Another rest day I suppose. I woke late. The sun was shining but a blustery wind was blowing. I relaxed waiting for my washing to dry, studying maps to find better routes and writing in my journal.

At lunchtime I strolled up to the at Hotel, visited Challenge Control and re-claimed my Tilley Hat. Best line of the Challenge.

Me to Alan (at CC): "I've lost my Tilley hat".

Alan: "Look for an elephant".

Jeff and his bride got married and left the Registry Office to a guard of crossed trekking poles. Apparently, there is quite a thing about people getting married at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of a Challenge. Nice; it added to the atmosphere.

I bought a Guardian and set out to spend a good hour in a nice café. The first I went to was closed. So was the second. I didn't fancy the Little Mermaid chip shop and café although I gather I could take in any candy bar of choice and have it deep fried! Eventually I found a coffee shop at the other end of the high street. It was quite pleasant but there was a strange item on the menu called a Mars Bar crunchy, or something or other, which seemed suspiciously like it was deep fried.

Montrose struck me as a Public Health disaster. After school young folks hang around the pleasant series of green squares and gardens that are such a lovely feature of Montrose. Cans of beer, fags and goodness knows what else seem to provide the main entertainment here. And as I strolled back and forwards between the campsite and the town (all of ten minutes walk) I came across - several times - men, leaning against a wall, exhausted and wheezing, obviously struggling for breath to complete the journey. Looking at them more closely I began to realise they were not that old - certainly much younger than many of the challengers.

Back at the Park hotel the rucksacks were coming in thick and fast. There was Shirley again - first time I'd seen here since Mallaig. And Judith - another first time meeting with a well-known cyber person. Superstars Perry and McCall were there as was podcasting Bob. The bar was humming. Bob was interviewing. Everyone greeted me with. "and will you do another one?" Grief I've only just finished this one. But as Pauline Marshall said, "careful, it gets addictive this". I was beginning to see why.

This was the evening of the Challenge Meal of rubber chicken and some kinds of accompanying vegetables - the veggie option was completely in-edible. The meal the night before was very good but the pressure of 200 or so walkers was just too much I guess. But we're not here for the food. Roger Smith starts the toasts - every first timer please stand and we'll raise a glass; then those who've completed two; three; four. When we reached ten crossings certificates were give. And then - my favourite moment of the night - a special presentation to Super Legend for his twenty crossings. Special mention was given to SL's steel pan which has also completed 20. Presentations were made to the Tarfside Ladies; one of the guys who runs the lodge at Callater was toasted as well; our international walkers were toasted; and so it went on. A nice, nice evening and a perfect culmination to such an event - and Cameron resisted the temptation to make a long speech (well done!).

Soon I was strolling back, through a quite evening to the campsite. It was now all over and the real world beckoned!

Final Thoughts