TGO Planning: Sleeping

It’s been a real pleasure talking to some of those who are planning their first TGO Challenge. I’m looking forward to meeting some new — and nice — people as I walk across the country this May.

There are some genius features to the Challenge which keep the event fresh. The first is the policy of ensuring that about 100 or so new applicants find places which, as my mate Humphrey always says, keeps it very fresh. And the other thing I appreciate is the range of walking skill and experience that is represented. It would be a far lesser event if every entrant was a hard core, wild camping, bog loving, munro bagger. The event is a Challenge because it is a personal challenger and — for each of us — the nature of the Challenge is different.

By now most first timers will be getting past the worst of the preparation, namely the picking or routes. Once the route is more or less settled you can move on to more exciting things, like thinking about gear …

But one thing that should be high on everyone’s tick list is the need to get a good night sleep, particularly when wild camping.

For many of us wild camping provides many of the highlights of the Challenge. When I look back to my first crossing I realised I’d no done enough and I always advise first timers to con side their routes with a view to wild camping. For some new entrant wild camping will still be a relatively new thing; sleep is important.

For a number of years I happily used an egg shell mat from Gossamer Gear. I found this reasonably comfortable and warm enough even in cold weather. My mat was pretty indestructible and cheap. I was slightly bemused when people started buying the new generation of lightweight inflatable mats such as the Neoair. Were they all confirmed softies?

Then, a few years ago, I found myself walking across Scotland in severe back pain. At Braemar I rushed into Braemar mountain sports and bought myself a Themorest Neoair in the hope this would allow me to get some sleep. The Neoair was expensive, costing me around £90. For an air bed !!!

The Neoair didn’t sort out my back but it did present me with all kinds of other benefits, and continues to do so.

It is mainly the case that you can always find a decent wild camping spot on the Challenge. But that ground that looks flat and inviting can be horribly uneven and full of bumps and divots. With my old mats I had to develop the technique of sleeping ‘with; the lie of the land. The great thing about the Neoair — and its equivalents — is that is is thick enough to even out even the worst of nobly terrain. I was both surprised and delighted. For a long time I’d used lightweight mats such as those from backpackinglight.com in the US (and old style Thermorests) and they were fine. But they were nowhere near as effective as the Neoair.

A bad night’s sleep on a multi day trek really takes its toll. Walking when you are tired and sleep deprived is not really that pleasant. But try walking for a whole day when you’ve had two or three bad nights!

So, if you’re relatively new to wild camping take your sleeping mat seriously. This may be one area where you are happy to splash out some cash. Non walkers will be bemused. The day I bought my Neoair I accidentally left it on the bar of the Hungry Highlander chip shop. When I realised and returned the staff were laughing their heads off. They were looking at the price tag. You mast have a very bad back one of them said. Yep!

But there’s more to a good night’s sleep than the thickness of your mat.

Don’t be tempted to walk for too long. We all have our different speeds and we are happy walking different length days. You will soon get a feel for when you want to stop and if you are new to this game then a rehearsal weekend pre May is a good idea.

When you start getting to the end go the afternoon — and you see a great camp spot — go for it! While there are always camp sites up above they may not be that nice and it might just take you on for too long.

Set out to enjoy the camping for its own sake. Stop early enough to be relaxed about making camp, cooking your food and so on. Arriving late and knackered often means that you can’t relax and unwind. And remember, it never really gets dark!

If you’re having a bad day then take a break. You can always make up the ground the next day, and you’ll feel better for a good night’s rest.

And finally, make sure that you can combat cold at night. Lying in a sleeping bag that’s not warm enough, when you’re tired after a long day’s walk, can be pretty uncomfortable and an invitation for nasty things like cramp. The temperature can drop dramatically in the Highlands during the night. This doesn’t mean that you have to take very heavy sleeping bags but it does mean you should be ready to sleep in your clothes if need be. And always make sure you have a dry pair of warm, wool, socks. Weary a fleece or woollen hat during cold nights also makes a big difference.

Comfort — and those little comforts — are important during multi day treks. A bag of chocolate at night can raise the spirits, especially if you are not carrying spirits themselves! If the weather is bad then a stop and a warm drink can make a big difference. And a warm, good, night’s sleep is one real luxury that you should aspire to.

A comfortable night’s sleep is something that even the most hardened, lightweight, trekkers aspire to. I was talking to Colin Ibbotson after he returned from the Colorado Trail last year. We fell to talking about gear and I asked about mats. Colin got so fed up sleeping on hard floors that he got fed up with it and bought himself a Neoair!

So, think seriously about sleeping when you pick your kits and when you plan for routes. In these hills, especially when the weather is bad, you can find yourself ‘running on empty’ surprisingly quickly. Most likely you won’t be endangering yourself but you’ll just have a miserable time. And remember, when you are walking the Challenge …

… You are on your holidays!