No 391 – The TGO Challenge 2015 – Part Three

The podcast covers Day 4 and Day 5.

This is the day when the weather changed and we all decided to choose a shorter route which would allow us to dry out at the end of the day. Andy arrives at Kinlochleven and makes a short cut for the hotel for an extended stay as you’ll hear.

Rose, I, Lee and Tony walk away from the Great Glen Hostel in the same miserable weather along the old rail track to the Laggan swing bridge. Once there Tony informs us that there is the Thistle Cafe just up the road and so we head there hoping they don’t mind soggy walkers.

We were greeted by a very generous host, who helped us dump our wet gear and had tea and toast on the table before we sat down! It was a wonderful lifting of spirits and the 4 huge Full Scottish Breakfasts did a lot to help too!

After that we decided to take our foul weather route and head to St Augustus to dry out. This time we had the last room in the bunkhouse and Lee and Tony had the wet campsite. Result 🙂

At the start of Day 5 Rose and I headed for Glen Buck, a route which had been closed for many years, while Tony and Lee took off for General Wades Road once again.

It was a long walk up to the reservoir and the weather was wet, cold and snowy in places as you can see.

The pass was blocked by deep heavy snowy which we all took great pleasure in taking pictures of for loved ones to prove that this event really is a Challenge!

However once over the top and off the hard core track the walk was the usual boggy, stoney variety as we headed down to Stonelarig.

Although things had brightened up by then, there was a wind picking up and we joined Robin Evans up the gulley to hunt for a suitable spot.

Although it was good underfoot, the wind picked up tot an estimated 50mph and I had to reinforce the end pole and put large stones on the pegs to give us confidence the tent wouldn’t flap loose during the night.