A September trip to Norway found us revisiting the area reported on here. We had been without snow before, but on previous occasions there were children to manage; this was the first time we could focus on grown-up pursuits like walking, picking berries, and chopping trees. troll Black Death Norefjell lies 3 hours drive […]
The TGO Challenge The TGO Challenge takes place in May and it is now August, and for some unexplainable reason I still have not completed the write-up. Probably I should learn from Martin Banfield who I found shut up in his tent in the middle of Fetteresso forest writing his blog. Last time, in 2012,
TGOC 2014: The TGO Challenge putting it all together Read More »
I left Tony and Jackie tucked up in their tent and worked my way across to the track up White Hill on the other side of the valley. Birse Castle and Ballochan from White Hill From now on the mountains are behind me. I move eastwards trying to keep to the relatively high ground of the hills
TGOC 2014 #8: Ballochan, Glen Dye, Fetteresso Forest to Dunnottar Castle & Stonehaven Read More »
Someone calls Ballater their ‘secret weapon’ for the TGO. I’m not sure why, but it does seem counter-intuitive to head this way when wilder scenery of Lochnagar beckons to the south east. It is a pleasant town with a range of restaurants and other facilities and a campsite right by the centre. The route from Braemar is straight
TGOC 2014 #7: Braemar / Ballater to Ballochan Read More »
The small clearing by Drakes Bothy is a good camp spot and a nice place to start the day. I woke with blue skies which soon turned to grey – the tops, initially clear, became cloaked in cloud. Tops soon became cloaked in cloud On the path soon after 7am, I guessed I was around
Errogie dwelling The Monaliadth is a different style of mountain area. The rounded hills and extensive high moorland give it a remote feel but without the dramatic landscape of the steeper and more rocky West Highlands or Cairngorm. an entrance to the Monadliadth at Drumnaglas The area is dissected by landrover tracks, which provide the
TGOC 2014 #5: The Monaliadth from Errogie to Feshie Read More »
Breaking camp by river Affric looking west Despite a less than early start, a few minutes walking brought me level with a small encampment of Trailstars across the valley below. One was bright yellow so I knew this was Lee, with fellow walkers Peter, and Gareth from the bothy the night before. 3 Trailstars by
TGOC 2014 #4: Glen Affric & Cannich to Drumnadrochit and Errogie Read More »
This was to be an exciting high level route – a reward from the tribulations of boggy ground and dangerous river crossing from the day before. Leaving the bothy Maol Bhuidhe My original plan – which is reflected in the map – was to camp the night somewhere near Carnach and start the day on
This was to be the “day of crossings”. Of 13 days of walking Day 2 was the one I was most nervous about. If the rivers were in spate several parts of the route could become impassible requiring long diversions. Dealing with wide and deep streams with a heavy pack and walking solo could be risky, and
TGOC 2014 #2: Craig to Maol-bhuidhe bothy via Lurgh Mohr & Bidein a’ Choire Sheasgaich Read More »
You can pull the route map for this walk around inside the box below and zoom in and out. Usually a click on a picture will zoom it to full screen, and there is a link to more pictures of this walk at the bottom of the post. Loch Torridon To reach Torridon from The
TGOC 2014 #1: Torridon to Craig via Sgorr Ruadh and Fuar Tholl Read More »