A Glimpse At My 2010 TGO Route

I've been a bit slow in finishing up pulling together my map information for the upcoming TGO (The Great Outdoor Challenge) 2010 hike. I had finished creating the route and filling out the official route sheet a while back but putting everything together to share with the Internet world has taken a little bit longer (with the obvious interlude of my trip to Portugal and England; I hope you have enjoyed the videos from that trip).

This will be my second TGO. I had fully intended to do a TGO hike last year but circumstances conspired to prevent it. That's a story for another time. This year I have planned a pretty conservative southern route that will end up traversing some of the same ground I trod back in 2008. But it also is going to feature some regions that, weather permitting, should be spectacular. From the initial ferry ride from Mallaig over to Inverie, across the Correyairack Pass, through Lairig Ghru, along Jock's Road, and beyond. This route will a bit more southernly trending than the 2008 route. I expect it to be fun, social, and full of scenery that should keep me happy throughout the whole trek.

The summary below should give you a good idea of what I plan on doing. Although the official route has a couple lengthy days I don't expect either of them to be that difficult. In fact it is highly likely that I'll break up the trek between Garva Bridge and Kingussie into two days with a nice lazy break at Monadhliath Hotel which I found thoroughly enjoyable back in 2008.

I still have to print out all sorts of material and settle on some final gear choices which I will write about later on.

Summary of TGO 2010 Route

MAY	DAYS ITINERARY WITH FOUL WEATHER ALTERNATIVES (if needed)	OS SHEET	Distance (km), Acent (m)		OVERNIGHT HALT
FRI 14th	Mallaig – Inverie – (alternative: walk the shoreline of Loch Nevis, past Tom Cruinn, NH864 960) - Carnoch – Sourlies Bothy	40	14	550	Sourlies Bothy
SAT 15th	Sourlies – Meallan Dubh – Bidean MhicLain Ghlais - Kinbreack	40	18	1000	Kinbreack
SUN 16th	Kinbreack – NN005 972 – NN008 983 - east along River Kingle – Lochan – NH104 001 - Eilean Mhorair – Tomdoun	40, 34	20	350	Tomdoun
MON 17th	Tomdoun – NH192 023 (cross bridge) – Torr na Carraidh – Greenfield – Allt Ladadh (NH230 003) – Glenluie - easter Mandally – Portmacdonett - Bridge of Oich – Fort Augustus	34	30	300	Fort Augustus
TUE 18th	Fort Augustus – Melgarve Bothy – Garva Bridge	34,35	27	950	Garva Bridge
WED 19th	Garva Bridge – Sherrabeg – Drumgask Fm – Catlodge – Mains of Glentrum – Phones – Lubleathann – Kingussie (This is a day I could easily decide to break into two with a stop at Monadhliath Hotel.)	35	31	600	Kingussie
THU 20th	Kingaussie - Tormie Bridge – Feshiebridge – Loch Gamhna – Cairngorm Club Footbridge	35, 36	23.5	250	Cairngorm Club Footbridge
	FWA to Braemar goes through Glen Feshie. Kingussie (NH757 005) to Ruigh-aiteachain Bothy (NN847 928)	35	16		Ruigh-aiteachain Bothy
FRI 21th	Cairngorm Club Footbridge - Larig Ghru – Corrour Bothy jct – White Bridge Trail jct – Luibeg – Derry Lodge	36, 43	23.3	650 / 550	Derry Lodge
	FWA Ruigh-aiteachain Bothy (NN847 928) – White Bridge – Mar Lodge.	35, 42, 43	29	800	Mar Lodge
SAT 22nd	Derry Lodge – Claybookie – Mar Lodge – Braemar.	43	12	120	Braemar
	FWA Mar Lodge – Braemar	43	6	100	Braemar
SUN 23rd	Braemar – Lochcallater – Jock's Road – Glendoll Lodge – Clova Hotel	43, 44	32	600 /900	Clove Hotel
	FWA Braemar – Invergelder – Balmoral – Ballater	44	22	350	Ballater
MON 24th	Clova Hotel – Green Hill – Craig Turner – West Migvie – Tarfside	44	21.3	800	Tarfside
	FWA Ballater – Craig Vallich – Shiel of Glentanar - Mount Keen (if summit if undoable follow path from Craig Vallich past Hare Cairn; bit shorter that way) – Auchronie - Tarfside	44	20	800	Tarfside
TUE 25th	Tarfside - Fernybank – Holmhead – Edzell – NO602 690 – Arnhall - Northgate – North Water Bridge.	44, 45	26	250	North Water Bridge
WED 26th	North Water Bridge – Marymill – Hill of Morphie - St. Cyrus. Follow road past Maines Gallery and cross major road at (NO684 649, 4.6km). Regain smaller raod at (NO686 652, 5.1km) at Marymill. East at junction near Mrophie (NO710 641, 8.0km), NE then East over Hill of Morphie to St. Cyrus	45	12.5	100	Montrose
	Total kilometers non-FWA Route		290.6