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The TGO Problem is an annual backpacking occasion that lasts for 15 days and includes backpacking coast to coast throughout Scotland, a distance of 180-200 miles. It’s been held for 40 years and is organized by The Nice Open air Journal which is a UK publication common with hardcore hikers and backpackers throughout the pond. Because of the Web and social media, the Problem has turn out to be more and more common amongst non-UK residents and an rising variety of People and Canadians take part every year.
The “problem” of this journey is to get from one coast to a different in 15 days. Whereas most individuals do end, they’ve been pre-screened and vetted to verify they’ve the mandatory expertise and abilities for backpacking off-trail and throughout mountainous terrain. You need to apply to take part because the variety of individuals is capped. Should you’re accepted, you must outline and doc your coast-to-coast route in excruciating element and submit it for evaluate to make sure it’s protected and achievable. The evaluate course of is staffed by native specialists who typically make priceless strategies about good locations to camp, river crossings, foul climate bypasses, and different hazardous situations.
The remainder of this text offers an summary of the right way to plan your route with tips that could helpful instruments, info sources, Fb teams, maps, and web sites. Planning a route of this magnitude was a way more difficult venture and time-consuming course of simply 5 years in the past, however the brand new planning instruments and knowledge sources obtainable on-line have made it a lot simpler to collate and manage. You continue to must resolve the place to go, what to see, and the right way to do it safely, however getting the data required to make these choices is less complicated than ever. There’s virtually an excessive amount of of it obtainable.
Starting and Endings
All challengers should start their journey at certainly one of 14 begin factors on the west coast of Scotland and signal out to begin their journey. That is needed as a result of, for security causes, “Problem Management” in Montrose retains monitor of individuals as they make their means cross nation. That is very hands-off and requires that you simply textual content or name Problem Management a number of occasions throughout your journey together with your present location. You may end anyplace on the east coast between Fraserburgh and Arbroath, however you should get to Montrose by 5:00 pm on the final day of the occasion in your crossing to depend.
How do you resolve the place to begin and finish? Whereas a number of the begin factors are extraordinarily scenic, they are often devilishly arduous to get to by rail, bus, or boat as a result of they’re so distant. Some begin factors are additionally extra common than others, which will be good or unhealthy, relying on how social you wish to be. The place you begin can even considerably affect the route you’re taking through the first week, because the geography tends to funnel individuals collectively in week two, which is normally way more social.
Maps, Planning Instruments, and GPS Apps
OS Maps is the UK’s nationwide mapping company (just like the USGS) and so they promote paper and waterproof maps (however don’t presently ship to the US), and maps on-line. Additionally they have a cell app and on-line planning instruments. Whilst you could also be tempted to hold paper variations of the entire OS maps you want in your route, be forewarned that they’re massive, cumbersome, and heavy. The waterproof variations of those maps are additionally laminated and never printed on waterproof paper, which makes them even heavier than the paper ones. You’ll in all probability be higher off planning your route utilizing an internet software that makes use of OS Maps and printing that out as a substitute if you wish to cut back the load and bulk that it’s essential carry.
OS Maps has a easy however efficient on-line planning software that I like to make use of along side their cell phone app within the area along side a compass, however there are others obtainable as nicely together with Out of doors Energetic and Anquet’s OMN3 which licenses the digital maps created by OS Maps in addition to others. (I don’t suggest Anquet as a result of the software program is kind of dated and clunky to make use of.) All of those instruments have import and export capabilities so you possibly can switch routes between them interchangeably.
Grid References
Once you fill out your Route Sheet, you’ll want to make use of OS Grid References to point places on the map as a substitute of Lat/Lon Coordinates. These divide the UK right into a collection of squares after which additional subdivide these into smaller and smaller quadrants to generate an Ordnance Survey Grid Reference primarily based on the metric system. It’s fairly much like UTM coordinates used within the US. The one distinction is that everybody makes use of them within the UK.
Most on-line planning instruments present these coordinates with a click on of your mouse, which is one more reason they’re so handy to make use of.
Route Planning Selections
Scotland has a right-of-way legislation that allows anybody to stroll throughout non-public property with out prior permission, apart from sure properties owned by the Royal Household. This opens up the choice for wild and distant cross-country routes, which is among the major sights of the TGO Problem and climbing in Scotland.
When planning your route, you’ll wish to resolve whether or not you wish to go excessive and climb lots of mountains or keep low and persist with the valleys and lochs. Each are pleasant and most of the people perform a little of each. Should you do plan a excessive route, you’ll additionally must plan out FWA’s for it, which stands for “foul climate alternates”, which is the low-level detour you’ll take when the climate is poor. These should be specified on the route sheet you undergo the Problem route vetters. An instance route sheet is proven above.
You’ll additionally wish to resolve whether or not you wish to hike cross nation or persist with well-defined paths, direct Land Rover tracks, or paved roads. You’re not allowed to make use of any wheeled transport on the problem though you possibly can experience the ferry throughout Loch Ness in case your route requires a crossing.
Some rivers require bridge crossings, so you might end up detouring to them for a crossing. Being spring, a number of the bridges marked out in your map might now not exist in the event that they’ve been destroyed by spring flooding. You may normally discover this out by asking locals about present situations on the TGO Fb Group, which I recommend you be a part of.
Lastly, you’ll wish to work out the place you possibly can resupply throughout your journey, together with whether or not you intend to camp out or keep in B&Bs, hostels, mountain bothies, or some mixture throughout your journey.
Route Sharing Websites
There are lots of methods to analysis mountains to climb and locations to go to alongside your route. However essentially the most expedient means I’ve discovered to kind by means of the lots of of choices obtainable is to reference an internet site and skilled group known as WalkHighlands.
They publish GPX recordsdata and detailed route descriptions of dozens of traditional walks that you could obtain and examine. You need to use these to piece collectively a for much longer route and relaxation assured that you simply’ve hit the highlights within the areas you resolve to hike by means of.
Conventional Gatherings
There are a couple of locations the place Challengers collect to socialize as they get nearer to the east coast. These embrace:
- Tarfside, southeast of Braemar, which a small village with a convent that serves meals and has a social corridor/pub that’s opened for the Problem. Dozens of challengers meet there and pitch their tents on the village inexperienced for the evening.
- North Water Bridge, which is a campground simply west of Montrose, with showers and washing machines.
For dates and different particulars, inquire on the TGO Fb web page.
The Pleasure of Planning
Whereas taking part within the TGO Problem is a fabulous scenic and social expertise, many Challengers discover huge pleasure in planning their routes through the winter months. I actually depend myself of their quantity. Whereas this route planning information isn’t meant to be exhaustive, it ought to provide you with sufficient info to get began. In case you have further questions, go away a remark under.
For extra details about the TGO Problem, go to the occasion web site.
In regards to the Creator
Philip Werner accomplished the TGO Problem in 2010 and 2013. He hopes to finish his third coast-to-coast TGO Problem hike throughout Scotland in 2024.
Up to date 2024.
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