TGOC 13 – What’s on my back and in my pack

It is traditional for male outdoor bloggers of a certain age to share gear spreadsheets every now and then.  However I would find doing so a form of purgatory.  Spreadsheets are for using at work, even then I do them so badly that someone else will volunteer to take over.  I will save the gear spreadsheet for when I’m finally placed on some form of medical spectrum.

Instead, just incase readers are interested I thought that I would do a quick run through of what I’ll be taking on this years Great Outdoors Challenge.  For me it’s about getting a balance between weight and comfort.  There is no point in trying to save weight if its going to make me miserable.  I’m not the sort of person who finds joy in backpacking for two weeks with one pair of underpants and socks for example.  Anyway, here goes.  Feel free to pick holes in my logic, I’ll simply ignore you anyway and take what I want to take.

Clothing:

Arcteryx Atom LT Hoody – This is probably my favourite item of clothing.  A synthetic filled jacket which I find just as good for sitting around camp as walking the hills in cooler weather.  Not as warm as a down jacket but more versatile, especially if conditions turn out damp.

Haglofs Essens Down Vest – This packs down to nothing and weighs in at 180 grammes.  Purchased on an impulse yesterday, this will boost the Atom Hoody when in camp or provide extra warmth for sleeping.

Smartwool baselayer – I really rate Merino for long backpacks.  This one is warm, does not itch and I can wear it for days without it stinking.  The only downside is that it is yellow and does not suit my comedy belly.

Rab Aeon Tee – I am taking both the long and short-sleeved versions.  Together they weigh pretty much nothing and are soft and silky smooth.  I’m wearing the long-sleeved one as I type this as it is so comfortable.

Rab Cirrus windshirt – Great for keeping those breezes at bay when it is too warm for a jacket.  Mine is the special venting edition as it is falling apart and full of holes.

Montane Terra Pack Pants – These are the lightweight versions of the popular Terra Pants, which I find too warm outside of winter.  I’ll be wearing a pair and will have a spare in my pack.  I’m sure that many will think this is overkill but I like to have a complete set of spare clothing on a long backpack.  When staying in b&b / hotels I can wash out the ones I have been wearing and then hit the pub in a clean pair whilst they dry.  This will save me having a well-earned meal and pint in my underpants.

Finisterre Zephyr Boxers – These Merino boxers are soft and comfy, they also can be worn for a while without getting too stinky.  I’ll be taking two pairs.

Inov-8 Flyroc 310 – I did the 2011 Challenge in these shoes and they worked really well.  That pair have long since been retired so I have recently purchased the updated version.  A backpack and two long days walks and they are nicely broken in.

X-socks Trekking Expedition Short – I have found these to be the best socks to wear with trailshoes.  They are lightweight but have a bit of merino for warmth.  They are shaped for each individual foot and dry really quickly when wet.  I’ll be taking three pairs.

M&S leggins – Lightweight cotton numbers for sleeping in.  Keeps the bag clean.

Extremities Polartec hat – For keeping my noggin warm, works well under the hood of the Atom Hoody.

Berghaus fleece liner gloves – I have unusually warm hands when trekking and these are the only gloves I used during this past winter.  Light and dry quickly.

Waterproofs:

Rab Neoshell Myriad jacket – A new purchase from my lovely wife for my birthday.  It has yet to see any rain but I have high hopes for this jacket which is new on the market.  I have heard good things about the Neoshell fabric, should keep me dry and comfy in typical Challenge conditions.

Rab Drillium eVENT trousers – They served me well on the last Challenge so will be coming again.  Light and very breathable.

Integral Designs Shortie eVENT Gaiters – Come to just above my ankles, more to keep crud out of my shoes than to keep my trousers clean.

Sleeping and Shelter:

Tarptent Scarp1 – My favourite tent, ever.  It’s roomy, has two porches and is stable in bad weather.  A joy to crawl into at the end of a long day.  Heavier than the MLD Trailstar but I feel it is nicer to live in for two weeks.

Exped Synmat UL 7 – I was going to take my trusty Neoair but I have now decided it is no longer so trusty as it slowly deflates during the night.  I received the Synmat a couple of weeks ago and it is untested out in the field.  On the spare room floor however, it is very comfy indeed.

PHD Hispar 500 – Even in May the night time temperatures can plummet well below freezing in the Highlands.  A few extra grammes is worth carrying for a good nights sleep.

Pack:

ULA Catalyst – This has been on all of my backpacks for nearly four years now and has served me faultlessly.  It is a good combination of weight versus supportiveness.  It has a large enough capacity to carry food and gear for a two week trek, yet its volume is easily reduced for those final days.  It’s looking a bit rough round the edges now so fingers crossed it will get across in one piece.

Cooking:

Jetboil Sol Aluminium – I love this little stove and find that I stop and make a hot lunch when backpacking because of it.  Also when in camp I find myself drinking more hot drinks.  There is not the same level of faff that I used to have when using a meths stove.  I will take one 230g canister of Primus power gas.  This should last me until near the half way point where I’ll buy another in Kingussie.

Miscellaneous:

Sawyer Squeeze filter – The easiest water filter that I have used.  Most of time I will probably not bother when deep in the hills.  Good for when nearer civilisation.

Pacerpoles  Carbon – With my creaking knees I feel that poles are essential for when backpacking.  Pacerpoles are the best that I have ever used.  They improve my posture and give my upper body a bit of a workout as well.  Highly recommended.

Kindle – One of the joys of backpacking is to spend the evening engrossed in a good book.  I am currently reading IQ84 by Haruki Murakami, a hefty tome that would be impractical to take in book form.

Satmap GPS – This will be switched off most of the time and will only be used to confirm my location in poor visibility.  My crossing of the Monadhliath is particularly navigationally challenging as it goes across the grain of the land.  Good to have ‘just incase’.

First aid – containing all the essentials as well as anti-chaffing cream and a whole host of medication to keep my rebellious body going.

Tikka XP 2 – It’s a torch and will help me see in the dark.  That’s what torches are for.

There are a few more odds and sods in the pile in the spare room but I’ll stop now before I bore you to death.  I have no idea what the total weight is yet.  I will be starting off with enough food for three days.  I’ll weigh the sack when finally packed.

After all of this gear talk I think that I should provide a bit of balance by showing a few wild camping photos from my last Challenge.  In the end it is all about getting out in the hills for a couple of weeks.  For me wild camping is the best bit.

The TGO Challenge 2013 – route shakedown

I found planning this years challenge much easier than in 2011.  This is because there are a few areas which I am keen to walk though.  These being Knoydart, the Monadhliath mountains and the Moine Mhor.  I also fancied taking in Braemar on this years route.  Thankfully all of these places pretty much sit on a straight line if you place a ruler across a map of the Highlands.  I’m not adverse to making the route as short as possible!

As on the last Challenge I broke my route down into four separate backpacks, transport corridors make this easy to do.  This makes the task less daunting as you only need to plan three or four days at a time.  There are then natural breaks and places to restock supplies, meaning that no more than four days food needs to be carried at any one time.  I also like to have a nice warm and dry b&b waiting for me after three of four days in the wilds!

I have been a bit more ambitious this year with regards to my ‘main’ route, it goes much higher and crosses more hills.  If all goes well I will climb nine Munros and one Corbett over the two weeks.  There will be the choice however if tired or the weather is bad to stick to the glens on my foul weather route.  Overall my daily mileage is around 20 to 25 kilometres, the longest being on the third day at 28 kilometres.

So what is the route like in more detail?

(You can click on the maps to make them bigger).

Part one – 73 Kilometres (45 miles) over three days

This years crossing will start with the ferry from Mallaig to Inverie in Knoydart.  If the weather is good I am then looking forward to ascending the Munro Luinne Bheinn and the Corbett Sgurr a Choire-bheithe, followed by the roller coaster ridge of Druim Chosaidh.  I have my fingers crossed for a high level camp somewhere along the ridge.   I then have two long but low-level days to get to Invergarry taking in Glen Quoich, the River Loyne and the forests of Glen Garry.

Part two – 58 Kilometres (36 miles) over three days

Crossing the Monadhliath is something that I am looking forward to immensely.  The first day will see a moorland bash to Blackburn bothy before dropping down to the secretive Glen Tarff.  This is a spot that has been on my ‘must visit’ list for years now.  I will then cross a vast high plateau, right through the middle of the proposed Stronelairg wind farm.  I then find myself on a worryingly featureless section to try to find a camp near the headwaters of the Abhainn Cro Chlach.  A truly wild and remote section.  Finally I head to Kingussie via a high watershed, taking in the Munro of Carn Sgulain.

Part three – 58 Kilometres (36 miles) over three days

After the fleshpots of Kingussie a gentle walk will take me to the Ruigh-aiteachain bothy located in the wonderful Glen Feshie.  The Moine Mhor is also on my ‘must visit’ list and I am hoping for clear weather to cross the clutch of Munros surrounding this high mossy plateau.  I’m hoping to camp up there which could be the high point of my crossing.  After dropping down to the Dee there should be an easy stroll to Braemar via Mar Lodge.  Saturday in Braemar should see the place full of unwashed backpackers.

Part four – 90 Kilometres (56 miles) over five days

Leaving Braemar suitably refreshed I’ll sneak past Loch Callater lodge to enable myself to keep a clear head for the ascent onto the White Mounth plateau.  A spot of Munro bagging will take me to the Spittal of Glenmuick followed by another climb up to the Shielin of Mark bothy.  Then there will be a stroll down Glen Lee to camp with a mass of other Challengers at Tarfside.  In order to keep to the hills to the very last minute I’ll head to Edzell via the Hill of Wirren.  This will then leave a tarmac plod to the coast at St Cyrus via North Water Bridge.

I have to say that I’m rather looking forward to it!

My 2013 TGO Challenge route sheet is finally submitted

It has taken a few months of obsessively pouring over maps to get my TGO Challenge route planned.  There are places that I know I definitely want to visit, the trick is joining them into a coherent and enjoyable route.  I start in the village of Inverie in Knoydart and finish 280 kilometres (174 miles) later in St Cyrus.  I really want to explore the wildest part of the Monadhliath so much of my route has been planned around that.  I feel that now is the time to go before the area is trashed forever.  If the weather is good I will take in nine Munro’s and a Corbett over the two weeks, so let the sun shine and the winds be gentle.

Lets see what the vetters make of what I have submitted.  I’ll do more of a route breakdown when I get a response from them.

You can click on the map below to make it bigger.

A place on the 2013 TGO Challenge

A big brown envelope containing some good news landed on my doormat this morning.  Confirmation that I have got a place on next years Challenge.  I suppose that I had better get planning, there is a country to cross.

So far I am thinking about a Knoydart start, been many years since I visited.  I already have a nice section planned for the Monadhliath, a must see before they are trashed.

Camped by the river Dulnain on the 2011 Challenge.

Why no TGO Challenge in 2012?

In retrospect I really enjoyed the TGO Challenge this year.  Admittedly at the time there were moments whilst actually doing it where I thought to myself ‘what the hell am I doing?’.  This was most certainly the case after I got blown off course by the big storm and found myself walking the Deeside Way into Aberdeen.  The weather this year made for a difficult crossing, day after day in full waterproofs often reduced the morale of this solo walker.  However there were lots of magical moments, especially whilst crossing huge areas of wild land.  The camaraderie of fellow Challengers was second to none.  I am keen to get a few more Challenges under my belt.

However, I have decided not to enter next year.  The reason why remains the same as it had been for many years prior to this years entry.  It simply takes out too big a chunk from my precious annual leave.  Next year I fancy condensing my Scottish wilderness fixes into smaller chunks.  Then as summer turns to autumn I am considering doing something really ambitious.

In February I am returning to what I consider to be one of the wildest, most remote parts of Scotland.  In October 2009 I did a short backpack on the Island of Jura, walking along a small section of the west coast.  The wild west of the island really made an impression on me, it is simply one of the most beautiful and at the same time bleak places that I have visited.  A trip has been planned with Peter Edwards, his wife Fiona and hopefully my buddy Rich.  As well as being a very decent chap, Peter is also the author of Cicerones guidebook; Walking on Jura, Islay and Colonsay.  A substantial part of the guide is dedicated to a five-day backpack along the west coast.  It is that route which we will be walking and it will be great to leave the route finding to someone who knows the area so well, it’s tough going there!  Reuben the Staffy and Dougal the Chocolate Lab will be coming along, kitted out with their own backpacks.  Jura is probably the worst place in the Highlands for ticks, hence taking the hounds in February.  In winter it’s not the easiest place to get to; a long ferry journey to Islay, followed by a bus or two across the island, then another ferry to Jura itself, before finally catching the bus to the north of the island.  To cut out all that travelling and to add an extra bit of adventure we are planning on hiring a boat to take us from the mainland and drop us off in a convenient location.  It’s already making me feel giddy with excitement!

The wild west coast of Jura.

In April I sadly turn 40, so in celebration there will be another trip to the Highlands.  My partner has agreed to us renting  a cottage of my choice for a week where I will be able to climb mountains everyday.  I plan to find somewhere stupidly remote……………..

The big one planned for next year takes me to a place that only a few years ago I would have thought impossible to visit independently.  Greenland has held a fascination for me for a while now, however is it a place suitable for backpackers?  An article a while ago in TGO magazine by Paddy Dillon sparked an interest which soon turned into a strong desire.  He has recently written a guidebook to the Arctic Circle Trail which I have purchased.  Follow the link and I think that you’ll agree that this trek looks simply awesome.  Reading the guidebook makes my heart skip a beat.  Fingers crossed and all going well I should be above the Arctic circle this time next year.

You may have gathered that I do enjoy a spot of trip planning!