The idea here is for me to start the thread and for other experienced Challengers to add to the list! Obviously, I’ve not been to all of them! Anyhow, here’s a start list for you all to add to!

Starting Places

Mallaig

Head for the Cornerstone Restaurant. This will probably be the freshest seafood that you will have ever eaten. If you are planning on one decent meal when crossing, then this is the place if you are in Mallaig. Probably the best seafood restaurant I’ve ever eaten in. I think they also run to take away/chip shop which is also amazing and a little cheaper.

Strathcarron

I have fond memories of the Strathcarron Hotel. Apparently it changes hands regularly but the bar food is very good.

Torridon

I think the Torridon Inn is the place people drink in!

Dornie

The food at the Dornie Hotel is pretty good and you’ll find Challengers here. There’s also a bar just along the street which is busy and atmospheric. There always seem to be plenty of people eating here, so it should be fine.

Archaracle

The hotel is the main place to eat. Eat in the bar and not the restaurant. There is a chip shop opposite but I seem to remember it wasn’t open when Ipassed through.

On The Trail

Tomdoon Hotel

You’ll come this way from Mallaig and also from Shiel Bridge. When I stayed here the place seemed to be run by a man who modelled himself on John Cleese. Nevertheless the restaurant is very good. I think he allows you to camp in the grounds if you eat in the Hotel.

Fort Augustus

A number of places here, decent bars and a reputably good chip shop, although I haven’t eaten here.

Cannich

There’s a restaurant pub in the village which I think is called the Tomich Inn. Pretty standard pub fare. As you approach the campsite there is an old, disused hotel at the win cross roads. The bar here is still open and run some Poles I think. They do have some bar food available during the Challenge and when I was there is was pretty good!

Laggan

Head for the Monaliadth Arms. Most likely you will have approached from Garva Bridge and a decent early start will see you here for lunch. A very friendly place with good value bar food — after all this could be your first real food since the start. They allow you to camp in the grounds I think. Most people will want to move on though. The lovely Glen Truim Campsite is only an hour or so down some lovely little lanes. Netwonmore is only a hope away along the cycle route. Across the bridge is Laggan Stores which also sells snacks and provisions. A few minutes on from the hotel (on the way to Glen Truim) there is a cafe and bunkhouse.

Drumnadrochit

Assuming you want to avoid the Loch Ness Monster Centre you will find a couple of good cafes and a pub just off the village green. The pub has good beer and decent food. It does close early at lunchtime though but if you g into the cafe next door you can have the same food and beer as it is owned by the same people. (I’ve always found this a little weird but there you go!). You’ll meet a lot of people here. If coming from Cannich don’t start too late and you’ll be in time to have a leisurely lunch and cross the afternoon boat over the Loch if you want.

Coran Ferry

There are pubs on either side of the water. The first one you will come to finishes serving food early in the afternoon, so don’t hang around if you want feeding. There is no shop here! If you are approaching from Glen Gour then take the old road into Ardgour rarher than the main road. Here you will find food and provisions available, and you will avoid the worst of the traffic!

Kingussie

The bar at the Silverfjord Hotel seems pretty popular with locals. The food here is pretty good.

Aviemore

Not a place I usually stop at and most of my visits have been off-Challenge. The Cairngorm Hotel, in the centre of the village opposite the Station, is pretty good and serves decent beer and food. There is a very popular hostel here and a popular pub next door. A little further down the road one of the best gear shops has a café on top. This is pretty good but a little pricey.

Coylumbridge

If staying at the campsite you will have passed the Hilton Hotel on your left just before the campsite entrance. You don’t have to stay there! The separate Woodshed Bar is happy to cater for smelly walkers. A limited menu but the last time I was here it was good. Serves good beer from the Cairngorm Brewery. Anywhere you see Cairngorm Brewery Beer — you should buy some!

Braemar

The Old Bakery on the High Street welcomes Challengers with a special breakfast menu. Makes an early start from Derry Lodge or White Bridge a must! They also serve food throughout the day and into the early evening. The Fife Arms remains the place to find Challenge revellers. I’ve not enjoyed the food here but I may have been unlucky.  The Moorfield House Hotel up the hill is now becoming very popular and the food is reputably good. This is venue for the Bingo Wings concert. The Gathering Place Bistro is near the turn to the campsite. I had a lovely meal here once and they didn’t seem to mind the smells coming off my socks. The Hungry Highlander chip shop is legendary but there is some doubt as to whether it will be still open. If it is then in all honesty there is no need to eat anywhere else! The Taste Cafe as you come into town looks good and is reported to be good, though it looks worryingly clean for an early visit!

Ballater

There’s a lot of choice here. There’s a good family run Italian and a chef from the posh restaurant recently won a TV cookery competition. I usually head for the Alexander Hotel as do many hoers. A nice warm welcome is guaranteed and the bar food is good. Eat in the bar rather than the restaurant.

Tarfside

The girl at the hostel will force feed you bacon sandwiches if you let them. In the evening they produce simple but good baked potato meals. The Retreat down the road now caters for Challengers camping on the sports ground. They appear in late afternoon to take orders and will deliver some pretty decent pod right to our tent! The Refuge also serves breakfasts — it is one the way out and you have to pass anyway.

Edzell

The Tuck Inn on the High Street is a must for all of those ambling boards St Cyrus. Wonderful home made meals and superb Knickerbocker Glories! Yes, you’ve earned it by now. This is probably the best meal of the crossing as Challengers crowd inside and — if wet outside — clouds of steam envelop the place!

Montrose

Oh dear, Montrose is a bit of a car crash town. There is a decent Indian on the High Street which is seems to be able to cater for a deluge of Challengers at the drop of a hat. A very standard Chinese is a hop away. There is a chip shop which will deep fry your candy bar of choice, if that is your thing! The bar meals at the Park Hotel are OK though eat early on Dinner Day as all hands then are set to serve the rubber chicken. If you’re here for a rest day the coffee pot cafe is OK. Mostly though I settle in the bar of the Park. Just wish the beer was better!

Over to those who are more experienced!

I was approached by a man — obviously a hiker — of a certain age. He was dressed in “full Paramo” and carrying a rucksack that was almost bigger than my house. He was waving a waterproof folder in his hand and brandishing a pen. He greeted me”

“wasyurnumba?”

“Pardon?

“wasyurnumba?”

“Sorry, what did you want?”

“WASYURNUMBA?”

It then suddenly dawned on me. He was asking for my number. Computing all of this quickly I realised he meant my TGO Number. This is the number that you are allocated when you get a place, and the number you use when phoning in to Challenge Control. I duly gave him my number. He appeared appreciative and hunted in the folder.

He brandished a copy of the the TGO Participant list, searched down the columns, made a tick and then gave me a big smile. Andy Howell. Birmingham he grinned.

I’d been spotted. Of course, there are ‘spotters’ everywhere and I suppose one of the problems with the Challenge is that there are few opportunities for train spotting, although I’m sure the high level route through Corrour Station is a popular route ‘spot’.

By now you will beginning to realise that there is — how can we say diplomatically — a certain eccentricity about your fellow Challengers. A few weeks studying of the Challenge Notice Board will now doubt have left you feeling a little intimidated. So, take this as a warning and be prepared!

Nothing can quite prepare you for that first encounter with Challenge kind.

Most likely you will meet them at Glasgow Queen Street. (You may also meet them at Inverness Bus Station but their numbers will be suitably diluted).

The foyer of Glasgow Queen Street will be heaving with walkers. Ruscksacks will take over every conceivable bit of public space. Ordinary commuters will be looking stunned and shocked. The Challengers will be dancing around and shouting for joy as they meet long lost friends. It is an odd thing this. They will appear to have known each other for years, and many of them will have — even though they only meet once a year.

It is difficult to know what advice to give you about etiquette on this occasion, other than possibly make sure you don’t get crushed in the rush for the train. I suppose you could always put on a smile and just ask individuals for their number. But that might be a tad extreme.

But it gets worse. Once you get on the train.

The train North from Glasgow is a little train which splits so that half of it goes on the line to Mallaig and half to Oban. By the time the train pulls out spirits are really high and the adrenalin is really pumping. People can’t sit in their seats for longer than a minute or two. Conversations are going on all over the place. Enquiries are made about fellow Challengers and you’ll no doubt recognise one or two names in the middle of all this.

You could just join in with the mayhem, though admittedly this is hard (and not for the faint hearted). It might be easy to just sit their, enjoy the stunning scenery and go with the flow. It is a little easier to start getting to know people at the start location as they are generally in smaller groups and have begun to calm down a bit.

From then on it is all plain sailing. You only have to worry about little things, like falling into a bog or slipping off the side of a mountain.

But – during the first few days — why not play a ‘spotting game’ yourself? Here’s a short introductory guide.

The Trim Beard

This Challenger is pretty ubiquitous and a very social beast and you’ll encounter him by the time you get to Braemar if not before. His beard will be immaculate and his clothing garb neatly chosen; he will hardly look as if he will has been trudging through bog for a week. His name will be Sloman. Basically, this is a harmless creature but you should take some extra care when near a hostelry.

Spot value = 5 points.

The Northern Trim Beard

Sometimes confused with the standard Trim Beard. The Northern version has a more local accent and often wears specs. He too is an exceptionally social animal and is often to be seen dispensing pastural care. Responds well to the call of “Morning Vicar”. This is the Rev. David Alban.

Spot Value = 5 points.

The  JJ

A very unassuming character and another very sociable beast.  The JJ was the first Challenger that I met. There’s nothing really to fear here but just beware that he is likely to burst into song or poetry at any time – and he will insist that you join in. Goes by the name of John.

Spot Value = 5 points.

The Cashmere Sweater

This is a walker who always wears a stylish, light blue, cashmere sweater. The sweater is easily identified by discreetly placed ventilation holes. This Challenger can be difficult to understand and confusing if encountered more than once, as it adopts multiple personalities. Sometimes known as Humphrey. You may not meet Humphrey, but you will hear a lot about him. This could be a very valuable spot as he is currently well down the standby list. We may not see him, but somehow I think we might.

Spot Value (could be difficult) = 20 points.

Lilo Lil

This one is very difficult on account of it’s ability to completely change appearance every year or so. You will probably recognise him when he identifies himself as ‘Lilo’. Yes, do ask why he is called that !!!

Spot Value = 15 points

The  Pidgeon

Best spotted during the morning. My last ‘spot’ was on the road to Braemar. The Pidgeon was walking in crocs and appeared to be pregnant. Closer inspection showed that his waterproof was stuffed full of cans of some kind of strong brew. One other clue to this being the Pidgeon will be the bottle of single malt sitting in his pack pocket. If encountered in the morning the Pidgeon will have you crying with laughter.

Spot Value = 5 points. 5 bonus points are available if you can ascertain his previous occupation in life.

The Cartwright

This beast is even smarter than the trim beard. His hiking gear is effectively colour co-ordinated. There is no danger in the Cartwright but you may find yourself being forced to sit through endless gear demonstrations if you linger too long. His rucksack is like a tardis. The Cartwight might be a very good spot this year as he didn’t enter. But there is some talk about him appearing in a van somewhere en route.

Spot Value = 30 points

The L & T Combination

This is, in fact, two spots. This is Lee and Tony although increasingly they seem to be morphing into one personality. You can spot them during the evening — there will be two light grey American Tents. You can spot them in hostelries on account of them only drinking black beer with a frothy top.

Spot Value = 5 points

The M & G Combination

Very different to the above combination on account of one being of the female species. However, the female is easily to spot as she will be brandishing graphs and charts and spreadsheet print outs to all who make the mistake of feigning interest. M is a calm and laid back Challenger who will cause no problems. G is a little OCD in behaviour terms, but nevertheless reasonably sociable.

Spot Value = 5 points

The Egg

Another member of the female species. The Egg sounds a bit posher than many of us. But don’t let that put you off as she is great value for money. The Egg has lived a life of amazing and daring adventures. This accounts for the split spot value.

Spot Value = 5 points

Plus 2 bonus points for every adventure story you can coax out of her.

Little Sam

I know this is Dicken’s anniversary, but this is nothing to do with that. Sam can easily be recognised by some key characteristics. Can down amazing amounts of alcohol during the evening but will be up and out before anyone else next morning. Walks long and hard. Not quite as common a sight on the Challenge these days but sure to be around this year. Might be having a crisis if the Hungry Highlander in Braemar has not re-opened.

Spot Value = 10 points.

The Liddle (no not the Supermarket)

A Challenger of the female variety. Might confuse you as she seems to live en route — you might think she has taken a wrong turn somewhere and not stopped walking. But fun and good company.

Spot Value = 5 points

The Lawman

An interesting spot this as the lawman has probably the most weird route. It seems to involve taking a sleeper to London and then returning the next night. Surely, the sending of a food parcel would have been an easier re-supply tactic?

Spot Value = 5 points

…. and finally

The rare CT

This is a very challenging spot. Nothing to be frightened of in terms of behaviour but incredibly difficult to spot on account of taking routes that are high, wide and lonely. Can go on about different types of stoves for a long time. Very knowledgeable on water proofs. A spot at the Challenge Dinner does not count.

Spot Value = 20 points.

That should do you. Let me know if you need more Challengers to put on your spot card. I may not have upset enough yet !!!

If you are ‘experiences’ feel free to share your favourite spots!

Those of us who are used to wild camping find it easy to wax lyrical about the wonder of the experience. Imagine. You make camp towards the end of the afternoon. The sun is beginning to soften and drop down towards the horizon, but the air is still warm and pleasant. You find a lovely spot next to, say, the Findhorn River. The light ripples on the water. The heathery hills above are dappled in soft light. Birds sing. Deer gracefully make their way across the skyline. You pitch your tent and then rest your weary feet, dangling them in the cool water as you sit on a soft and grassy bank ….

Or. The tent is up in a flash as all hell breaks loose around you. You struggle, inside the vestibule, to light a stove to get a hot drink on to combat the freezing cold. Rain lashes down on the flysheet. Gale force winds batter the tent poles. You struggle around like a poor demented soul, getting out of those wet clothes and finding something that is still warm and hopefully not too smelly.

Both of these alternatives are possible. But some times — like last year – the first seems like pure fantasy.

At times like this luxury is key. So don’t skimp. Here are some ideas.

That Old Termperance Magic …

For some a nip of the hard stuff before bed is just the ticket. Now, I have partaken in this pastime of course. The only decent night on last year’s crossing was spent with the Cartwrights and Humphrey Weightman deep in the Fetteresso Forest. There was sun. We stopped early. And we lazed in our tents not being able to believe the warmth. And later Bob came around and freely distributed his single malt.

But generally I don’t do alcohol while walking. But that old Quaker alternative has real merit here.

Firstly, Drinking Chocolate. Nectar. I’ve only recently gone on to this but I can tell you that at the end of a hard day’s walk it beats tea or coffee hands down.

There lots of expensive chocolate products now available in little tubes. But for a real treat go and buy a jar of luxurious, Fair Trade type stuff. I decant this into small freezer bags and place it in my food drop parcels. That way I can keep going through the whole trip and even have it as a hot drink in the middle of the day if it is really miserable.

A bar of chocolate at the end of the day is bliss. I know there’s a place for all of this healthy stuff but a bar and Fruit and Nut as you prepare to doze has no competition.

Breakfast Blues

Most of us make use of that magical stuff porridge, a super food that slowly discharges into the system. It is the stuff that armies and Challengers march out. But after a week of porridge you may be feeling, well, a little fed-up.

I always pre mix my porridge with dried milk. That makes it a bit better, but after a few days I hate that as well.

The trick is to ‘pimp up your porridge’.

Dried fruit works well. I dehydrate fruit before hand and always add a handful to the white stuff. You can, of course, buy the stuff as well. But after a week you might want to forget health and go for struct comfort.

Jam is what we are talking about. Decant some into one of those useless little plastic bottles you can get in all walking shops. Or, if in a B & B nick some of those catering packs. Or if you see blister packs locally buy a few and sling them in your food drop.

Sweetness. Not to be under-estimated.

A Real Breakfast

There will no doubt be times when you can take advantage of one of these. Go for it. The Old Bakery in Braemar is especially welcome, indeed the thought of a late breakfast here can keep you going for three or four days.

Most CHallengers heading for Braemar will have stopped near the Linn of Dee or Derry Lodge the night before. AN early start will see you at the Old Bakery quite early on. It will be a sign of your new fitness that this short hop actually measures out at about 12 miles!

Oh, the pleasure of those sausages, black pudding and even — the old haggis!

You will have your own luxury fettishes. Don’t ignore them. Plan to spoil yourself. If the weather is anything like last year they will provide you with the highlight of the day, day after day.

What are your favourite trail treats?

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!

David and John Towers with Lou Le Borwit Sandwiched in the Middle!

I never knew John Towers particularly well but — like many who walked the TGO Challenge — I thought of him as a friend.

I first met John on my first TGO Challenge in 2006. I was about a mile from St Drostan’s hostel in Tarfside. If I’m honest I hadn’t really enjoyed myself that much during the previous two weeks. That evening I had camped at the very western end of Loch Lee, a rocky site that proved to be a very effective wind tunnel. I didn’t sleep much and was up and on the track early the next morning. As I turned off the road to take the track of the last couple of mile for so into Tarfside I managed to strain a muscle in my foot. I was in quite a lot of pain as I hobbled, increasingly slowly, up towards the last heathery hill. At one point I looked back behind me and saw two specks on the track moving at a much faster pace than I was.

To be honest it was quite embarrassing. I could hardly move. As the specks came into view it was even more humiliating to see that my new trail companions were, well how can I say it, of a certain age! It was, of course, John and his (almost) identical and older twin David — David was the oldest by 15 minutes you know! I relaxed a bit when I realised that these two were not carrying packs. They had got to the end of Loch Lee the evening before and had phoned Tarfside, where their wives Janet and Elizabeth were running the hostel, toil a life. The next morning they were honour bound to be dropped back at the pick up point and walk the few miles back into the hostel.

John could see that I was not only struggling but in some pain. I told him I was thinking of just hobbling on for the day to see how far I could get. He was having nothing of it. He insisted I joined him in the hostel, indeed he almost dragged me in there. And that was when the magic had its effect. As I sat around the large kitchen table, being force fed Janet’s bacon sandwiches and mugs of coffee, the penny began to drop. Later that evening I sat in the lounge and was royally entertained by John and Bernie Marshall with all manner of madcap stories. And I have entered the TGO Challenge every year since.

By the time I started the event the next year I had begun to realise that the Twin Towers, as we affectionately knew them, were quite simply walking legends. I think this was the year that between them they managed to knock over a gas stove and set fire to a whole mountain! John swore it was David’s fault but David was adamant that John was the culprit. It may also have been the same year that the two of them approached the Linn of Dee when the rivers were running high. One of them got across the water but the other failed. One walked to the Linn of the North Side and the other on the South. As I heard the story I could almost hear the chatter and the banter that would have gone on between them even though there was a damn wide river in-between them!

Although we bumped into each other a few times on the trail most of our encounters happened in Montrose. I developed a custom — especially when walking alone — of getting to Montrose on Wednesday evening. On Montrose Thursday I like nothing better to get up early and trot into town, buy a Guardian and Times and then go to the Coffee House on the High Street and spend the morning devouring the news, catching up on the last fortnight. John and David had the same preference for the Coffee House and I often saw them there catching up with the world as well.

I shall miss John and will never forget him whenever I think of the TGO Challenge. If John hadn’t have dragged me into that hostel on that faithful morning there is a very good chance that I would never have been back!

My thoughts go our to the family and especially to Janet. I hope us band of smelly walkers will still be able to benefit from Janet’s wonderful hospitality next year and beyond.

If you are in this position I would just offer one piece of advice. Chose a route that gets you off tarmac and into hills quickly. And then don’t rush through the North West too quickly as, in many ways, it will be the highlight of your trip.

The best starts that I have had are those where you stroll down a path turn a corner and suddenly find yourself in a wild landscape with no roads or settlements to spoil the view. Of my starts so far Strathcarron and Dornie stand out for those very reasons. I should also include Mallaig as once you are off the boat you will soon b in open country, that is if you can avoid the draw of the pub!

If the route you’re looking at has a long piece of tarmac at the start go and look somewhere else. Leave the tarmac for Challenge number 10!

Finally, don’t do what I did on my first Challenge and speed through the North West at a ridiculous pace. Firstly, you don’t meet anyone. And secondly, you could well find yourself walking along roads and stuff in the middle section with scarcely any memory of the dramatic North West!

Oh, and the links to my TGO journals are now in proper working order. Thanks to those of you who have pointed this out.

I can still remember — very vividly — the trepidation with which I approached the planning of my first walk across Scotland; as a result I’m always happy to not only share ideas through email, but to chat to people on the phone. This year I’ve already had the pleasure of talking to a handful of really nice people who I hope to be meeting somewhere along the trail.

Unsurprisingly, a feature of this year’s conversation has been the need to keep the cost down! I must admit to approaching this year’s crossing with a more frugal attitude than usual. so, just a few thoughts that might help anyone else tackle the event on a budget.

Camp Each Night

It is nice to spend some time in the B&Bs and independent hotels, not least because their quality is so high. But the Challenge is made for wild camping and, in my experience, the more nights spent out in the open the better. When I’m tackling the event on my own, as I will be next year, I shall spend every night in my tent.  To many nights under a roof seems to spoil the event somehow.

When you are not wild camping the Campsites should provide you with all of the luxury you may need. Most of the win campsites on the route are superb, featuring great shower facilities, laundry rooms and owners and staff who are happy to let you charge up your phone and will happily allow you to send a food parcel to them. Sending a food parcel to a campsite is a sensible move and even better than sending one to a B&B — with a campsite you are not bond to appear on a set evening.

I always ring the sites in advance, especially if I am sending a for parcel to them, but few of them require to book in advance. Even the very busy ones like Braemar will always find a little space for you to pitch.

Maximising time spent camping might give you a little flexibility. I would prefer to spend the night prior to to the start of the event in a small hotel of B&B; I always like that little bit of luxury before setting off. At the end of the event you’ll find the Montrose Campsite veer comfortable and convivial; again, you’ll be able to use the laundry room to get that grubby kit clean. Many of us love the shower block here, not least because of the classic hits local radio station, which always seems welcome after a stroll through the hills!

The campsites at Fort Augustus, Drumnadrochit, Cannich, Braemar, Ballater, Glentruim (Laggan-Netwonmore), Coylumbridge, Glenmore, North Water Bridge are all recommended.

Think Carefully About Food

Take your food preparation seriously. Dehydrating your own food (if you can) is cheaper the  buying the premium, commercial, products. Check for things like chip shops on route — they are great quality and often no more expensive than buying dehydrated food!

Some walkers minimise their use of hot food choosing to buy fresh bread, cheese and so on along the way. A few decent rolls and a packet of cheese will offer you more benefit than any number of power bars and will be a lot cheaper! Always keep a lot of porridge in your food drops — even thought you will hate the stuff at the end. Lidl sells a German Porridge which is flavoured with maple syrup or honey which is surprisingly more attractive than the normal stuff.

Lightweight hiker Colin Ibbotson never drinks warm drinks when he is trekking and this cuts down not only on the stuff he takes with him but also on the amount of fuel that he uses. I do like a warm drink and tend to carry both coffee and drinking chocolate with me. You can buy drinking chocolate in expensive little one-shot packages but simply decanting some in a plastic bag is probably better.

There will be times when you want to have a decent meal, especially breakfast when you get the chance! Being frugal for the rest of the time will make this an even better experience.

Many challengers find themselves in Bramear for a couple of days. The Old Bakery offers greta food deals for Challengers and, otherwise, there is no better meal available that that from the Hungry highlander chip shop!

Drinking in pubs is the biggest hazard in Braemar, but you’ll use have to work out your own strategy for dealing with that. Keeping Alan Sloman at a fair distance usually works for me!

It is not obligatory to carry a couple of bottles of good red or single malts in your pack

Travelling to Scotland

Plan your train route carefully. If you need to travel overnight you might consider booking a reclining seat on the sleeper rather than a birth. Travelling overnight also means that for many who live in the North the coach services become a real option. For those further South cut price airlines may offer a far cheaper alternative to the train.

Let me know if you have any other tips for a cost conscious Challenge!

Many of the usual suspects seem to be on the list as usual, so the hostelries of Scotland will not be suffering any more than usual in May. Sadly, one or two of my best companions are not there as yet — no doubt they will be studying the standby list carefully.

I guess everyone does the same thing; rush down the list and to see who will be walking with them. I — of course — like to walk with any Challenger (except on those days when I am a miserable bastard and don’t want to walk with anyone). But I’m particularly looking forward to catching up again with Rob Hausam (USA), David Lintern (distinguished first timer), Rob Slade (fellow Duomid person), Shap (who this year doesn’t have to make any coffins) and Sue Banfield (who’s had back problems) and Steve and Graham (how come I didn’t catch you two last year?). And as ever, the Rev Albon will be providing spiritual support.

There are some noticeable omissions here. You know who you are! I shall miss you all, if you’re not on standby!

For those of you about to bury yourself in maps and computerised routes, my route this year looks like the following — just so you can avoid me if you want!

I shall be starting at Torridon and making my way through to Struy before tackling the Eskdale Triangle and moving on to Drum and the ferry over the Loch. Then it will be over the heather to Kincraig I think, the forest to Glenmore, some messing about on Ben Avon before dropping down to Ballater, taking the route Humphrey and I wanted to take last year to Feughside, the Fetteresso to somewhere near Stonehaven.

No Braemar for me this year (but then I have said that before and somehow found myself there).

And finally a message for Sloman. If you’re going to give everyone big snogs this year — get rid of that damn beard!

Tee Hee … Ballater is obviously a deeper place than I thought!

One cool patio dude …

I start with some core principles.

First off, lime Colin Ibbotson, I want to leave the southern routes until a time when I am old and past it — mind you that’s approaching rapidly! This might be a little unfair on the more southerly routes but this, at least, rules some out.

Secondly, I’d rather walk somewhere that I haven’t been before, but that gets more difficult.

The pinch points in the middle mean there are only so many ways across the Great Glen. And then there’s the danger of road walking in the middle bit. I’d rather avoid tarmac if I can.

A few weeks ago, for example, I thought I would start at Lochaillort. I’ve not been in this territory before but I know that I’m going to end up in some piece that I have been. There is a danger of ending up in Fort Augustus and going near the dreaded Corriarick Pass — I’m never going over that again. It would be nice to amble over to Glen Markie instead, but since the new reservoir has been constructed this seems to involve a lot of tarmac (unless you know otherwise).

I toyed with going back to Mallaig, as this is a great start and I could take a variation on previous routes walked. I thought about simply repeating last year’s route as it was so horrible. But what if it is that horrible again?

My latest wheeze is to go back to Torridon. I’ve started there before and the weather was dreadful. But then I was up there in early August this year and loved the hill. I quite fancy climbing some of them again. I want to avoid Cannich — where the pub is still holding my Velez trousers hostage — and maybe try Struy. I can construct what looks like a fine couple of day’s walk from Pollan Buidhe to Struy, either going high or staying lower.

Then it would be up and across Eskdale Moor before dropping down to Drumadrochit and the ferry. Then I discover the obvious route onto Eskdale has been blocked some pesky landowners. There are other ways around including the one taken by Mick and Gayle last year, a route with the attraction of no less than three deer fences. I almost went this way a few years ago and Colin Ibbotson did. Colin has confirmed where there is a nice spot to camp.

Eskdale is known by some as the triangle, people who go in never come out. But I think this is one of Sloman’s tall stories. Mind you, it is true that there is not much on the map. But wait, the new version of Routebudy casts light on all of this.

Routebuddy has a near feature where you can click from a map view to a high-res satellite image with your location brilliantly preserved. From Loch Bruichrean the satellite photos clearly show a load of tracks that are not on the maps. Mick and Gayle discovered these this year but were suspicious of where they would end — sensible to be cautious. But I can see from Routebudy that they simply end up in the same place as the one track that is marked on the map. Jeremy Borrows asks “why do you ant to go up there? It’s lonely”. Exactly. But, looking a these tracks, I might not be as lonely as I would have been.

From Drum its over the Ness and into the magical Monaliadth. I avoided it last year but think I need to return before the wind turbines are built. I don’t really mind which way I go here. But it must be time to avoid Aviemore. Maybe I shall drip down to Kincraig but there sees to be nothing here at all — unless you know better of course.

Kincraig offers a day of ambling through the lovely forest. I could end at Glenmore campsite rather than Coylumbridge. Glenmore has a great cafe and a chance for an early morning commune with the read squirrels. From here I could go up Bynack More and stay high for a while. But I’ve been up here before — careful I might sound like a bagger. A stroll around Ben Avon to the north has its attractions. I would avoid Braemar this year and look at a rest day in Ballater. Then again I think the walk was better last year for no rest day. Maybe a short day on Avon itself might be a good diversion water permitting. I am not one for sitting on a trip point, eating my sarnies, only to stare out at think, impenetrable, mist!

From Ballater things are easier. There is the high route that Humph and I were planning last year and which we had to abort. Mind you. What happens if the weather is as bad again? DO I really want to risk Aboyne again?

The Fettereso is now a must, Humph having introduced me to its subtle pleasures.

But those boring bits! What to do?

Maybe I’ll adopt the Phil and Lou tack. I’ll put in a route but then just walk East everyday. You still get to the coast in the end!