Journeys by hiking, running, cycling and touring
Getting off the train in Fort William brings further realisation that the Challenge might actually be happening... Cold, windy and wet is Fort William. We've seen the conditions the early Challengers set out in, and enthusiasm levels are on the floor...
This is the Index Post to the 2022 Challenge, my fourth crossing. DayDateFrom/toDist (km)Ascent (m)Cum Dist (km)Post link-435 to 0Thu 12 May Home to Fort William000https://backpackartist.com/2022/06/14/tgo-challenge-2022-days-435-to-0-a-long-wait/1Fri 13 MayFort William / Lochailort and kinlochbeoraid1555515https://backpackartist.com/2022/06/15/tgo-challenge-2022-day-1-the-misadventure-brothers/2Sat 14 MayKinlochbeoraid to Just Past Glenfinnan1949134https://backpackartist.com/2022/06/17/tgo-challenge-2022-day-2-escape-from-the-black-hole/3Sun 15 MayJust Past Glenfinnan to Glen Righ3046864https://backpackartist.com/2022/06/19/tgo-challenge-2022-day-3-redemption/4Mon 16 MayGlen Righ to Kinlochleven2360187TGO Challenge 2022 – Days … Continue reading TGO Challenge 2022: Lochailort to Dunnottar Castle
In early May, for my TGO Challenge warm-up, I headed for the Lake District to get mind and body into the groove, and to test out certain elements of my gear strategy. I wouldn't normally go on such a trip the week before the Challenge, but I had planned to head for Scotland a few … Continue reading The 10th and 50th
Hassocks to Eastbourne: 57km (36 miles), 1,422m ascent (4,665ft) Day 6 Last night's dinner was awesome, and bloody well should have been as I'd carried it from the BP garage. Pasta Arrabiata (of sorts) cooked on a camping stove, reminded me of how great it is to have real food rather than just rely on … Continue reading Walk the Chalk: South Downs Way – Part 3
Cocking to Hassocks: 60km (38 miles), 1,406m ascent (4,613ft) Day 4 The stay at the campsite on the outskirts of Cocking couldn't have come at a better time. I'd avoided a nasty day of rain that would have been very uncomfortable to be out in, and also had a night of respite from the stresses … Continue reading Walk the Chalk: South Downs Way – Part 2
Winchester to Cocking: 64km (40 miles), 1,369m ascent (4,491ft) Day 1 It was a pleasant journey to Winchester. As someone who hasn't commuted in over two years, and with no intention to ever do so again, I hadn't relished piling on a rush hour train along with all the miserable people. But as it turned … Continue reading Walk the Chalk: South Downs Way – Part 1
I've just come back from the Peak District where I notched up my 200th wild camp - indeed that was the whole purpose of the trip! I was on 198 before going, so just needed two nights to get the double century, but I planned on being there for three. As it turned out, keeping … Continue reading 200 Wild Camps
Lulled by a “not too bad” forecast and fresh from a more local walk that didn’t fully hit the spot, I headed to Dartmoor for anything up to a week of backpacking – depending on how long that forecast stayed ok.There was one problem though: the Saturday night had a forecast of 50-60 kph winds, … Continue reading Halfway across Dartmoor – a Backpack in Less Than Ideal Conditions
Last year I managed to make myself go out for a camp in every month, and although some of those were done in the course of a multi-day walk, some were very much a matter of forcing myself out to sleep. For 2022 I wanted to do something a bit different - specifically to make … Continue reading The Elham Valley Way (plus a bit…)
After the disappointment of not being able to get out much last year, it was pleasing to get back to a more normal level of camps out this year. This year I racked up 26 wild camps and 9 "tame" camps. This takes my all time total to 194 wild camps - which means I … Continue reading Camp of the Year 2021 (and other matters…)
In early November, I headed up to the Dark Peak for 4 days / 3 nights of backpacking, with the aim of visiting some bits I'd not done before. Recent events (you know the sort of thing...) have meant it's been 4 years since I last visited the Peak District for a hike. And 2½ … Continue reading The Dark Peak Exploration
I walked the Great Glen Way (GGW) with my friend Paul in mid October 2021. This trip replaced a previous plan to do a longer route in the south west of England, that was ultimately a victim of fitness levels. The decision to do the GGW instead was a compromise between an easier/shorter route and … Continue reading The Great Glen Way
It's been over 2 years since I met someone at a station to set off on an adventure. That time the station was Euston, the (well one of them) person was Darren, and the walk was the TGO Challenge. This time the station was again Euston, the person was again Darren, but the walk was … Continue reading A Slow Lake District Backpack
Alongside this blog series, I also produced a set of videos which can be found on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IZMQDtn4PY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcd9mxUixss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkbk99oR3Fk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2Xz_62MaWM The complete set will take about an hour and a half to watch, so a cup of something will be needed!
So the walk is done, and as you would expect the experiences of that walk prompted a few thoughts about how it went, what I'd do the same/differently, and generally what were the highs and lows. So here goes.... The Plan vs RealityNavigation, Trail Hazards etcWeatherFacilities along the TrailWaterAccommodationGear that WorkedGear that Didn'tFinally The Plan … Continue reading Glyndŵr’s Way: Afterthoughts