ultimate challenge

[Ian Gray]

Hello All,
Does anyone have any information about The Ultimate Challenge.
It's a Scottish coast to coast walk that takes place in May.
I would like to know how you take part.


Ian.

[Boddie]

Originally Posted by Ian Gray

Hello All,
Does anyone have any information about The Ultimate Challenge.
It's a Scottish coast to coast walk that takes place in May.
I would like to know how you take part.


Ian.

For me the Ultimate Challenge in Scotland is trying to get one of the locals to pay for a round

[Meles meles]

Dont know if its any good but i have been using this site, it may be listed here, not sure maybe you know the dates or locations but this site seems to be useful. Have been thinking of going to scotland myself. Keep thinking about putting a thread with the idea of a WAB long distance hike. Sure theres enough members to put a small group together for a sponsored hike etc.


Walking in Scotland, Scottish Walks and Highland Walking Holidays UK

[Ian Gray]

Hi Meles meles,
Thanks for taking the time to post, unfortunaltly the walking in scotland
site doesn't contain any information on the ultimate challenge.
Infact I can't find any reference to it on the internet. I met people
walking it while I was walking The Great Glen Way. I think everyone
taking part start on the west coast altogether. Then go their separate
ways cross country to the East coast and meet up for a big party.
I can do a route across anyway, but I am intrigued by these ultimate
challengers. It all seems very secretive.

Ian

[Jennywrenny]

Hi Ian

I found this

The Scottish Society For Autism: Fundraising

The Great Outdoors Challenge May 2006

The Great Outdoor Challenge is a Coast To Coast walk from the West to the East of Scotland, Jim Spittal picked his route through some of our country's most stunning landscapes.

Sorry if it's not what you're looking for.

Jenny

[Jennywrenny]

Hi

I found this too - this may be it?

Southern Upland Way Castle Douglas


The Southern Upland Way is a walkway across Scotland. It stretches for 212 miles from coast to coast from Portpatrick in the West to Cocksburnpath in the East. It is the first official walking trail in Britain and was opened in 1984. You don’t have to walk the entire trail. Some of it is designed for experienced walkers, but there are also many stretched which make the perfect walk for families or for someone who just wants a short stroll in the fresh air.

Jenny

[Ian Gray]

Hi Jenny,
Thanks for taking the time to help. With your link to the great
outdoor challenge I think you've cracked it. It seems the people
taking part call it the ultimate challenge, but the event is called
the great outdoor challenge. there are limited places available
and it is always over subscribed. The maximum number to a
group is 4, with most people walking solo. I think I'll try my
luck with applying, anyone else interested in doing so tryhttp://tgochallenge.co.uk/

[Jennywrenny]

Hi

Glad to be of assistance

Hope you enjoy it and the weather stays good for you.

I love the scenery in Scotland - I could quite happily go and live there.

Let us know how it goes.

Best wishes

Jenny

[phiwinuk]

Hello

Have just come across this thread and you've got to the correct answer.

To fill in a few more details, this coast to coast walk was originally sponsored by The Great Outdoors magazine and the gear company "Ultimate". They went belly up many years ago. It is now sponsored by TGO & Rab. It takes place over 2 weeks in May. Entry forms are published in TGO each October. There are lots of fascinating web sites giving details of peoples crossings - search on Google.

Phil

[Ian Gray]

Hi Phil,
Thanks for the for taking the time to post. You seem to have
alot of knowledge on the subject, have you taken part yourself ?

[phiwinuk]

Originally Posted by Ian Gray

Hi Phil,
Thanks for the for taking the time to post. You seem to have
alot of knowledge on the subject, have you taken part yourself ?

Regretably not - family life at the moment wouldn't permit. But I am a keen walker and also like to keep in touch with what is going on. There are some good forums at OM (Outdoorsmagic), uk.rec.walking, OFC (Online Fellwalking Club - a Lakes biased group using Yahoo Groups) and various podcasts (Bob Cartwright of BPL did a really good 10 parter of his TGO Challenge crossing last year). Trouble is, if you look at all these you'll never drag yourself away from the computer!!

Regards

Phil

[John Manning]

Hi Ian (and everybody),

The TGO Challenge has been going for getting on for three decades now and is (we like to think!) the world's premier backpacking event!

It's sponsored by TGO Magazine (of which I am deputy editor) and the guy who came up with the idea, way back in the late 70s, was Hamish Brown, best known for being the first person to hike all the Munros in a continuous walk.

I'm sorry I didn't hear of this thread a little earlier or I would have directed you to www.tgochallenge.co.uk where's there's plenty of detail about the event.

In a nutshell, there are several "signing out" points on the west coast of Scotland, and Challengers make their way east from their chosen start point, on a route of their own choosing, through some of Scotland' most spectacular wild scenery, arriving on the east coast roughly a fortnight later. The event always taks place in May - aftr the worst o the snows, and before the dreaded midge season starts!

Those travelling in the true spirit of the event carry everything on their backs and camp most of the way - usually between 180 and 220 miles, depending on the route chosen. That said, there are no hard and fast rules and if you want to (and can afford to) stay in a four star hotel every night you can - as long as you walk between each hotel!

If anyone has any queries about this very special, highly social, non-competitive, non-profit backpacking event please feel free to contact either myself - john.manning (at) tgomagazine.co.uk - or Challenge co-ordinator Roger Smith via the Challenge website mentioned earlier.

As has been suggested earlier in the thread, entries for this year's event have already surpassed the 300 limit we place on it for environmental reasons (places are allocated on the basis of a draw whenever this happens) but application forms for the 2008 event will appear in the October issue of TGO (The Great Outdoors) Magazine, which should be in newsagents in early September. Call our sales dept on 0141 302 7788 to be sure of getting a copy if you fancy tking part in this very special annual event.

[Ian Gray]

Hiya John,
Thanks for the extra info, I really appreciate it. As for staying
in a four star hotel every night, some of the areas I'll be walking
across they'll have to build them first

[John Manning]

Ooops, I should be more careful. The correct number for our subs dept is now 0141 302 7718. Ask for Carrie or Andrew.

Less than six weeks before this year's TGO Challenge begins but there's plenty of opportunity to gt o the front of the queue for the 2008 event!