Comments on: Planning Your First Challenge: Route Planning

By: Rob

Rob — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 22:41:32 +0000

Andy–

Thank you for the blog– I can’t make the 2008 TGOC but have started planing for 2009–starting with my boss…

I found this highly informative and have ordered the Lonely Planet book. This will be my wife’s first long distance hike and we have already begun training for it. You site is one of several resources we use for the planning and training process. I don’t think she realized how far “200 miles” could be until seeing your site and the equipment options for the trip. It helps because we will be attempting to do it with a tarp and other light weight gear.

Again- Thank you for the site and I hope to meet you and some of my other influences.

Rob Anderson

By: andy

andy — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 17:31:10 +0000

Rannock Moor – magnificent in its bleakness!

By: Baz

Baz — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 13:51:52 +0000

Andy,

I know many many people do the WHW, but just to register that I really enjoyed mine, which I did in 7 days, and many thanks for your encouragement. I was mainly using SYHAs, which were great (actually fantastic up there in Scotland), but I’d like to consider camping for such a walk again.
I felt that even though I was in SYHAs I was carrying too much weight and this is where the real connection with ‘going lightweight’ kicks in.
Apart from the thorough enjoyment of the walk itself, it is great now to check out other people’s kit to see how I would pack lighter next time – actually a fun exercise in itself! I shall be rereading your blog with renewed interest in light of this!
My favourite bit? Bridge of Orchy to Kingshouse – Rannock Moor is amazing. The train back from Fort William has opened up lots of new possibilities for me, too.
Fantastic stuff. Thanks again for the great blog.

By: andy

andy — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 12:40:03 +0000

Low level routes are not inferior routes. In many ways they are better as you get to move through the mountains while still being able to see things!

By: Baz

Baz — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 12:32:27 +0000

Andy, your encouragement is really appreciated – I will apply and look forward to figuring out a decent perhaps Glen based route.

By: andy

andy — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 17:44:51 +0000

Baz,

Welcome back!

I’ll shortly have my second journal online, which will give you an idea of another start.

The most popular starts are Mallaig and Shiel Bridge. They can both be reasonable first time routes.

If you can do the WHW then you can do the Challenge. The Challenge bit is walking every day for two weeks, rather than the harshness of the terrain.

I’d seriously think of doing it. Put an application in this October. You can always withdraw it.

Track down Hill Tracks. Their map of paths suddenly makes things seem much, much clearer.

By: Baz

Baz — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 17:12:52 +0000

Of course I should have read your blog first, Andy. Out of interest I wasted some lunch hour (and more) figuring how I may make such a route using tracklogs and whilst listening to one of Bob’s Podcasts about TGOC route planning with Chris Townsend.
I may well track down a copy of SHT and see what I come up with. Can there be anything more relaxing than having the mug of tea out and the maps spread all over the floor, picking out routes?
I’d like to think I could consider doing TGOC, but I think I’ll get WHW under my belt first to see how I cope with a straightforward long distance trail.
Once again Andy, thanks for the notes here and elsewhere on your site!

By: andy

andy — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 19:41:32 +0000

Mr Grumpy/Peter is right!

Serves me right for being lazy – I wrote this post while on a train and should have checked when I got home.

Pete is right, this is probably the most useful book you can get. Cracking stuff …

… and a real credit to the Scottish Rights of Way Society and Mountaineering Trust.

I shall talk a bit more about some of the other excellent books in the SMT’s range a bit later on.

By: Peter

Peter — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 19:34:21 +0000

I think that you will find tha SHT is published by the Scottish Rights of Way Society & The Scottish Mountaineering Trust. It should be easily available from any main library. It also covers the whole of Scotland so is useful for planning any routes from day walks to multi-week treks.

By: andy

andy — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 13:01:51 +0000

HIll Tracks covers the whole of Scotland including the borders and the far north. most of the routes are in Highlands; the routes sparser as you move north.