busy warning people about Jocks Road in the wind. Challenge Control tried to convince us to go another way; a Challenger who had gone through the day before had found it incredibly difficult and had, apparently, navigated the higher bits on his hands and knees! They're only doing their job I suppose and there seemed little to really worry about as the winds had dropped significantly.

Lunch Break on Jock's Road: Kate, Lee, Bob & Colin

We were all blown away by Jock's Road. It is a beautiful, alpine, route. The weather was good. Kate pronounced this the best day on the Challenge so far. For most of the way up the climb the path is pretty easy to follow. As you reach high ground the path disappears but with a simple compass reading, and the map, it's pretty easy to navigate across the high moor until the path down is met. I say it's pretty easy but as we were walking in a group I never got my map out once. Bob was leading the map reading with Colin nervously double checking. While it is nice to let others do the work it is a bit disconcerting as there are times when you realise you don't know where you are - not a good idea in wild country.

Bob and Lee, Climbing to the Ridge

Navigation by Committee!

As the path begins to drop down fabulous views over Glen Clova are revealed. This was a lovely descent which, in many ways, reminded me of the Pyrenees. But if the Glen is beautiful it is also famed for vicious estate wardens who really don't like people wildcamping, even - apparently - at the old (sadly defunct) campsite. We hoped to find a camp spot before we entered the estate forest but were not really lucky. Eventually we came across a small clearing in the trees, at the side of the river and we decided to make camp. It may have looked a nice site but the grass was long and the tussocks concealed some very lumpy and uncomfortable ground.

As night fell we climbed into our tents. Bob climbed into his tarp tent, which had no bug netting. He doused himself with insect repellant. As great as tarps can be, at that moment all of us were grateful for our tents and for bug netting - a feature of even Colin's Henry Shires tarp tent.