Tuesday 20 May - TGOC Day 12 - The Short Road East - River Camp to Tarfside

Actual: 20km, 468 metres ascent
As planned, except that we started 0.5 km along the route
Time 7 hours 15 mins including 2 hours 15 mins stops.
No of Challengers seen: 10 plus lots more at Tarfside

An easy day in fair weather. Very sociable as well.

We enjoyed a lie in and set off at 8.45, with other Challengers passing by.
Mark and his son Sam, the youngest Challenger, were soon passed in an excellent camping spot (who said it was hard to camp up here?) then we stopped for a chat with Colin Tock. He has kept his wife busy - apart from the boots saga his stove broke and she had to track him down with a replacement.

The 'Spot' gadget that Colin and four others are testing was not used for that!
And we later found Roger at Tarfside so his is intact.
But one of the testers got appendicitis and used his 'Spot'. Apparently he was rescued within 2 hours from an obscure place with no phone signal.

After passing the Bad Penny and reaching Shielin of Mark bothy, we enjoyed a brew with the Parasitic Challenger, along with Phil East and Dave Catanach. It was lovely and sunny, but encroaching cloud dulled the rest of the day.

Jeff Rowe at Shielin of Mark (above) and Tom Hume looking for his shadow (below)
aka the Parasitic Challenger, and The Bad Penny

We enjoyed some smoked oysters for lunch in Glen Lee, and chatted to John Jocys at length in his bijou lunch spot at the end of the loch.



Strolling on, we passed a castle - a posh new one and this ruined old one - and the last of the fading daffodils.


Then it was over the top (less than 150 metres ascent actually) catching up novice Challengers Bill Devine and Jim Harris on the way to Tarfside, where we are now camped with many other Challengers.

(The picture was taken before most of them arrived.) There must be 60+ tents, with others staying at St Droston's Lodge, around the corner.

This is a social focal point of the Challenge.

It was great to find Ian Shiel in good form after some serious back problems nearly prevented his participation this year.

St Drostan's is a place of character. We enjoyed a baked potato there after having our camp starter of pasta and tuna, so we were well fed today. They had 4 sittings of 12 people each.

Alan Sloman (pictured relaxing at the table) was on hand to rope in his chosen victims for washing up duties that were needed as a continuous process.

Many others obtained food from The Retreat, a mile down the road, but they came to the camp site to take orders and delivered the food later to the tents, which are actually in the Sports Field - this is not a proper camp site.

Then nearly everyone partied the night away in 'The Mason's Arms'.
Many folk crammed into a small room with a roaring fire, and a sing song led by 'Croydon' - Mick Hopkins, on his 10th Challenge.

Amongst all this, Sue found time to give Denis Pidgeon a foot massage!

Next day: Day 13
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Monday 19 May - TGOC Day 11 - A Still Day on Lochnagar - Luxurious Camp to Wild Camp near the bridge over Allt Darrarie

Actual: 28km, 1396 metres ascent
As planned, except that we walked up the main road to Auchallater, and we continued about 0.5 km further than planned, to find a good camping spot.
Time 9 hours 10 mins including 2 hours stops.
No of Challengers seen: 18 plus lots more at Lochcallater Lodge
No of bouncy dogs: 1

This was another excellent mountain day.

Ann and Alvar Thorn luxuriating in Braemar

Taking full advantage of the beautifully clear morning, we rose at 6 am, breakfasted as usual on tea and muesli, dusted the frost off the Nallo, bade farewell to our many friends on the pristine and well kept camp site with its resident pheasant on 17 eggs and oyster catchers with one fresh chick, and set off purposefully towards Lochcallater Lodge.

Looking south from the main road

We were on a mission, so took the main road for 3 km rather than faff about with the golf course. There was little traffic and lots of bird life to entertain us in the bright sunshine.

By the Callater Burn

By the time we reached the Lodge around 9 am, via a lovely river bank where we watched a dipper fishing, it was starting to cloud over, but our walk yet again was in superb fine weather with just a few showers around. Those kindly avoided us until after the tent was up.

The Lodge was Nallo Lady's last CCS point of the trip. The kilo of said goodies that found their way up here was readily consumed by the residents, many showing the effects of a heavy night.

Eat your heart out Mike Knipe, you missed out again - better luck with your route next year.

Two pieces were however briefly retained and were soon positioned on the summit of Carn an t-Sagairt Mor as sustenance for Ann and Alvar Thorn, veterans of the Challenge, who manned Control last year and were approaching the hill from a different direction (as promised in the pub last night).

I wonder whether they found them. They did!

Lochcallater Lodge, manned by Bill and 'Stan the Man', is legendary amongst Challengers for its hospitality. Today a sign pointed 'TGO Challenge - Tea'.

We found the tea most welcome. Had we arrived last night we would have enjoyed something stronger. Word has it that Prince Charles occasionally stops by for 'a wee dram'.

As we tramped away up the hill past Tom and his shadow (like bad pennies those two turn up everywhere!) we reflected on yesterday's period of 'recovery' in Braemar.

I have already thanked those who recovered my valuables from the chip shop.

We also had another problem yesterday - the stove kept going out. When it finally died on the camp site a Kindly and Generous Austrian was about. He lent us his stove, we connected it to our nearly full gas canister, and it didn't work! So we rummaged through our shoe boxes (we had two) and found a spare cylinder. It worked on our stove! So our other cylinder must have been faulty - I've never come across that before. By now the shops were shut and we were concerned as to whether one cylinder would be sufficient for the next four days (frequent brew-ups are a feature of our trips).
Markus said 'I have a spare cylinder, would you like it?'
'Are you sure?'
'Yes'
'Great'
So the Kindly and Generous Austrian, who as I write has recently passed this wild camp site grinning, came to our rescue. Thank you Markus.

We again managed to avoid Cameron's cameras, and I was disappointed to miss Duncan (AktoMan), whose work commitments possibly bar him from entering the Challenge.

We were lucky to spend some time with Ann and Alvar, who helpfully suggested the very place we are now camped. It's an excellent spot. Thank you.

Returning to the tent on the Braemar camp site after a most welcome shower I found a neighbour - a very smart man dressed in a kilt and a strangely un-Scottish accent. Terry, of the Leyland clan, based in Salford. Nice chap. A bit eccentric?

Then there were the young Dutch lads.
'It's a walk in the park.'
'Have you been up many hills?'
'No. They make our knees hurt. We don't have hills in Holland.'
'Hmmm.'

The 'parasitic Challenger' was interesting. This officially unofficial (so he said) Challenger was offered a place just hours before the event. So he found his way to a starting point. Having no route plan he attached himself to a likely looking person with a route. Judging by the size of his rucksack he's been sharing tents as well, on an impromptu basis. If so, his current companion, Koos The Dutchman, may not be his best choice of company. Koos doesn't like sharing camp sites, let alone tents. The Parasitic Challenger did us a favour by helping to consume our nut mountain.

Progressing steadily along our planned route we passed Alan Sloman and Lord Elphus (pictured above pretending to re-pack his sack but actually bent double from fatigue), flogging their way up the hill as if they had drunk 10 pints last night!

Ascending, with Ian Cotterill in tow

We were pleased to see the Two Bobs, now happily reunited with Jeanette and a man with a bouncy dog that only just survived last night at Lochcallater, having marked the entire camping area as its territory! Having deposited Ann and Alvar's shortbread, and chatted to Ian 'View from the Scrapheap' Cotterill (he is now officially no longer on the scrapheap), we sped over another Munro summit past a flock of dotterel (or were they golden plovers?), ptarmigan, bits of aircraft and a mountain hare to Lochnagar for lunch.

All the other wildlife was too quick for me!

The morning had gone well. We were over 3 hours ahead of schedule!

We enjoyed the usual sumptuous lunch - tuna salad today, and the magnificent views in all directions that have become a feature of this trip. An orientation point told us that the distant sea horizon was 82 miles away, but we couldn't quite see the Cheviots - 106 miles away.

We admired the huge snow filled coire whilst chatting with Kevin Baldwin, a first timer of the 'lightweight generation' wearing Innov8 Roclite shoes and sporting other light gear. His bag looked quite heavy though. He had bravely resisted the temptation to snaffle Ann and Alvar's CCS!


The descent to the Spittal of Glenmuick was simple and quick, though we passed some who I fear may disagree.

Last night Weird Darren (still shy about last year's failure) had disguised himself in a buff. (Darren never wears buffs.)

At the Spittal...
'Hello Sue, hello Martin' said a body whose head was festooned in two buffs.
It was Darren, even more heavily disguised!

Colin Tock (pictured) rolled up. He had vetted Darren and Dawn's route, but didn't know them by sight. Colin explained how he had hardly touched his planned route. He'd had boot problems on an epic scale. So far as I could gather he had got new boots in plenty of time to break them in for the Challenge. The first pair was soon discovered to be faulty. The second pair was also faulty. So Colin set off in his old boots. They fell apart. His good wife was then dispatched to the boot shop for a fourth pair. She caused 'a bit of a stir'. All of Inverness knows about his boot saga!
We last saw Colin, happy in his fourth pair of boots, making copious notes - in his role as 'Bridge Man' on the bridge by our camping spot. He had been very sceptical about our proposed location.
'Much as. I respect Ann and Alvar, I think they've got that one wrong' he said, 'but I did once find a place on a little knoll near there. You could use that. I still have a hole in my groundsheet from a nocturnal visitor I had that night!'

Anyway, I'm sure it made Darren feel better to know that his own vetter had to change his route fairly radically (Darren's own route has been radicalised.)

Here are two pictures taken from the same spot,
with Darren and Dawn clearly in awe of our splendid location

And that leaves us here in this last wild camp, with little to do but push buttons on a telephone.

But luckily for you, dear reader, for I doubt by now that there is more than one reader, it is going dark.

The next three nights are on sociable camp sites, so these jottings will truly be postcard sized from now on!

Goodnight!

Next day: Day 12
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Tuesday 20 May 2008 - TGO Challenge Day 12 - Plan - Allt Darrarie to Tarfside

Today’s report is here; the planned route and statistics are shown below:

1 Allt Darrarie
2 Shielin of Mark
3 By Falls of Unich
4 Glen Lee – Westbank
5 Tarfside

Statistics

21 km
530 metres ascent
7.9 hours

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Monday 19 May 2008 - TGO Challenge Day 11 - Plan - Braemar to Allt Darrarie

Today’s report is here; the planned route and statistics are shown below:

1 Braemar
2 Auchallater
3 Glen Callater
4 Lochcallater Lodge
5 Path junction at NO 202 846
6 Carn an t-Sagairt Mor
7 Carn a’ Coire Boidheach
8 Lochnagar
9 Clais Rathadan
10 Spittal of Glenmuick
11 Allt Darrarie - wild camp

Statistics

29 km
1400 metres ascent
12.2 hours

(3 Munros)

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Sunday 18 May - TGOC Day 10 - To The Fleshpots - Silent Camp to The Camping Club Site in Braemar

Actual: 15km, 259 metres ascent
We had already walked 9 km of today's planned 23 km. We continued to 1 km beyond the Linn of Dee, then as we weren't sure whether we could get past Mar Lodge we turned around and went past Inverey to reach Victoria Bridge and finish as planned. 15 km for the 'day'.
Time 4 hours 45 mins including 1 hour 10 mins stops.
No of new Challengers seen: 1
No of parasitic Challengers seen: 1
No of Challengers in Braemar: Lots

After a cold but cosy night it was good to feel the sun hit the tent at 7 am. It had been exceedingly quiet, with just the occasional chirp of a bird breaking the silence once the asthmatic deer had wandered off last night.

We enjoyed the luxury of a lie in, knowing that it was an easy morning's stroll to Braemar.
By the time we left camp at about 9 am the bright sun had been obscured by an obstinate wet cloud.

Waterproofs were deployed for most of the hour's stroll to Linn of Dee.
By then it was sunny enough for photos of the deep gorge.

There's a memorial stone here to Gwyn Gatenby and Katie Todd, who sadly drowned here 'accidentally' on 16 October 1927.

Having got cold feet about our planned route past Mar Lodge, our revised plan took us past magnificent specimens of inedible Gyromitra esculenta to Victoria Bridge by road. This had two bonuses. Firstly we enjoyed the sight of a red squirrel outside Muir Cottage, then Derek and Pat Hopkins joined us for a while until we left the road.

Inverey SYHA - in its final throes before closure

Time for a brew. We were joined by some chatty Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award kids from St Leonards, then by The Dutchman who had Jeff Rowe in tow. More about him later.
After lightening our loads by offloading lots of excess nuts (to Jeff in particular), we headed off into some beautiful woodland - see picture - this was the Morrone Birkwood National Nature Reserve, apparently the best British example of Downy Birch woodland with Juniper. It's as it would have been just after the last Ice Age.

The lovely path led us to an orientation point at the Tomintoul lookout.

An excellent lunch spot with the unfamiliar comfort of a bench, shared with an elderly couple who had strayed from their mission to buy a newspaper in Braemar.
So it can't be far now!


We descended through more woods to a road to join a chap with a massive rucksack. Surely not a Challenger?

'Where have you come from?' was the probing question.
'Morrone' the unrevealing reply.
'Oh'
'Didn't you see me land? he asked.

All was revealed - a hungry paraglider who had flown in for lunch.

Then we reached the café, meeting lots more Challengers, including Alan Sloman, who is also blogging his way across [NOT!], and his mate Lord Elphus (aka Phil).

Our new shoes seem to have made it to camp - who ordered them?!

The rest of our Braemar day sped past, and time pressures dictate a close to today's report from the walk (subject to earlier scribbles below).

But first I must thank WD and Dawn for rescuing my valuables bag from the excellent fish and chip shop, and apologise to them for eating the last huge haddock before they arrived!

More on gear:

Aquagear Water Filter - easy to use, we have used it for drinking water in places where the water source was lower down. Could easily have managed without it as all our water seemed excellent anyway.

Trekmates cheap (£15) gaiters - they don't stay up and as with all Trekmates gaiters the elastic comes untucked easily and catches in the boots. Bin on return home! (Binned at North Water Bridge, actually.)

Blackberry Curve 8320 - suits my one-fingered typing. Don't know how the blog appears - will find out on return! Zoom on camera appears to have broken. (It seems to have worked very well.)

Next day: Day 11
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Saturday 17 May - TGOC Day 9 - Heathery Munros - Balcony Camp to Wild Camp beside wood about 2 km beyond White Bridge, at NO 033 893

Actual: 29km, 1007 metres ascent
As planned, except for starting 6 km into today's route, and continuing for 9 km into tomorrow's route.
Time 9 hours 55 mins including 2 hours 20 mins stops.
No of new Challengers seen: 6
No of other Challengers seen: 1

Last year I was sitting on the summit of Mount Battock, on the penultimate day of the Challenge, when a man strode up out of nowhere.
'You know' he said, 'you can walk for days without seeing anyone, then you arrive at a remote summit and find someone there...'
We had chatted briefly before setting off in opposite directions on our chosen solitary (exclusive?) routes.
Today Sue and I were minding our own business (actually we spent 30 cool, battery draining minutes abortively trying to send yesterday's report) on the summit of a fairly remote Munro, Carn an Fhidhleir, when a man strode up out of nowhere.
'You know' he said, 'you can walk for days without seeing anyone, then you arrive at a remote summit and find someone there...'
Yes, it was Graham Brookes again, on his 19th Challenge, still looking for remote summits. He was surprised to discover that this was in fact a CCS point, and happily devoured the shortbread.
We chatted - I admire Graham, he takes high, challenging, routes. This was his 20th summit and our own 15th. Those who deprive themselves of height missed the splendid views we had today; north to the Cairngorm plateau, with all its high peaks retaining wide strips of snow; east to Lochnagar and its relatives, which we will soon encounter at closer quarters; south to the nearby mass of hills around Glenshee; and west to our route this way, south of which the distinct shape of Creag Meagaidh dominated. The visibility was good today, we could see far to the west, with snow lined hills stretching to the distant horizon.

Intermittent rain in the night didn't bother us. It had stopped by the time we rose, with a cloud ceiling of about 800 metres.

Tim and Kate had gone by the time we emerged, but we were away by 8.15, leaving the peaceful balcony camp to Derek and Pat.

The Feshie glen is lovely. By the time we reached the Eidart bridge, erected in 1957 by a REME infantry workshop, we had passed many more excellent camping spots, some showing signs of recent usage.

There we left the main drag to head south up pathless heather, interspersed with peat hags, towards the Munro summit of Carn an Fhidhleir. On the way we passed great clods of river bank that had been eroded away then washed high onto its grassy margins.

There were few birds around - just an occasional frightened grouse.

The tops were now clear of cloud. Lochnagar came into view, and Morrone, south of Braemar, festooned with aerials. We brewed up, and discovered that none of those aerials belongs to Orange.

At the summit, our chance meeting with Graham.

As on Mt Battock a year earlier we parted in opposite directions, but our paths do converge again in a few days' time.

An Sgarsoch summit

An Sgarsoch was reached and left with ease, despite a few snowfields, and it was a pleasant walk on a fine afternoon, to the ruins of Geldie Lodge. Beyond here was what we expected to be the crux of today's walk - the crossing of the Geldie Burn.

We thought we would have to don our crocs and wade across, but as you can see from the photo, the Geldie today was benign, and rather tame.

We had originally planned to stop hereabouts for the night, but the fleshpots of Braemar beckoned, so we decided to continue for a couple of hours, across more streams, to our present position beyond White Bridge, leaving Braemar just a morning's stroll away.

Having met only Graham all day we now encountered a few cycling Munro baggers, and a handful of Challengers, including a nice lady called Joy - she had upset 'The Dutchman' by camping where he wanted to by the Red House.

'Why should I move?' she said 'I was here first, it's on my route, and the place is the size of a football pitch'. We agreed she had a point (it was bigger than a football pitch) but The Dutchman's nose was well out of joint.

Then we encountered three Challengers struggling across the river, which in truth was not very deep.

In a secluded nook by White Bridge we found Tom Hume and his mate Gordon. They had found a great spot to camp; Tom had remembered it from 1987.

And on to our own spot, recommended by Heather T-S.
Derek and Pat were camped nearby, so we took care to pitch out of their sight, but we do share their stream, this being on of the few places around here that isn't reliant on river water.

I was pleased to receive a comment from Podcast Bob the other day. And yes, we will try to track down Dave and get him to do some 'turns'. The Americans he was with were finding the Challenge a 'breeze' and will be far ahead by now. I hope you enjoyed the Cape Wrath trail, Bob, though I know where you would prefer to be. It's ironic that your own podcasts may have attracted the entrants who you lost out to in the draw. That's life, I suppose.

Talking of Bob... Here's a kit report:

The good weather hasn't really put much to the test, but:

The MSR Superfly stove's 3rd self igniter has broken! Shall I bother with another one? The stove keeps going out, but maybe just needs a good prick. A poke with the needle from the first aid kit seems to have done the trick for now.

The GoLite Quest rucksack is extremely comfy. But how durable is it, and how will it perform in the wet? Everyone I've met who has this sack likes it, whereas the lighter Pinnacle is not to everyone's taste in terms of comfort and storage compartments.

The Nallo tent is fine, but despite having wild camped in it for around 50 nights, including the HRP in the Pyrenees, it has never seen a proper storm. It does suffer from condensation - a nuisance when that makes the foot of the tent, and hence sleeping bag, damp. Two extra small guys at the tail of the tent would reduce that problem by keeping the outer, where the condensation forms, away from the inner tent.

'Gear of the Trip' is the pot cosy, which really does facilitate cooking without gas once your pan has boiled. Brilliant. Thanks Bob (I'll insert a link here when I get home.)

A close second is Sue's i-pod. Yes, second to a pot cosy!

Fopas have included:

Nearly setting fire to the tinder dry grass when burning used loo paper! Perhaps we should have 'bagged it out'.

Taking Rose's advice on strengthening the windshield....gaffer tape actually burns quite well itself, Rose. What a mess!

Finally a message for Notchy, who I know scans these pages:
Congratulations on getting up Ben More Assynt whilst we were fiddling around on Corrieyairack Hill. Hoping we have similar weather in a couple of weeks' time...

Next Day: Day 10
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Sunday 18 May 2008 - TGO Challenge Day 10 - Plan - Geldie Lodge to Braemar

Today’s report is here; the planned route and statistics are shown below:


1 Wild camp by Geldie Burn
2 White Bridge
3 Linn of Dee
4 Victoria Bridge – Tomintoul
5 Braemar

Statistics

23 km
300 metres ascent
8.2 hours


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