View from Oban Bothy

View from Oban Bothy
Showing posts with label TGO Challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TGO Challenge. Show all posts

Friday 3 February 2023

Challenge Training Raining Friday 3rd Feb 2023

Andy and Martin had travelled up from the flatlands of Cambridgeshire to get some hills in their legs.

The TGO Challenge is only a matter of 3 months away so hill training simply cannot be delayed.

Unfortunately their arrival in Edale was delayed by stupidly heavy traffic – as was mine….and Edale is, relatively speaking, on my doorstep.

Anyroadup at shortly after 11am we headed up to the Nags Head for a quick selfie before following the ‘old’ Pennine Way route up Grindsbrook and onto Kinder Scout.

That's me smiling.

The weather wasn’t as good as it might have been in fact a letter to the Peak District National Park folks may well be in order – all the photos I’ve seen show either glorious sunshine or beautiful snow covered hills, NOT persistent rain, muddy paths, and general grot. In their defence, they didn’t mention the excellent company I enjoyed today.

Whatever…

At the top of Grindsbrook we continued through the slutch to Crowdon Tower then to Pym Chair. The original Plan (always good to have A Plan) was to go over Brown Knoll, on to Rushup Edge then back down into Edale….but we weren’t expecting so much of the wet stuff….and it’s accompanying views.










Plan B was put into action: Edale Head > Jacob’s Ladder, then following the ‘new’ Pennine Way route, back into Edale for coffee and buns. The excellent Penny Pot Cafe provided said coffee and buns – both were excellent.

A good day out, if a little damp….okay, VERY damp. Thanks to Andy and Martin for inviting me out – it was just what I needed!

Where we went:

 


Around 8 – 9 miles with 1600’ ascent

Thursday 4 June 2020

TGOC2020 - virtually the fifth bit.

Beryl the Peril had slipped through a worm-hole and travelled up to Scotland by train. Beryl (aka Margaret) had been on one of Alan’s Daunders and after a few days in the company of Challengers she’d decided that they were (mostly) harmless. 

We met up at Aviemore and then road-yomped seven miles to the Cairngorm Lodge SHYA where both Carl and Lynsey were also staying. A very pleasant evening followed.





Next day we headed east (East is good) to Alan’s completely not spontaneous Cheese & Wine Party which, as always, proved to be good fun, although slightly chilly.






Okay, it was bloody freezing. Nowt new there.

Next day we enjoyed a marvellous walk over the tops in the general direction of Braemar, stopping to spend a very windy night at a sheltered pitch just large enough to squeeze our tents in:



We were up early-ish next morning to continue our glorious walk over some high ground where we spotted an interesting installation - I think it was something to do with a university:



Then, via Braemar, to Callater - to enjoy the unrivalled hospitality of Bill & Co.  







The evening included drinks, dinner, a birthday party, a fashion show, poetry recitations, the occasional odd song (some were VERY odd) – it was an evening in agreeable company. 


















In fact it relaxed some guests so much that they fell asleep, mid-conversation. Amazing really.



Next day, the walk over Lochnagar in snow was fun…shame you couldn’t see a right lot:













Our camp spot by Loch Muick that night was a little lumpy but otherwise fine.

Then there was Tarfside. Well….. all I can say in mitigation is that I don’t drink whiskey.










Tarfside is always full of jollity, fun and cheerfulness:
 

More intense relaxation followed….some were so relaxed they couldn’t keep their eyes open. I wonder why…


Which reminds me: Belated Happy Birthday Lynsey!

Friday 29 May 2020

TGOC2020…virtually the forth bit

Another little hiccup / brain-fart / malfunction that is the #virtualTGOC space-time continuum: I woke up in the very early hours - in my frozen tent. Somehow I'd been transported to Loch Cuaich. How the hell did that happen?

What confused me more (bear in mind that I'm easily confused, even on a good day) was that at around 1am my tent lit up as if it was daylight - scary. It seems that poachers / lampers were oot 'n aboot.


I later learned that Mssrs Lambert & Alan Sloman were camped not too far away and heard / saw the same kerfuffle. Later in the morning, at a far more sensible time o'clock, there was the little matter of ascending the shapely Sgor Dearg and then the steep descent to Gaick Lodge and Loch an t-Seilich. Hard work considering it was first thing in the morning.


A second breakfast followed in a lovely sheltered gully by Allt Bhran (All Bran...?).

Peace and quite was shattered by the arrival of Keith Leonard and Terry Leyland. They didn't hang around.

Approaching Lochan an t-Sluic I spotted a couple of tents by the lochan: it was Angus McKinnon and Norrie. Gus kindly allowed me to snoop around his Akto, a new tent on me - a month later I'd bought my own.


The night was spent in Ruigh-aiteachain Bothy.



The next day's route followed the classic Feshie - Geldie path....where I inveitably fell into bad company once again: Steve Smith, Big n' Daft, Pauline Marshall & Bernie,- plus loads more!

It was a grand day to Whitebridge and a fine camp spot that night.






Tomorrow: Braemar!

Tally-Ho! Whitworth Wander / Turkey Trot 2023

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