Route Planning
Websites
Where’s the path – OS maps and aerial photography side by side – a very useful planning tool though sadly it is no longer supported so may not be available in the future.
Geograph – see photos along your planned route – a good way to get an idea of the terrain and scenery you may encounter
Walk Highlands – walking routes – mainly day routes but useful if you are incorporating some hills
Hill Bagging – Every hill in every list you can possibly imagine along with reports on climbing them
Core paths – particularly useful when trying to avoid stretches of road walking in lowland areas as it shows many new and adopted paths.
Books
Scottish Hill Tracks (Scotways) describes Scotland’s rights of ways and is a good place to start when planning you route.
Scotland by Chris Townsend (Cicerone) gives a comprehensive guide to all the mountain ranges in the Challenge area. Chris is the gear editor for TGO and a regular Challenger himself.
Hostile Habitats – Scotland’s Mountain Environments – Mark Wrightman is a guide for walkers to Scotland’s wildlife and landscapes.
The Munros, The Corbetts and The Grahams (Scottish Mountaineering Trust) give the most commonly used routes up Scotland’s hills.
Apps
Hill Lists – every hill list you could possibly need!
Accommodation
VisitScotland – useful for accommodation in general. Main Office 01387 245550.
Scottish Hostels – independent hostels throughout Scotland.
Hostelling Scotland – (formerly Scottish Youth Hostels Association) Central Reservations 0345 293 7373 www.hostellingscotland.org.uk
Ault-na-goire – Janet & Alec Sutherland – janet.sutherland@talk21.com or 01456 486711
Ballater Caravan Park 01339 755727 or info@ballatercaravanpark.com
Braemar Caravan Park 01339 741373 or info@braemarcaravansite.co.uk
Cougie Lodge Melanie Strang 07773491262
Mar Lodge Parcels to: c/o The Rangers Office, Mar Lodge, Braemar, AB35 5YJ. Please note parcels are sent at your own risk as they will left in the tea room unsupervised for you to collect. They do not offer accommodation or camping.
Montrose Campsite South Links Holiday Park, 03452 777778
The Park Hotel, John Street, Montrose, Angus DD10 8RJ 01674 663400 reservations@montrosepark.co.uk. Home to Challenge Control and venue for the Celebration Dinners.
Travel
Specific information for each start can be found on the start points page. Once you reach the east coast you can use motorised transport to report to Montrose so when planning your travel home you need to start from Montrose which has good rail links to Edinbugh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.
Traveline Scotland – website giving information on all forms of public transport. App also available.
National Rail Enquiries – information about rail services throughout the UK
Citylink and Megabus offer services to and from Scotland and to many start points.
Torridon Bus – This is run by DKM motors (01520 722682) and meets the afternoon train at Strathcarron. It has a capacity of 16 and cannot be pre-booked.
Ferries – You may make an initial boat journey to reach another point on the coast, or cross, but not travel along, large bodies of water such as Loch Ness and Loch Linnhe. Possible crossings are listed below. These may need to be pre-booked Click here to see details of those used most regularly by Challengers.
Weather
Websites
Mountain Weather Information Service (MWIS) – detailed 3-day weather forecast for mountain areas
Met Office – the main website gives detailed 5-day forecasts – even for individual hills!
Apps
Mountain Weather – gives links to MWIS
BBC weather – daily and hourly forecasts
Met Office – daily and hourly forecast