While the official starting date for the Challenge was Friday 11th May, for me, thing really kicked off a day earlier at Glasgow Queen Street Station.

 Challengers arriving at Glasgow Queen Street

I had arrived at Queen Street after a very early train from Birmingham and was the first Challenger to arrived. I settled down in the station's Bonparte's Bar, to eat a hearty breakfast and to watch other Challengers arrive. Here I had my first pleasant surprise. A couple of years ago I wouldn't dream of eating in a bar like this but Scotland's smoking ban has had a dramatic effect on pubs, restaurants and other public places. Throughout my journey I was to experience some wonderful smoke-free venues. Smokers seemed to take their punishment with good humour. It made me wonder what all of the agony and fuss had been about, south of the border, as the government struggled top do the right thing.

After an hour or so the first rucksack appeared, then a couple more and soon there was a constant stream of large packs and trekking poles settling in the foyer. An hour or so before the train was to depart the station was heaving with Challengers. Every spare bit of space was crammed-full of rucksacks. The non-walking public looked a little nonplussed at first but very soon the festival atmosphere began to have a cheering effect on all of the other station users and staff.

The Challengers were split into two groups. There were those who were revelling in meeting old friends while those of us first timers cautiously introduced ourselves to each other. I plucked-up courage and introduced myself to my first Challenger. Where had he come from? Gdansk came back the answer! Lasczek had taken advantage of a new cut-price flight between Gdansk and Glasgow. It had taken him only two hours to get here; he'd left his some a good couple of hours after I had. It was nice to meet my first Challengers and soon as I was bumping into familiar faces such as Bob and Rose Cartwright from backpackinglight.co.uk. With them was Shirley Worrall. Shirley and I have been internet friends for the best part of ten years, meeting firstly through a shared passion for acoustic guitars and more latterly through a love of walking. It was nice to meet face-to-face after so much time.

Eventually we were all crammed into the small train that would spend the next five hours, or so, winding its way up through the highlands to the little port town of Mallaig. The atmosphere in the carriage was full of excitement as people struggled past rucksacks to greet old mates and to discuss new routes. For a first timer it was a little intimidating but I was content to sink back into my seat and watch the scenery roll by. I had entered the Challenge because I hadn't done much walking in Scotland. As the train climbed up into the hills, followed the West Highland Way up past Loch Lomond and on to Rannock Moor I wasn't disappointed.

From Fort William onwards the train emptied a little as every station passed and eventually thirty or so of us were left on the last leg to Mallaig. The excitement was really mounting and I couldn't wait to get onto the hills. At Mallaig I arranged to eat with Shirley and went to find my room at the West Highlands Hotel which was also, conveniently, the singing-out place for the Challenge.

The sign on the restaurant door proudly announced that it served, "probably the freshest fish that you have ever eaten". They weren't exaggerating. We had the most amazingly fresh, large langoustines, dished up with lobster crackers with which to get at the meat in the claws - beautifully fresh. The langoustines were followed by haddock which was equally as fresh. Sitting net to us were the Thorn family, Ann and Alvar who were on their tenth crossing with their son Simon, who had promised to walk with them if they ever got to ten. We talked about routes and ghosts, Shirley seeming to be desperate to meet as many ghouls and spooks as she could during the trip.

I climbed into my bed contented, wonderfully fed, and full of expectancy and excitement for the day to come. Here I was and tomorrow I'd be out onto the hills of the Knoydart.

On to Day 1