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Choosing your starting point is the most difficult part of Challenge route planning. 'Challengers' have a number of starting places to chose from, the most northerly of which is Torridon and the most southerly being (I think) Oban. On my first Challenge, in 2006, picking a start-point was easy. For many years I'd worked with a Glaswegian partner who regularly described the train journey from Fort William to Mallaig as the best in the world. I'd not been to Mallaig and so the choice was easily made. Towards the end of that Challenge - and when I thought that I might just tackle the event again - I began to ask experienced Challengers which they thought was their favourite start. Strathcarron was regularly mentioned. And so Strathcarron it was.

A Strathcarron start proved difficult logistically, not least because this small village is accessed from Inverness rather than Fort William. Plane fares from Birmingham to Inverness seemed exorbitant. The early morning train from Birmingham left only a twenty minute connection time at Inverness and so we decided to take the Sleeper service on Wednesday evening, the first of our 2007 'discoveries'.

Taking the Sleeper north is a wonderfully nostalgic and romantic thing to do. After an hour's wait at a cold Crewe station we hopped on board and immediately found our berth or cabin. I hadn't taken a Sleeper for over twenty years. I'd remembered finding it difficult to sleep, especially as the train climbed through the Lake District. But this time the journey was pleasant and we both slept well, with the occasional interruption as engines were de-coupled in the depth of the night. We woke early as the sun streamed through the window blinds. I reckon we'd woken somewhere around Blair Atholl. The blinds were pulled back to reveal a wonderful highland scene. In the foreground the sun picked out the reds, browns and oranges of miles and miles of heather upland. On the horizon dramatic looking mountains were covered with snow. We were on our way.

At Inverness a quick dash down the platform connected us with the early morning train and we were in Strathcarron by 10.30. I'd warned the Strathcarron Hotel that we would be arriving early and they'd not let our room the evening before. We were able to occupy the room immediately; what thoughtful hosts.

There's not much at Strathcarron. I'd imagined that such an early arrival might make for a long day. But the village was delightful. We had a long talk to the owner of the convenience store and Post Office. He'd been there for thirteen years and, in half and hour or so, he gave us a pretty good introduction to the village with particularly vivid accounts of the fortunes of the local shinty team. Shinty is a particularly rough team game which in which players hit a soft ball with a shinty stick, something that is somewhere between a hockey stick and a golf club. (Apparently golf has its origins in Shinty practice). There seem to be no rules to Shinty, other than players have to hit the ball with their stick.

We ambled up to the start of our route and got our bearings. Then we headed back to the hotel. At lunchtime we met our first Challengers, Mick from Wolverhampton and James from Birmingham. Our lazy afternoon was far more relaxing than last year's mid evening arrival at Mallaig; if you have time it's certainly worth taking the Sleeper and arriving early. Challengers continued to arrive. Our first Akto's were spotted on a patch of grass opposite the hotel, the hotel being full. (The Hilleberg Akto is the solo tent of choice for many Challengers). Eventually fifteen or so Challengers gathered together in the bar.

As the evening progressed it struck me that Strathcarron is a fine place for first timers to start. There were just the right number of us; the more popular starting points can prove to be quite intimidating when you don't know anyone and are rather nervous about what the next couple of weeks have in store. But here there were several experienced Challengers, including 20 time route vetter and 'Super-legend' Bernie Marshall. Roger Boston had already been walking for five days or so, turning the Challenge into a circular walk that started and finished at his home town of Elgin on the East coast. Also there were Kate and Tim Wood, a lovely couple whom I met on day one last year. First timers were able to make some good friends quickly which gave then an early feel for the social side of the Challenge. On my first crossing I'd not met many Challenger by the time I reached Braemar and it was only towards the end of the event that I'd come to fully appreciate the social side of the event.

Amongst the first timers was Martin Banfield, regular contributor to my blog who at one point had offered us a lift up to Scotland in his car. It was great meeting Martin; he's a lovely man. But Martin bought with him the first worrying news of the trip. Fellow blogger Darren Christie was attempting his first Challenge with his mate Dave Mycroft. Martin had given Darren a lift north and told us that Dave had been forced to abandon his walk at the last minute. Darren would be walking alone. This worried me. In choosing to use a tarp rather than a tent he'd left himself no comfort zone for the harsh weather conditions that always arrive, at some point, during the walk. The route that Dave and Darren has chosen was very ambitious with a lot of ascent during the first three days or so. I'd met Darren at the Outdoor Show and found him a lovely guy. I'd commented on his route and emphasised that he could change it during the walk; I know other experienced Challengers had made the same point to him. But it was Dave's route and Darren was happy to go along with a more experienced walker. I comforted myself with the thought that Darren was starting from Mallaig along with fifty or so other Challengers; they'd be sure to help him through the first few days and there would be lots of easier routes to learn from. Nevertheless, Darren was never far from my thoughts during the first week of the Challenge.

We had a thoroughly relaxing evening in the bar of the Strathcarron Hotel. Warmed by an excellent meal we turned in early