hike | camp | paint
I’d been planning to be in the Lake District this week for some time, but the weather chose that exact time to rebel. Facing the prospect of up to 95 kph gusts and lots of rain, I looked around for alternatives – anything just to get out for a couple of nights. And so I … Continue reading Washed Away
I'd been planning to be in the Lake District this week for some time, but the weather chose that exact time to rebel. Facing the prospect of up to 95 kph gusts and lots of rain, I looked around for alternatives - anything just to get out for a couple of nights. And so I … Continue reading A Couple of Days on the South Downs
What's Happened So Far ? In Part 1, I walked from King's Lynn to Cromer over 4 days, choosing to split the walk in two there rather than struggle on legs that just weren't playing ball. A couple of weeks later, I was on holiday, when my wife spotted this: I remember taking a tick … Continue reading Norfolk Coast Path – Part 2: Cromer to Hopton-on-Sea
For some time now, ever since I heard of the Dartmoor Ancient Boundary Walk, or Perambulation, I've had it on my list of must dos, but it's taken a while to find the right window to go for it, and balance the desire to do it with my long list of other things I want … Continue reading Dartmoor’s Hardest Walk: The Ancient Boundary
Introduction The Norfolk Coast Path (NCP) is part of the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path National Trail, as well as being part of the England Coast Path (ECP) (or King Charles III England Coast Path to be technically but also pointlessly accurate). It's signed as the Norfolk Coast Path from where I started in … Continue reading Norfolk Coast Path – Part 1: King’s Lynn to Cromer
[Planned route, excluding FWAs, in blue. Actual route in red] For 2025, I chose the little-used start point of Ardrishaig - this year only 5 out of the circa 300 starters used it. Now, I'm still relatively early in my Challenge "career", and haven't yet exhausted the more popular start points, so why pick Ardrishaig … Continue reading TGO Challenge 2025: Ardrishaig to Aberdeen
Day 12: Ballater to Aboyne 20.9km and 51m of ascent. Total distance so far: 299.0km There were 6 Challengers staying on the main tent field, and I was very much the last to go. But even so I was away by 0840, which timed it just right to pop into the Co-op to buy something … Continue reading TGO Challenge 2025 – Part 4: The Deeside Way, Ballater to Aberdeen (Days 12-15)
Day 9: Blair Atholl to Bynack Lodge 28.1km and 597m of ascent. Total distance so far: 227.3km Woken by the %^&*ing crows, I decided to not try to go back to sleep, and instead opted for an early start (0650). Due to an oversight, there was no porridge for breakfast this morning, and a hasty … Continue reading TGO Challenge 2025 – Part 3: Blair Atholl to Ballater (Days 9-11)
Day 5: Glencoe Resort to Rannoch Moor 10.2km and 180m of ascent. Total distance so far: 129.4km After returning to my tent last night, I unpacked my parcel and did some thinking. Over the last couple of days a decision had been brewing about my route for the next section: specifically, that I probably wasn't … Continue reading TGO Challenge 2025 – Part 2: Glencoe Mountain Resort to Blair Atholl (Days 5-8)
Getting to the start As has now become a bit of a tradition, I got to Scotland on the overnight coach from London - this gives fundamentally the same journey, and even timings, as the sleeper, but for £20 instead of £70 (for a seat not a bed). The key to making this work, though, … Continue reading TGO Challenge 2025 – Part 1: Ardrishaig to Glencoe Mountain Resort (Days 0-4)
It's traditional that each year I do the TGO Challenge, I do a warm-up or preparation trip - sometimes more than one - in the lead-up to the main event. This is an opportunity to see where I'm at physically, try out gear and help make the decisions as to what to take, and simply … Continue reading A bit of the South Downs Way – Warming Up for the TGO Challenge 2025
Another year has gone by when I've been very bad at keeping the blog up to date. So this index post to the year's activities doesn't have much to link to. Anyway, let's give it a go... This year, I've spent a lot of time running, and rather neglected the outdoors stuff. This is both … Continue reading 2024 Summary
Day 9: Saturday 18 May - Newtonmore to Ruigh-aitechain 23km with 318m ascent It took a while to really get going today, which I think is a legacy of my original plan to pop up to Aviemore to do parkrun, then come back and do the day's (short) walk in the afternoon. Having scrapped the … Continue reading TGO Challenge 2024 – Part 3: Newtonmore to Ballater (including video)
Day 5: Tuesday 14 May - Fort William to Clunes 24 km with 123m ascent The seed of an idea sprouted late last night and I decided to sleep on it. I really wasn't feeling well and things could now go one of several ways: I could retire, I could try to stick to my … Continue reading TGO Challenge 2024 – Part 2: Fort William to Newtonmore (including video)
Day 1: Friday 10 May - Kilchoan to Sanna(ish) 21 km with 464m ascent The Tobermory clocktower woke me far earlier than was ideal, and after sitting it out as long as I could, got up and went out in search of breakfast and for a leg stretch. Back in the room, I packed, grabbed … Continue reading TGO Challenge 2024 – Part 1: Ardnamurchan (including video)