TGO CHALLENGE ON THE FLY 2013 Part 1

 

Part 1

 

 

This is an account of the TGO Challenge from the perspective

 of a first time participant
 

 Click on this colour for links

 

I found out about the TGO Challenge a number of years ago from an excited challenger who was starting in Fortwilliam. My Son Craig (who was 12 at the time) and I had just completed the West Highland Way and Ben Nevis (from Crainlarich), coincidentally on the same day that the Challenge was beginning. We were relaxing in Morrison's discussing the TGO Challenge over breakfast with the challenger, about what was involved and her chosen route. I was unaware of the event, but I was intrigued, So when I arrived home I looked up the site on the compuftimicator.

TGO Challenge

 

The following is a descriptive extract from that site

 

    ''The TGO Challenge is an annual self-supported walking event across the Highlands of Scotland, west coast to east coast. The brainchild of well-known writer and mountaineer Hamish Brown, it was first held in 1980.The Challenge is held every May and is sponsored by TGO, the walkers' magazine, in partnership with outdoor equipment specialist Rab.
As a Challenger you’ll plan your own route, which will be checked by experienced vetters. Their comments may assist in your final preparations. You can plan a high- or a low-level route, or one that blends both. That flexibility, combined with the vast and varied geographical area available, is one of the Challenge’s unique attractions''.
 

 

Since that day I have often considered applying, so September last year I took the plunge. With eager anticipation I awaited the arrival of the October issue of the TGO magazine with the enclosed application form, all the questions were pondered over and then answered and it soon found it's way winging towards the organisers. Now began the anxious wait, would I be one of the fortunate ones to be allocated a position or would I not? that decision is made by the applicants name being drawn from a hat on  Sat October 13th. As that date came closer and then passed the more the anxiety and nerves grew, it seems that anxiety and nerves go hand in hand with the event, am I in or am I out? it was becoming unbearable!

The TGO message board suddenly came alive with people stating that their brown envelope was waiting for them on the floor under the letterbox, but not mine, it was looking like I was going to be one of the less fortunate applicants who's name wasn't drawn. "Ah, never mind, I'll try again next year!"
 

BOOM! there it was, a beautiful big brown envelope sticking out of the letter box, probably the only time that I will ever say that a brown envelope is beautiful, I was like a child on Christmas morning.

 

Oban to St Cyrus, Let the planning begin!

 

I had an idea in my head of the route I wanted to take, For my first Challenge, a low level route would be required as I wanted to put a twist onto my Challenge. I got into walking through the evolution of my fly fishing, so why not walk across Scotland leaping from one water to the next fly fishing as I go, therefor I'll call it  ''The TGO Challenge on the fly''

 



Where do I start? I suppose the best place would be the guidance notes that came with the pack and also on the TGO message board where the grey matter of the veterans can be gleaned for information and any questions raised by the other virgins will be answered. Reading the message board about various topics has made me realise that the TGO community are a light hearted bunch that don't take too much seriously, It's going to be a very sociable crossing and a giggle! the best bit of advice that stood out for me was

 

''to remember that it was my holiday, I was to plan it in a way that I would enjoy it''.

 

The relevant OS Landranger maps were purchased from dash4it and while I was awaiting their arrival I pondered over all the information gained to date. The maps arrived within two days and the dining room table was soon cleared, my glasses were perched at the end of my nose and I was armed with the route sheets, maps and endless cups of tea, Here we go!

The plan is to have a short days walk at the start or at the end of the day when I intend to fish a certain water, this should give me the time to wet a fly and thrash the water to a foam. Deciding on a route is actually harder than I thought when trying to end a day at a loch or river without having to make a huge detour to get to it. Often I thought I was making good progress on a particular days route only to be blocked by an obstacle like a river with no bridge in close proximity, dead end, start again!
There is to be a cheese and wine party, hosted by Lord Elpus and his band of merry men, located in the middle of nowhere, a place called Allt Coire Bhran. I checked my route sheet against the given date and grid reference on the invite and by pure coincidence my route takes me within half a mile of the event, also I was planning to stop for the night about four miles further on, that soon changed!
 

It went quite smoothly, 2 - 3 hours a night and seven days later there was a sigh at the table, the job was done and it was dutifully submitted for vetting. Once again there was a nervous wait, was it going to be laughed at and thrown back at me with a comment  like "must try harder"

Click on image to enlarge
 

 

The vetting has now been completed by Mr John Donohoe who had a few good suggestions which would enhance the route, he also pointed out that one of the bridges that I intended to cross if the river was in spate has been washed away, so I will  now require a FWA detour.

Other than that it's OK I think.

This is how the route looks on a map.
Be patient, it takes a couple of minutes to load all the info

 

Week 1

Week 2

 Now it is time to relax and think of the fishing permits for the various waters and the kit required.

 Fly Fishing

 

14/03/2013

 

Whatever kit I take, it will have to be limited and light in weight, Just the bare essentials.
All my modern fly fishing kit is Greys, I'm a big fan of the GRX range. At home the GRXI and the GRXI+ are the rods of choice, but they are too heavy and don't break down small enough. The GRX reel is a very good reel but it weighs far too much, so neither will be going with me.
The rod and reel I'm taking with me have to be at least 13 years old and are just as good as the day I purchased them.

 

Rod - Will be my trusty old  9' 6'' Diawa 6 piece travel rod with an AFTM of 5-7 weighing in at 175g

 

 

 

Reel - Again an old favourite will be my Leeda LC100 reel with a floating line of AFTM 7

at only 200g, "modern reels are just too heavy"!

 



 

Tippet - Maxima Chameleon 6lb, a mere 50g

 

 

Flies - I'm only going to take one fly pattern of two colours and sizes, my own Awesome size 12 and 10 in black and claret and I'm not going to weigh them as I don't think that they will even register on the scales.

 



 



 

 

 

Inverawe Fishery -  Permit on arrival. Thanks to Robert Campbell Preston and Sam from the shop Inverawe

Loch Rannoch - Permit sorted, thanks to Mr Richard Legate, Secretary, Loch Rannoch Conservation Association.

Lochan Sron Smuir -  Permit? Sorted, thanks to Mr Hamish McCorquodale and Mr Ian Sutherland of Dunan Estate

Lochan Loin nan Donnlaich - . Permit? Sorted, thanks to Mr Hamish McCorquodale  and Mr Ian Sutherland of Dunan Estate

Loch Erricht - Permit sorted, thanks to Kevin at Dalwhinnie filling station

Loch Calliter - free fishing 

River Dee -  Permit? On arrival if I use my FWA.

River Esk -  Permit? working on it

 

 

 

 

Food. 

10/02/2013

 

How much food will I carry, Post forward or purchase on the way?

Going by last years Cape Wrath Trail which is remote in comparison to the TGO Challenge, The one thing that I learnt was that I had underestimated the quantity of day snacks that were required  each day and that I had Posted forward far to many freeze dried meals.

So going on the basis that I will be passing through more towns and villages and passing the odd pub, the opportunity should be there to have a meal as I pass through, be it a cafe or bar meal, meaning I should only be required to carry an evening meal when it is going to be a remote wild camp in the event that I don't pass an establishment during the day.

 

Day 1. Meal at Taynuilt hotel or Tea room      Day 7. Freeze Dried/Dehydrated meal

Day 2. Freeze Dried/Dehydrated meal             Day 8. Freeze Dried/Dehydrated meal

Day 3. Meal at the Kings House hotel              Day 9. Meal at Braemar

Day 4. Freeze Dried/Dehydrated meal             Day 10. Freeze Dried/Dehydrated meal

Day 5. Freeze Dried/Dehydrated meal             Day 11. Meals on Wheels

Day 6. Meal at the Dalwhinnie hotel                Day 12. Meal at Edzell

                                                                                       Day 13. Meal at Montrose

 

  6 x Freeze Dried/Dehydrated meals

  2 x Freeze Dried/Dehydrated meals just in case

15 x Vacuum packed Porridge Oats 

30 x sachets 3 in 1 Coffee

A wheelbarrow full of snack bars

I THINK!

Recently my pallet has become accustomed to the taste of fish, so tinfoil and vacuum packed sliced lemon will be going with me so that I can cook a Trout (if I catch one) on The Honey Stove
 

Oh, I had better not forget a bottle of wine, cheese and biscuits, and a smart tie for the party!

 

 

Dehydrated meals 

08/03/2013

 

 

I've decided to go with my own dehydrated meals, Barbecue Chicken and Chicken Chasseur, nice and simple and light. I have used them before and the beauty of making them yourself is that you make them to suit your own taste, I'm a big fan of Garlic and Pepper so I've dumped a load into the BBQ Chicken ( my breath is going to be Honking!)

 

 

 



 

 

 

First aid kit

 15/02/2013

 

I tend to be over cautious when it comes to the old first aid kit, the just in case moments, you can end up with a bit of extra weight if your not careful, so Iv'e thinned my kit down a bit, this is all I'm taking!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just kidding!

 

Assorted plasters, T bandage, Swabs, Scissors, Medium Dressing, Pocket resuscitation mask, The most important bit of First aid has to be the Nappie cream for the crack rash.
Rennie's, Fabric tape, Steri wound strips, Wound glue, Foot cream, Anti- Diarrhoea-rend tablets
and a Survival Bag.
I forgot to put Anadain Extra's in the pic (I used them all up!),

Thats 360g in a 1Ltr dry bag.






 

Mac Attack

19/02/2013

 

 

 

A news update letter, an info sheet on a Rab clothing offer and a reunion gathering info letter arrived last week, the reason I'm being vague about the contents is because I havn't been able to read them in their entirety, only the odd partial sentence or couple of words.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shamefully, I've had to request them to be sent to me again, It's not as if John Manning hasn't got enough on his plate, organising the route vetting and other issues relating to the event.

 

 

 

 

Anyway he has kindly resent the letters and I have done my bit to prevent it happening again!

 

 

 

Mac, PAWS OFF!

 



 Or maybe I should just feed him!






 

One week to go!

 03/05/2013

 

 

With one week to go I thought that I should take all the kit with me and check it out, a walk along the last 2 sections of the West Highland Way, A wild camp at Kings house the night before, Then the 22 mile walk with a camp at the Glen Nevis camp site, Oh and also to scare my muscles from their lazy winter slumber.

 

 

I was going to meet up with a good friend (Daz) who was doing the West Highland way with his work. This involved him taking a group of young lads who were either in-between training courses or had finished their course. They had all started in Milngavie on Sunday and were going to do it over five days, They weren’t exactly slumming it, 2 x 12 x 12ft frame tents, one for sleeping in and one for cooking and eating in, lights, heaters and a generator and one person even to drive the van ahead and set up camp for them arriving each day, “Mmmm that’s the way to walk it!”

 

 

 

 

 

    Well the evenings drive up to kingshouse was pleasant, dry and bright with a beautiful sunset as I arrived. The tent was up and organised in a jiffy but the lads were not in from their days walk yet, their tents were there but not a sole about.

I awoke at first light to hard frost, the tent was white. This year I have done away with the goose down jacket and opted to try out the Montane Flux/Prism jackets and the Prism trousers for when I am about the tent relaxing, very warm and about the same weight as the goose.

 

 

Following meeting all the lads, breakfast and packing up it was time to begin, a nice easy stroll on fresh legs all the way to Kinlochleven. When I reached the Hidden Glen the horizontal west coast rain began, now it had turned into a plod with head down and hood up for the rest of the day.

 

All the kit was in good order but I realised that I had to dump some of the extra nick nacks that I was carrying just to try and get the weight down a bit. A decision has been made, the Montane Prism jacket and trousers would be going with me on the TGOC and not the Flux, purely due to the extra weight and my luxury item for the walk is the Candle lamp from http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/lighting/TC101.html, what a fantastic simple gadget, warmth and light!

 

Now then going back to the food topic, I’ve had to purchase some freeze dried meals from http://www.bewellexpeditionfoods.com because I’ve eaten some of my own dehydrated meals on this walk and don’t have the time to prepare more, I have been using this company for a number of years now and like what I get, which includes puddings as a treat. I’ve got plenty so will post some forward for collection later. During last year’s CWT on the second week I was HUNGRY FOR MEAT! So this year it’s going to be a meat menu all the way no pasta is getting packed.

 

It’s just as well I went for this walk because some of my lower leg muscles are complaining and moaning, Wake up you lazy *******!

 

I was impressed with the tent, A Terra Nova Laser Comp 1. This is the first time I have been out in strong winds with it, The camp at Glen Nevis was draughty to say the least but the tent held up well, I pitched it with its backside into the wind and it stood rock solid, not like the Shangri-la 3 last year, a good tent but it was more like a spinnaker in the wind. The weak point was the centre pole, which was my two walking poles joined together rather than its own pole.

 

It’s now time to pack the kit up for the off, I'm happy with it all,  but I’m sure I’ll get a fright as to the weight I intend to carry!

It's about 17kg, give or take a snack bar!

 

 

 Yes you did see a pair of Crocks in the picture, They are a bit of a fashion dissaster but they weigh next to nothing and I need them for the river crossings that I have planned and for slobbing about at the tent.
My daughter(Karra) wouldn't buy me a pair of pastel pink ones so had to go with the dull black!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10th May 2013

Tick Tock, Tick Tock !

That's tomorrow!




Part 2

Part 3