Celebrating your Crossing & Challenge Dinners

Once you hit the East Coast and dip you toes in the North Sea it’s time to start celebrating. Fancy a swim in the North Sea, a pint in a local hostelry or one of Charlton Farm’s famous strawberry tarts?

Whatever you choose don’t forget you need to make your way to Montrose (motorised transport now allowed!) to formally sign out, receive your TGO Challenge T-shirt and swop Challenge tales over a cup of tea – or something stronger.

Challenge Control

This is based in The Park Hotel which you will find at:

61 John Street, Montrose, Angus, DD10 8RJ

The hotel has supported the Challenge ever since its inception. It accommodates Challenge Control during the second week of the Event as well as hosting the 3-course celebratory dinners.

They offer a discounted rate on rooms to Challengers as well as camping in the grounds. Pre-booking is advised as it can get pretty busy. Click the button to see this years offer.

Please think about supporting The Park Hotel by staying, eating or at least having a drink. We really couldn’t run the Event without them – and in particular their wonderful staff.

Challenge Dinners

You are welcome to attend one of the Challenge dinners held at The Park Hotel. Because Challengers’ schedules often change during the Event we only take provisional bookings until the second week of your crossing. Essentially you provisionally book via your route sheet and we then try our best to accommodate everyone who wants to come. If you want a few more details read on:

  • Take place on final Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of the Challenge in the hotel ballroom (no dancing involved!) with a smaller informal gathering on the final Tuesday if there is enough interest.
  • A maximum of 100 places per night.
  • Three course meal (with vegetarian/vegan options) interspersed with a few words, toasts and presentations to those completing their 10th, 20th or 30th crossings.
  • Dinner requests are made via the route sheet – you cannot book before your route is submitted.
  • Tickets are collected on completion of your crossing at Challenge Control.
  • Usually cost around £25 per person for a three course meal – paid at The Park Hotel reception on the day of the dinner.
  • If any day is over subscribed there will be a waiting list. Generally, with withdrawals and retirements, most people who want a place will get one but sometimes this can’t be guaranteed until the day.
  • The Thursday dinner is often oversubscribed, so we cannot usually accept non-participating guests. if you want to bring a friend opt for Wednesday or Friday instead.
  • The priority for places on any oversubscribed day will be:
    • Coordinators, Vetters, other Challenge volunteers and sponsors representatives.
    • Those completing their 10th, 20th and 30th crossing, their walking partners and one non-participating guest.
    • Those completing their crossing on the same day as their dinner request. Leeway is given to those finishing north of Aberdeen who have a longer journey to Montrose.
    • The order in which the route sheet was submitted, relative to the route submission deadline. So a group submitting their route sheet 2 months before their deadline will be higher up the list than the deadline dodgers!
    • Participants who have had to retire during the Event.
    • Non-participating guests