hike | camp | paint
[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