Author Archives: Michael Friebe

Made it because I decided yesterday for a detour along Loch Rannoch but met my original route again at the campsite … after 32km and constant – partly unbearable pain in my left foot.

Saw the wonderful SCHIHALLION Munro – and the detour lead to one of the amazing CHALLENGE moments that people talk about.

Last year I started off at Mallaig crossing with the ferry over to Knoydart. There was a German on board as well … don’t know, but we talked about camping gas cartridges that you cannot check in … makes sense, but I did not comply out of ignorance. This made me doublecheck on whether my cartridge was still there … which was not the case but instead I found a german customs not that it was taken out!

I though my trip was over before it began … because three days without a cooker in the wilderness is not doable.

Anyway, the German offered to give me his spare one and I was saved … we walked together for about an hour and then went our own individual ways.

Why am I saying that … I was hungry this morning and once I reached the nice village of KINLOCH RANNOCH asked at the 5* Hotel and Spa (I am not kidding … single lane road to that place but apparently full) about a full scotish breakfast. Too late … I came at 10:05 and the kitchen closed at 10:00. But the friendly Lady send me to the artisan cafe in the village where I arrived at 10:20 with the Cafe opening at 10:30. 50m away was a table and bench attented by a challenger walker … and guess who it was … IMMO SEEBERGER the guy who saved me last year.

What coincidence is that 5 days into the walk, starting on three days in 14 locations and everyone with an individual walking route, to meet the person at exactly the same place and time that you owe an unsettled favor.

Thanks Immo and we are even now after I paid for the breakfast 🍳🤓

Immo went off to the Schihallion and I towards Blair Atholl … maybe we will meet again next year!

I continued along another lake and found the DUNASTAIR ESTATE castle — must have been a great place 100 years ago.

I continued the path up the hill and met a 82 year old “real” Scot who still hated everything that is English or a Stuart / Campbell … he kept me engaged for almost an hour talking about the hard work they did on the Blackwater Reservoir 60 years ago (see Day 3) and the working conditions. Quite interesting 🧐

While it was a relatively easy day today it still took me quite a long time and on the last 4 km I met Paul again (from Loch Ossian Youth Hostel) who just came out of the forest road when I came down on the normal road.

We greeted and he went where I was coming from 🙋‍♂️ … we quickly discussed his route and came to the conclusion that he was going the wrong way … another one of these moments … while you typically do not see anyone all day long at the weirdest times you meet someone that helps! Don’t get me wrong … I am absolutely not superstitious, but it is still amazing.

Tomorrow should be relatively easy … only 15km to Blair Atholl … shortest day during the tour and meant as a recovery day. I need to by some supplies and will have dinner somewhere … and I am staying at a clamping pod … first time!

Let me start with Loch Ossian Youth Hostel, which was fully occupied and no one was in the youth age 😂 — male and female separated 16 people per room. It was crowded but funny. Went to bed relatively early … because I know what happens in these setups … the first one that goes to sleep survives the best especially with earplugs.

Very friendly staff and even one shower available — besides the fact that it was quite heavily raining that was also a reason that I stayed longer. Who knows when the next opportunity is?

The weather forecast changed again for the worse and promised improved conditions after 10:00 — NOT TRUE! It got worse before it finally turned OK in the late afternoon.

I took a detour from my planned trip avoiding the Munros that were invisible anyway and to spare my feet the extra altitude meters and likely aweful path conditions — and it actually feels better now!

Met some Challengers at the YH already and also passed John, who is one of the oldest participants with more than 20 completed crossings. Very nice man! He also later on joined my campsite.

Tomorrow I planned another easy day – again around 25km – to Tummel Bridge. Before that I will need to buy some supplies … I am out of food now. There are two hotels on my way and maybe I get up early to enjoy a full scotish breakfast 🍳

What a weird day! My feet hurt so bad this morning (and during the night) and I was not sure that I would be able to go.

Then it rained very hard during the night … which means I had to pack wet items! Oh well …

Weather was not good at all … don’t get deceived by the pictures … you obviously make pictures when it is nice!

Starting off it haled … then sunny … then heavy rain … then decent … then heavy rain. You get the point. I actually put rain gear on and off at least 6 times! The mountains had new snow ❄️!

While it was not too long today it was very exhausting … the paths that were visible were flooded and muddy … aweful walking!

But everything has an (positive) end! And I saw the train again … considering it only comes 3 times per day I am pretty lucky 🍀

I was planning for that destination for over a year … CORROUR STATION! A wonderful restaurant in the middle of nowhere … just reachable by train or foot! Excellent food and drinks … I was do happy.

The place was full despite it being a Monday! Will need to come back …

I am staying at the YOUT HOSTEL LOCH OSSIAN. That is another 30 minute walk from here … will report about that later … also something that I planned for a while.

My feet are not doing that well … but after a night follows another hiking day .

Was „only“ supposed to be 32km (yesterdays calculated 33km were also off) … but in contrast to yesterday it rained quite heavily for the first 5 hours. I had to pack up while it was raining and got soalong wet … I had to go through several moors and had to stop 4 or 5 times to get the water out of the shoes … not a great experience to walk in „water“.

From 400 starting point I had to go down back to sealevel then up Glen Etive and subsequently up to 600m, back down to 350 and then up to DEVILS STAIRCASE at 548m followed by a steep decline to Kinlochleven where I stay at a campground.

Plenty of deer … and some in shooting distance. Probably saw 150-200 today, some grazing in peoples front yards.

I had a feeling that the day did not want to stop.

But now Shower + Laundry done + Burger at the McDonald Hotel and Restaurant. So all good!

Tomorrow will be an easy 800 altitude meter, 25km hike to Corrour Station (top restaurant only reachable by train or the hike that i am doing) and Loch Ossian Youth Hostel.

Started at 08:20 with beautiful weather – 16 degrees sunny that felt like 26 degrees. I drank about 3.5 liters during todays hike … and I did not have to go to the toilet 😉

First passed the beautiful Oban Golf course and followed the train tracks towards Connel Bridge.

Then I crossed the one lane bridge and turned east – beautiful houses. Then the first tough part started … I actually found a path that was not on the map … later that day I unsuccessfully tried to find a path that was on the map.

After the initial hill crossing I walked back down to sea-level and passed some stunning camping grounds and also this ancient tree.

After almost 30km I had to go up 600 altitude meters … what a killer.

After reaching the ridge another 200 altitude meters down to my awesome camping ground.

I cooked and went to bed at 20:00 thanks to the Lufthansa eye – blindfold I brought with me .. and slept till 06:30 woken up from the heavy rain 😥

Everything worked out very well today.

Trains were on time … the plane arrived 15 minutes early in Glasgow. I made it to the city center and bought the only thing that I still needed, the camping gas! What a fantastic store …

Then I bought the train ticket and bridged 2 of the 3.5 hours waiting time at the MERCHANT CITY BREWDOG the largest craft brewery in the world … with me as a very minor shareholder since 8 years.

Tomorrow I will attempt to leave by 8:30am … I have 32 km to cover and want to be at my camping site by latest 18:00 … I will report!!

Packed everything — total of 12.8kg to carry. Lighter than last year … but not as much as I hoped for 😥.

Tomorrow at 06:20 I will take a local train to Essen and then with an ICE to the Frankfurt airport. I should arrive at 12:00 local time in Glasgow where I have to buy the cooking gas cartridge. After that I plan on going to the BREWDOG bar — a must as a proud shareholder for many years. The train to OBAN – my starting point for the trip – leaves at 15:30 from Queen St. station arriving at the west coast at around 18:30. I will stay at the local Youth Hostel, which is also the sign-off point for the TGO challenge.

Everything is checked and working … just some minor items are missing, which are ordered and should arrive in time … i hope!

I will do a test-sleepover tonight — supposed to go down to 4 degrees C … about the expected temperature in Scotland. Getting quiet excited now …

I have everything together now — total weight including food for 3 days and some cloths that I will wear = 12kg … that is already 2.5kg less than last year.

Main reason is the DURSTON tent and the THERMAREST quilt both saved 1.75kg.

⁃ Durston Tent – 911g

⁃ Thermarest 0 Degree Quilt – 643g

⁃ Tent ground sheet and hooks – 543g

⁃ Iso-Matress – 632g

⁃ Coolmax sheet – 262g

⁃ Crocks – 451g

⁃ Cooker + pots – 305g

⁃ Pillow – 174g

⁃ Cloths (1 longsleeve + 2 shortsleeve Merino, 1 shirt, 1 pant, 1 shirt pant, 2 Merino underwear, 2 pair socks, 1 hat, 1 vest) – 2.256g

⁃ Rainjacket – 759g

⁃ Tolietries and First Aid – 350g

⁃ Misc. – 400g

⁃ Battery Pack, cables, charger – 675g

⁃ Walking sticks – 310g

⁃ food for 4 days – 1235g

⁃ backpack – 2250g

TOTAL — 12.156kg

Did not want to do it again after the completed 2022 challenge. But hey … what else should I do in May?

I learned from my experiences from TGOC 2022 — bought a new tent (DURSTON MID) with only 800g, and also a down quilt instead of a normal sleeping bag (500g) — see LEARNINGS SUMMARY TGOC 2022 — or better just see the post below.

I got a DURSTON tent (800g) and a 0 degree quilt (Thermarest) and planned an overall trip with just few MUNROS (mountains over 3.000 feet), but typically 30km per day.

I will spend Night 3 in a super-remote Youthostel (Loch Ossian), Night 6 in a clamping unit in Blair Atholl, and Day 10 in a nice Hotel (Glen Glova) … all other nights in my one man tent.

I will travel on May 12th by train to FRANKFURT airport and then fly to GLASGOW. Transfer to the QUEEN STATION train station for the scenic ride to OBAN, where I should arrive early evening. If I still need supplies I will be able to buy them in the morning and then off I go for a long first day (10 hour hike).