2019
supporters
We are very grateful to the supporters
of this year’s Challenge:River crossing at Gaick
Photo: Ali OgdenA short diversion here to say that the
Challenge has developed a number of
wonderful ‘gathering points’ over the years
where routes converge and a highly social
atmosphere prevails before everyone goes
their separate ways again. Among these
points are Fort Augustus, Newtonmore/
Kingussie, Braemar, and the little hostel at
Tarfside in Glen Esk, a stunningly beautiful
and peaceful spot.
I was on the team dispensing hospitality
at Tarfside this year, and we had a record
number of Challengers passing through.
Among them was Joe, and I shall never
forget his face as he bit into his first ever
bacon and egg roll. He could only say ‘Wow!’
A bit better than sushi maybe for sustaining
a Challenger, and another priceless
Challenge moment.
Things have changed on the Challenge of
course. Routes are nearly all now submitted
and vetted by email, which speeds up the
process enormously. Challengers set out
armed with GPS trackers and other devices,
though we still stress that paper maps are
an essential back-up. Gear has become
ever lighter and more sophisticated. What
remains totally unchanged is the basic
concept of the Challenge as envisaged by
Hamish 40 years ago – a non-competitive
event with an immediately understandable
object, to walk from the west coast of
Scotland to the east under your own power
within a period of two weeks.
You can stay high or go low; we make
no differentiation between crossings,
and all successful Challengers receive a
T-shirt and certificate on finishing (usually
together with a few other goodies). It works,
perfectly, and will continue to do so.
The most remarkable feature of all is the
atmosphere the event generates among
those taking part. There are stories every
year of Challengers helping others who are
struggling for one reason or another. This
year the Challenge spirit was epitomised
when a first-time American Challenger fell
increasingly unwell and having managed to
get to the Red Bothy in the Monadhliath,
really felt he could go no further. He was
walking with his wife and sister-in-law who
were naturally very concerned.
Serendipity took over as two
Challengers swiftly arrived on the scene.
One, from Holland, was a paramedic
and the other, from Devon, was a retired
police officer. Between them they made a
(correct) diagnosis of pneumonia and got
a rescue started. The suffering Challenger
was airlifted to hospital in Inverness
where he made a good recovery. His wife
was immensely grateful and also amazed
both at the speed with which everything
happened and the fact that they didn’t have
to pay for it!
Similar, though generally less dramatic,
stories can be told every year. It was a
real joy for Hamish and I to welcome so
many Challengers, old friends and new,
to Montrose where the Park Hotel has
maintained a truly enviable record of
looking after us. We had two celebratory
dinners and both were wonderful fun.
The statistics are amazing but they only
tell a small part of the story. That comes
from the Challengers themselves, and you’ll
read more of this in the autumn when we
promote the 2020 Challenge. There will
be many people setting out on their first
Challenge next May, and others who have
done 20 or more crossings.
To me, 2019 was not just the end of the
first 40 Challenges. It was also the start of
the next 40. This remarkable and genuinely
unique event has an ever-expanding family
who enjoy the best that Scotland can offer(which is comparable, I believe, to anywhere
in the world). Every one of them is welcome.
With every year we add more memories and
achieve more success. We at TGO can be
proud of the fact that we backed a winner
40 years ago, and continue to do so.
As for the three of us – the beards may
be grey but the hearts are ever young. Chris
has 16 crossings to his credit and I don’t
think he’s done yet. He, Hamish and I look
forward to many more great evenings in
the Park, surrounded by the wonderful
Challenge family. Here’s to the next 40
years!22 The Great Outdoors June 2019