In just over three weeks Amanda and I will be on a plane heading back to Scotland for The Great Outdoor Challenge (TGOC) 2022. For those that haven't heard us ramble on about this event in the past, it is a "self-supported Scottish coast-to-coast backpacking adventure walking on a route you create yourself". The details can all be found here: TGOC Website. This is not a competitive event. It is about being outside in nature, taking in the beautiful and diverse Scottish landscape, and meeting and talking to other friendly challengers. Although it can be a bit of a test, both physically and psychologically, in the end it is a great way to make some wonderful memories.
Amanda has two successful crossings under her belt (2017, 2019), and I have one (2017). This will be our second one together, and we jokingly call it "Marriage Experiment - Part 2". 😆 We had an amazing experience the first time, and are hopeful it will be just as amazing this time!
Route:
The route planning process takes much longer than the actual walk. Once our application was confirmed back in November I started looking at the maps, and coming up with some potential options. For this crossing there were a few locations that I wanted to try and fit in:
- In 2019 Ben, Zach, and I walked from Pitlochry to Cape Wrath, and I was very fond of the North-West Highlands and Wester Ross area. I specifically remember spotting Liathach and Beinn Eighe after going over the Coulin Pass, heading towards Kinlochewe, and hoping that I could make it back to the Torridon area one day.
- I've read lots of trail reports and blogs of people walking the Lairig Ghru, and really wanted to fit it in to this crossing.
- Although Amanda and I both love Braemar, I wanted to try to do something different than the Glen Feshie, Geldie burn, River Dee leg of the crossing. We have decided to head north after Lairig Ghru through Glen Derry, Glen Avon, and along River Gairn to Ballater.
- I've seen many beautiful pictures of the beach at St.Cyrus, so this seemed like a great place to finish the walk.
I spent many hours in front of the OS Maps online mapping tool trying to figure out something that would work for us. I wanted to include the above points, as well as ensure a few re-supply locations (including an occasional hot shower and warm bed), and good stopping spots for our wild camps. After many iterations we submitted our route for vetting and waited to hear back. Ann and Alvar provided us with some much-appreciated feedback and guidance. We incorporated this into our route and made our final submission mid-February. Since then I have gone over the route many times using OS Maps, Google Maps, and Geograph.org to confirm presence of actual trails, identify good river crossing spots, and locate potential camping locations. I have done this on previous trips and find that I sometimes get deja-vu when on the actual trail despite never having been there. 😂
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| TGOC 2022 - Approved Route |
Final route statistics:
- Total distance: 310 km (~24 km/day)
- Total ascent: 8,324 m (~650 m/day)
- Longest day: 30.5 - Drumnadrochit to Glen Mazeran
- Largest daily ascent: 1,125 m - Ballater to Hill of Cat
- 13 days: 10 wild camps, 3 B&Bs
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| Marked Up And Laminated Maps |
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| Potential Shortcut 1.5 km Into The Crossing! 😂 |
Training:
Getting ready for the crossing usually involves plans of several longer-distance hikes leading up to the start of the event. This is somewhat challenging for us because the lead-up to our departure is right in shoulder season, meaning the trails are usually a nasty combination of ice, snow, and mud. Fortunately getting out on a regular basis is part of our normal routine. Unfortunately, we have yet to get an opportunity to do anything longer than ~13 km. This past week we were able to get out a couple of times with moderately full packs on, which will help prepare us a little better.
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| Elbow Road Walk Selfie |
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Goofing Around With Pack
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| Foran Grade Ridge Pic With The Mays |
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| Getting Used To The Uphill With A Pack |
Footwear:
Amanda and I have had very good luck in the past with our footwear and sock combinations. This past year we both needed new boots. As a result, we are trying to break new boots in, in time for the start of the walk. I am getting a hot spot in my left inner heel at ~10 km. Other than that, the boots are very comfortable and light. My plan is to continue to work the boot in during my week at work on the treadmill at night. Fingers are crossed.
Amanda's boot situation is a little more dire. The boots she got this spring are causing a more significant injury than blisters, and unfortunately it doesn't look like it is something that can be worked in. After some discussion, we agreed that the best path forward was to try a different pair even though we are only a few weeks away. They were ordered yesterday and are scheduled to be delivered this week which will leave about 2.5 weeks to get them worked in....
I am a little nervous for both of us with respect to the footwear, as it is probably the most important piece of gear on the crossing, and can easily de-rail every aspect of the trip. Knowing this is half the battle, so I am hopeful that we will not have any foot issues after the next few weeks go by.
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| Amanda's Ankle Bone After A 10 km Hike |
That's about it for now. I hope to post again before we leave, and will also do a test post from my phone to make sure it will work while we are on the trail. We plan to write an entry every day once we are on our way, and will post as cell service allows. Thanks for reading, and for any positive vibes you can send our way!
