Must Be This Way » The Challenge Draw

The Challenge Draw

Thanks to all of you who have sent me messages about the Challenge, especially those of you I might not bump into next year. There is something a bit weird about it all though!

The Challenge is a funny thing. It is difficult to really describe the social side of it — and the social bonds that it fosters — unless you have experienced it for yourself. I suspect that it is this that makes people return time and time again, more so than Scotland itself. After all, you can got to Scotland at any time. For people like me, at least, there would be no difficulty in walking across Scotland whenever I feel like it but the fact remains that — without the Challenge — I probably wouldn’t.

Personally I don’t mind the draw and the knowledge that I might not make the cut. There are other things to do. As I get older I’ve begun to realise that there’s a lot of walking in the world and not enough time to do it in. Suddenly I’m beginning to realise that I probably will never get around to doing some of those treks that are on my ‘must do at some time’ list.

The problem is that every year in October there is that sense of anticipation when the forms have to go in. You think, ah well, I’ll just put in the application and see how things go. I might not get in. It’s not the end of the world. And besides, I’m not sure that I want to do it every year. After all, two weeks is a big chunk of time. But then the emails and phone calls start floating around, the stories of previous years start being told and inevitably the interest mounts.

My ideal Challenge would be a solo crossing and one which utilises a route that is designed to avoid people for large chunks of time. I’m not the only person that thinks this way. Next year’s route was to be designed like that. But in the reality of the Challenge that is quite a hard thing to do.

My outline route for next year had struck out Braemar. I was going to avoid it. But when I mentioned this to people they all said, no, you can’t miss Braemar. And they’re probably right. I can walk through the countryside any time I want. But I can only got to Braemar during the Challenge once a year. That’s the point. For most of us Braemar isn’t Braemar. It is Braemar as it presents on one weekend in May, i.e. when weekend when we are all there.

This is why people like Laura — in the comments to the original post — said she now felt quite miserable. I know how she feels. Something will be missing, but it is something that is really quite difficult to quantify. Of course, I could just tag along or tag along for some of it. But somehow that just doesn’t seem right.

On a more practical note there is, of course, the standby list. In a few weeks we will know where we stand on it and it is this that will make my decision for me. Last time I missed out I think I was 89 or something. That was too low down to start worrying about and I emailed the organisers I told them to take me off it. That year I did more short breaks and went back to the Pyrenees for an extended stay.

This year I fancy keeping those two weeks for a solo walk somewhere. I could do Fort William to Cape Wrath (a classic Scottish fall-back). Or there’s the new Sutherland Trail that Cameron has designed. Put in the Munros and Tops and this could easily fill the Challenge time table. Or I could go abroad. Finland is an area that I’ve always wanted to visit and Hendrik is always saying come on over you’re welcome. Then there’s the trails in Andalusia, the Picos or any one of a number of French routes.

Over the last few days there’s one idea that keeps popping back into my mind, the Stevenson Trail that runs from the Masif Central to the Cevennes (or the GR70 as it is known). I’ve thought about this for a few years now. It would fit nicely into the Challenge slot.

The trail is named after Robert Louis Stevenson who — as a reasonably unknown writer — walked that trail in his youth. We’re not sure why he did it but he may well have been mourning for the end of a relationship with a woman who was the love of his life but inconveniently married to someone else. She moved to the USA. Eventually Stevenson did chase her to the US but during this phase in his life he was probably taking stock; we’ve all done it. Stevenson was not the most healthy of people but despite this he was a great explorer. The trip he took through to the Cevennes Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes is an all time classic and probably the book that set the style for what we now call travel literature. The Donkey — Modestine — and his relationship with her is one of the central planks in the book. Modestine was not much good as a donkey, a bit of a problem as Stevenson’s health (and the travel habbits of the time) meant he needed her to both carry weight and do move quickly. But despite Modestine’s lack of enthusiasm for actually moving Stevenson was quite moved when he finally had to say goodbye.

It would be fun to retrace the trip and to do so with a copy of this small travelogue in my pack. This part of France has changed like all others, but not that much. I reckon part of the charm of the trail is that it would be relatively easy to imagine yourself back in those times. And it might make for a really good podcast, as a travel diary that reflects back to those times. I suppose at a push it might also be a fine outing for those two old codgers Bob and Andy …..

But let’s see what the standby list brings with it.

The Stevenson Trail Website

23 Comments so far
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It seems I’m in good company on the standby list then, Andy! Do I need the Challenge? Nope, like you I could just down tools and go whenever I feel like it. The chances are that won’t happen, life’s like that. How about a standby lister’s challenge?

Now that is not such a bad idea Steve. More later. I’d be up for a joint alternative.

Now you’re talking! Drop me an email sometime.

Spot on Andy – all you said has hit the mark. After all as far as walking in Scotland or visiting Braemar that’s easy for me – I live there and only 7 miles from Braemar but it is the whole feel of the Challenge that has me captivated. I’m crossing all fingers for good Standby number but also thinking I’m going to plan something else. Perhaps the Coast2Coast or Southern Upland Way or go to France for the GR5……….? Nothing is ringing the bells yet………

Laura. Bookings are up for the coast2coast 2010. Thanks to Julie Bradbury. We did it this year. Non camping because we had 2 people having ago at long distance path. At the half way point in Keld they were saying their bookings were already coming in and for the first time the Pennine Way traffic had picked up.
The ??? Did she walk all the way. Jury still out on that one. But a car was used and a quid bike was used.

Laura – the Southern Upland Way is a splendid stravaig, tho’ sadly ignored by many. I walked it in May ‘96, and it’s a simply wonderful 212 mile traverse that goes through a huge diversity of terrain. Don’t be put off by the nay-sayers! The waymarking is excellent, and the official guide is by none other than Roger Smith! Go for it, grrrrl – and if you want my copy of the guide I’ll gladly send it to you.

The Coast-2-Coast is tame. Far better is The Ravenber – a quirky and original route from Ravensglass to Berwick-upon-Tweed, put together by Ron Scholes. It’s entirely of his own invention. I walked it in June ‘97, and at that time was the only person to have done so. I called him up and we had a good laugh. Again, happy to send you his – excellent – book. It goes over extremely interesting country, particularly The Eden Valley, followed by North Northumberland and a crossing over The Cheviot. It also passes within 1km of my house, and if you’re doing it outwith The Ch****nge you’re welcome to stop by.

And May is a tad early for the GR5 …

“My ideal Challenge would be a solo crossing and one which utilises a route that is designed to avoid people for large chunks of time”

Me to Andy

Bad luck on missing out. I have one of those jobs which make the Challenge impossible. This year I spent a fortnight cycling in France later in the year and came across donkey trekkers in the Vercors. It’s really popular with families. If they keep weights down, the nipper can be put on the donkey when exhausted. They go from gite to gite starting at La Chapelle-en-Vercors. I met them at the Ferme de Lente, which is a fabulous gite.

Thanks for your kind suggestions Humphrey – the Ravenber sounds interesting. (I’ve had a look at the website.) The Coast2Coast is beginning to sound too busy for me…………..

Wharrgh! Disregard this slavish toadyism! Resist pipe-smoking civil servants and members of the misogynist rent-collecting class! Hand-written “guide-books” are a direct attack on collectivists members of the print unions! The Ravenber is a mighty rebuff to the paper tigers and revionist romantics of the Trail |Massive. Send all monetary contibutions to the Dr. Groove Fighting Fund. Peace and love, Sister, and may your PacerPoles continually resist the termagent diatribe of the un-reconstructed … (falls asleep whilst ploghing through Trotsky’s un-published tweets to Frida Kahlo, yawn )

Humph is right about the GR5. My Stevenson Trail might be too early as well. Went walking in Massif Central, in June, once. The pistes were only just being opened up (foilage trimmed and so on) I had three days of snow, hail and generally miserable weather — went over to Cote D’or and it was fabulous! Then again the Massif means walking at 1,000 metres on the main — even more dramatic on GR5

The Caledonia Trail (2010) could be a suitable alternative for those who have missed out or can’t manage the Challenge dates.
Though I’m not sure what Humph would make of it!

andy having met you and enjoyed your compant at sally and john doddwells tgo reunion on saturday night i,ll miss your presence on the challenge

Indeed there are many interesting places to walk. Maybe you should consider Sweden if you are looking for a true wilderness experience away from people? I can suggest a lot of places with great views where you won’t see a soul for two weeks, Sarek, Jämtland, Vindelfjällen etc. You don’t really have to go that far north to find that. You just have to walk a bit a away from the trails.

I’ve just posted a route for a quick tour into the heart of Sarek on my blog.

Thanks Gustav — I’ve been meaning to go to Sweden (for hiking) for years!

Chris — you may have to put up with me yet!

The Stevenson Trail has always been on my list of ‘future possibles’. Somewhere I have a copy of TGO magazine that ran a feature on the inaugural walk by a few members of the UK outdoor Press, which included Cameron M, Robin Adshead, Peter Lumley plus a couple others. It looked hard enough.

DOn’t mind the hard bit, mind you I’m sure it’s not as bad as some other French trails.

That GR20 across Corsica looked pretty interesting when I walked bits of it many years ago. I was on honeymoon at the time and Catherine wasn’t too keen on treacherous ridge walks!

Not in May though Des !!!

Actually, I’m not really that attracted to the GR20.

It has the reputation of being Europe’s toughest waymarked trail — and the clue is here.

The HRP in the Pyrenees is far superior as far as I can see (and those who’ve done both tend to say that). THe HRP isn’t an official waymarked trail though!

THe HRP is bigger, wilder and quieter. You have endless wildcamp possibilities (which you don’t on the GR20) and is quite a way from any over commercial exploitation.

These things are clinchers for me!

You’re probably right and the GR20 didn’t look too welcoming as a long distance backpack. There was a lot of snow on some of the higher north facing ridges the first time I went there.

That is an issue with the HRP as well. Effectively the higher you go the more compact the season, though on the HRP it is usually safe to follow in some folk’s footpaths when they have been well travelled already (if you get what I mean).

I did a nice walk from Martigny to Zermatt some years ago and that was good fun.

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