Tips for First Time Challengers

It is not a competition and the aim is to enjoy rather than endure your crossing. There are no special plaudits for a hard or high route. If you don’t already have experience of backpacking over Scotland’s hills we advise taking your route through the glens and keep your distances to 15-25km a day. For most it’s enough of a challenge just to get across Scotland on your first crossing.

Try and keep it simple and well within your capabilities or that of the least experienced or slowest walker in your group. You may have lots of places you want to visit but accept you can’t pack them all into one route. Whatever you can’t fit in this route can wait for your 2nd, 3rd or even 10th crossing!

It’s worth giving yourself a bit of leeway. There is nothing worse than feeling a slave to your schedule. A rest day, or a couple of shorter days, giving you time to recuperate or catch up if you fall behind schedule. You are, after all, on holiday!

Large scale maps such as a road map can be useful to start planning your route. Mark some places you want to visit and it may give you an idea of how to join them up, or tell you that some need exploring on another crossing, then use the 1:50 000 to plan your route in detail. 

Scottish Hill Tracks (Scotways) is worth a look as it shows you Scotland’s Rights of Way. They may not all be evident on the ground but at least you know someone has gone that way before – quite probably a Challenger! Scotways also sells a map of Scotland marked up with the rights of way – a very good way to spot the west east ones that might be useful to you. It’s double sided so worth and extra £1 to buy two and lay out the whole of Scotland on your floor!

Geograph and Where’s the Path are useful websites to get an idea of the terrain you might encounter.

So which start point takes your fancy? All have their own merits but does one call to you?

You can find more information here. Shiel Bridge, Oban and Portavadie give good access to lower level routes with tracks or paths – ideal for your first crossing if you are new to Scotland. Mallaig is also great for a first crossing and is a spectacular start as you can take a ferry to Knoydart where there are mainly clear but rugged paths through spectacular scenery. Morar, Strathcarron and Torridon lead to more testing ground and are not ideal for first time Challengers with no prior experience of Scotland and is probably best left for future crossings.

You can finish anywhere you like between Fraserburgh and Arbroath. Do you want spectacular cliffs, a long sand beach, quaint harbour or a ruined castle. Maybe its renowned fish and chips (Inverbervie), famed ice creams or the Challenge favourite strawberry tarts or just a good pint that will dewcide your finish point. All are possible. Roger Smith’s Guide to Finish Points walks you through many options and can be found here.

Once you have your start point and a couple of potential finish points the map doesn’t look so overwhelming and your way between them feels easier to find.

Do you want to mingle with Challengers, other hillgoers and locals or do you want time to yourself? Most Challengers do a bit of both.

Many places have taken the Event to their hearts and you will find Challengers gathering in many villages along the way. Cannich and Fort Augustus on the west, Dalwhinnie and Newtonmore in the middle, and Braemar, Ballater and Edzell on the east, all come to mind. A few places such as Cougie, Ault-na-Goire, Callater Lodge and St Drostan’s at Tarfside open up especially for the Challenge – see the Special Places to Stay section on the Accommodation page. 

This is the hardest bit of route planning leaving even the most experienced Challenger’s scratching their heads at times. There’s advice on when you are likely to need them and the usual solutions to some mandatory FWA conundrums (eg Jocks Road and the Lairig Ghru) on the FWA page.

Our main bit of advice, if you are planning to take in some hills, is to think about your FWA before you commit to the hills. Ensure, if you can, the FWA, it’s a good walk in it’s own right then if conditions aren’t ideal for the tops you can still enjoy the day.

Try and keep the FWA as close as you can to your main route. That way if the weather improves you can you can get back n your main route.

Finally remember it doesn’t need to be blowing horizontal rain in your face to use the FWA. It can be a Feeling Weary Alternative too – giving you a chance to have an easier day if you fancy a stroll in the glens instead.

Once you’ve got your route in your head – or hopefully in some GPX files – it time to get it down on the online Route Sheet.

A bit daunted? Don’t worry so were we on our first Challenges! Before you start take a look at the Filling in your Route Sheet page which includes lots of guidance and some examples. You might also like to check out Gayle & Mick’s excellent series of YouTube videos on completing the route sheet. Part 1 explains how to describe a relatively simple day; Part 2, the exciting sequel, looks at how to deal with FWAs; Part 3, the finale, talks about making changes to the Route Sheet after submission.

Once you have finished use the Checklist before sending it off to the Coordinators. Once it has been vetted you may be asked to make some revisions. Don’t be disappointed if this happens – more than half of routes need some sort of change, most often to FWAs.

This isn’t likely to be a problem for UK based Challengers but for those from overseas they can be a bit of a mystery. Don’t worry they aren’t too complicated. Gayle & Mick have produced a YouTube video to help you.

Do you want spend every night in your tent. No problem if you do as Scotland’s Access Code means you can wild camp most nights and maybe use the occasional campsite as well. However most Challengers appreciate a hot bath and a comfy bed under a solid roof every now and then. There is absolutely no shame in treating yourself when you get the chance. Not only do you benefit from the rest and recuperation but you are contributing to the Highland economy too. Take a look at the Accommodation page for more details

A two week walk can seem never ending but if you break it up with some booked accommodation every 3-4 days it becomes a series of shorter walks with a chance to recuperate after each section. So why not treat yourself every now and then? Many of the villages and towns in the Challenge area will have some form of accommodation but it can be limited so we suggest planning ahead and prebooking.

You do not need to carry your supplies for the entire fortnight. Many Highland villages will have shops, but check their opening hours before relying on them. Sometimes you can’t buy everything you need locally. Most B&Bs, hotels, hostel and campsite will hold resupply parcels but please make sure you check with them first. There is more information, including where you can buy gas canisters, on the Resupplies page