TGO 2022 – Trip Report

Dornie to Kinnaber Links (Montrose) 320km Day -1 The sleepless slog to Scotland I was dropped off at Derby train station at 9pm Wednesday 11th May to start my first leg of the long journey up to Scotland. From Derby I took the train to Crewe where I boarded the Caledonian Sleeper to Inverness. The first hiccup to the adventure came in the form of a leaking whisky bag, as I lifted my pack, I noticed a damp shoulder strap and the familiar whiff of “Black bottle”. So my first job was to purchase a suitable vessel to decant my …

TGO 2022 – Preparation ponderings

Two weeks to I’m finally setting off for the long awaited TGO of 2022! This is the TGO that I applied for back in 2019 which for obvious reasons got cancelled during 2020. I remember back in early 2020 trying to be hopeful that the challenge would still go ahead and COVID would be over within a few weeks, how wrong was I! 2021 I had the option to take up my place which ran later than usual, June rather than May. Having already waited 3 years since completing my 2017 crossing, also mindful that my next TGO will be …

TGO 2022…..a work in progress

Back to the drawing board for 2022! As the TGO 2020 didn’t happen (only virtually) and we decided to defer our places from 2021 into 2022, I’m now in the process of replanning our route for next year. Yes, we could have used the previously vetted and approved route out of Mallaig, but the route had a few issues. I can’t put my finger on them specifically but somehow it didn’t excite me and it had a few heavy road bashing days. So for 2022 I’m taking the opportunity to plan an entirely new route. This time the route will …

TGO 2017

Plockton to Kinnaber Links (Montrose) Day 0 Thursday 11th May I set off from home around 7am – taxi to Derby Train Station and the 0730 to Birmingham. Pete met me on the train at Burton. Arriving at New Street we hopped onto the airport-bound train, where we bumped into Caburn, also flying to Inverness to start his 2017 TGO. The airline flew Pete and I plus one pack to Inverness… yes, one pack short! After a frustrating visit to the customer services desk and some “computer says no” responses, Flybe agreed to fly Pete’s pack (if found) up to …

TGO Route – Vetted & Approved

Having had our vetters feedback and responded to the adjustments the route is now approved and finalised. The comments from the vetters were both very helpful and extremely thorough containing not just sound route advice but some great tips on places to visit. Equally they provided a suggestion on what to avoid, namely the new wind farm currently being constructed at Stronelairg on the Monadhliath (mainly due to the heavy construction traffic/machinery in the area). “…. You have put together a very adventurous route considering you have not backpacked in Scotland before. The weather will very much dictate whether you get …

TGO 2017 – Route Submission

OK a brief update, so the route card has been submitted to the TGO for vetting. The route starts at Plockton on the 12th May and passes through Fort Augustus, Kingussie, the Cairngorms and into Braemar. It then heads south to Lochcallater, Glen Cova, East to Tarfside and then to Montrose via North Water Bridge. 21 Munros, 15 Subsidiary Tops and 11 Corbett/Tops, over 360km with 14,000m of ascent. Here is the route sheets I submitted, which may change subject to vetting (click to enlarge): Vetters comments and final route to follow shortly….

TGO Challenge 2017 – Planning so far

So..I have a place on next years TGO Challenge!! Over the last few weeks I’ve been refining the kit list and working on the route. I’m fairly happy with the kit I’m taking as its pretty much the kit I’ve used over the last few years with a few minor tweaks and additions for the longer duration (spare clothes/socks etc). There are a few items I’ll decide on in the week before I set off e.g. Ice Axe and Crampons being the most significant. It’ll be a tough decision depending on the snow conditions. The route dones’t include very much time …

TGOC 2017 The very draft route….v1

There are many more hours of planning and refining the route yet, however this is the basic route I’m working on. Camping locations are approximate and will be properly defined as the planning continues. I also need to plan the Foul Weather Alternative (FWA) route which will stick to lower levels and skip out the Cairngorms. Once my route has been submitted to TGOC and vetted I’ll upload the final version.

TGO 2017….Application

  Well my application for next years TGO Challenge has been submitted!!! Apparently I’m the first applicant for TGOC2017, I happened to notice the online application form became available last night so without hesitation I submitted it. The application process involves answering a few questions to assess your experience, competence level and reasons for wanting to enter. This is then assessed by the Challenge coordinators and once accepted places are confirmed early November. Depending on how many applicants they receive it may result in a draw being held. Spaces are limited to 350, the unlucky few are then added to …