Total of 28km, approx. 1.100 altitude meter.

Phantastic mountain range starting in Torridon – approx 7km and 600 AM up to see the first Munro (Maol Chean-dearg) that I pass without climbing 😎 and opposite to that a fascinating rock formation (An Rhuad-Stac).

After the pass a steep descent into a valley leading to Stratchcarron. I passed the beautiful Mountain Bothy COIRE FIONNARAICH.

After reaching the Strathcarron Hotel I stopped for a Cider and to listen to some Scottish Music and then off to the last 6km and 400 AM for my sleeping site at the Lochan Fuara.

Total walking time around 7 hours. Cooked a small dinner and watched the trouts jumping.

• Sanitary (Toothbrush et al.) 371g
• Cooking equipment + 2 gas cartridges 742g
• Walking sticks 520g
• Iso mattress 670g
• Tent (Durston) 1000g
• Cocoon travel sheet 157g
• Sleeping Bag (a Quilt) 652g
• Pillow plus cover 98g
• First Aid kit 245g
• Clothes (additional to the ones worn – 2 pair of merino socks, 2 merino underwear and shirts) 811g
• Towel 109g
• Rain Jacket 678g
• Additional pants 354g
• Crocs (crossing rivers 😉) 234g
• High Energy Dry Food (5 Packs – 800 kcal each) 1.053g
• 2 Packs of Chicken Noodle (68 kcal each) 205g
• 2 Flapchacks (378 kcal each) 181g
• 4 Fruit and Nut Bars (138 kcal each) 148
• Corned Beef (Yes, not needed, maybe also not that healthy, but I like it) 407g
• Deer Musk Sports Lotion (since I use that … no more blisters) 121g
• 2 Water Bottles with Lifestraws included (empty) 553g
• Spare battery, charging cables plus small solar panel including light 151g
• Swiss Army Knife plus Eating Gear plus Lighter 136g
• Satellite Tracker (Garmin) plus Monocular (10×25) plus iPhone 438g
• One extra Sweater 500g
• Backpack including some accessories, rain protection 3.100g
• TOTAL 13.634g (or net without food around 11,5kg)

My packing list — quite happy with 11.5kg NET weight!

WEATHER: likely to good and too hot … if it is hot for a long period in Scotland than the streams are low or even dry, which requires drinking water to be specially treated.

And everything over 15 degrees during the day is very exhausting with 30 to 35km and over 1.000 altitude meters per day.

We will see how it goes! 🥳

And, if you want to follow my trip live — https://eur-share.explore.garmin.com/michaelfriebe

Getting ready! My tour is planned and approved by TGOC challenge control starting May 11 in Torridon and planning to end on my 12th walking day in Stonehaven on May 22.

Planned for roughly 320km and 11.000 altitude meters — or roughly 30km and 1.000 altitude meters per day. Also plan to climb 5 Munros – weather and physical shape permitting.

Will attempt to write a daily report, but especially in the first half there is very sparse cellphone connection, which means the reports could be delayed by some days.

If you plan to meet me and walk with me (😎🥳) I will be leaving Torridon (Youth Hostel) May 11 at around 10:00 and plan to be in Strathcarron (train station) around 14:00. Additional meeting spots could be Fort Augustus on May 14 (not before 16:00), the Dalwhinnie Distillery around noon on May 16, Spital of Glenshee late afternoon on May 18, Clova Hotel late on May 19, and finally Tarfside late on May 20.

Stay tuned!

What another great day — weather and mood wise. I left my camping site at around 09:30 and was at the CHARLTON FRUIT FARM about an hour later for a full scotish breakfast and a strawberry tart.

Then I walked down to Kinnaber Links where I ended up last year and followed the beautiful and rather empty beach stretch to Montrose and the Park Hotel to sign out and receive my certificate, mug, and T-shirt.

At 19:00 we have a Challenge Dinner — I expect about 75 attendees. Tomorrow morning I will leave towards Edinburgh airport by train at around 07:45 for a flight to Düsseldorf leaving at noon.

DONE! Thanks for reading up and following my trip … next year I will (likely) pause and strongly consider doing it again 2025!

Wonderful day … excellent weather … and I am in good shape. My plan was to actually to go to the FETTERCAIRN DISTILLERY and a little further.

I was one of the last yesterday evening and subsequent one of the last to leave the campsite 🏕️ … only 3 or 4 tents still build up after I left around 09:30.

First I went down Glen Esk for about 15km, initially on the road and after crossing the Esk on a typical path along the river. Before the ROCKS OF SOLITUDE (a picturesque gorge) I crossed it again and then went off the side roads to FETTERCAIRN … nice countryside and no cars at all.

The beautiful looking distillery was supposed to be open … it is clearly tuesday today and that is the day they are open from 10-17 according to the information on the door … I was there around 13:30, but no one was there 🤨

Oh well, so I decided to have a quick snack and coffee at the local “grocer” anc went on to Laurencekirk. Little sad that place … so on and up the hill to the cairn where I made the video below.

Maybe better to go the additional 7km to St. Cyrus and finish the challenge a day earlier. Off I went and had to first deal with electrified fences that I had to circumvent.

And then I reached St. Cyrus after 43 km for the day … have a look at that awesome beach … scotland at its best!!

So last time camping — 11 nights in total, 8 camping, 1 youth hostel, 1 pod, 1 hotel.

And tomorrow a mere 10km to MONTROSE passing by the fruit farm to have a strawberry tart.

After check-in with challenge control I will go to my hotel and later on attend the Challenge Dinner at the PARK HOTEL.

Thursday morning 07:47 train to Edinburgh and then the plane to Germany around noon local time.

It was a really nice walking day and the last with some challenging hills to cover. It ended up to be 23km and quite a bit of up and down plus a lot of path searching and about 3km through peat and bog.

I felt really good and strong and left rather late … passing many on the way up to Loch Brandy.

I did not take the standard route down to Loch Lee, but stayed high … amazing how many deer I saw … several hundred and sometimes only 100m away from me.

And eventually I reached the last cairn with a really nice view from Lochnagar to Mount Keen. Please see the video as well.

After descending into Glen Esk I followed the road towards Tarfside and about 1km before my final stop I was greeted by 92 year old Angus, a retired sheep farmer, and his 3 legged dog. He forced me very friendly to have a cup of tea with him and to chat about live and other things 😀 … and he made me sign his guest book … incredibly full and very international, which makes me assume that this is his prime activity these days. Very friendly and entertaining … Angus later showed up at the BBQ on his mountain bike 🚵 and stayed pretty much till the end!!

After Angus I reported into St. Drostan and had a bacon roll and a cake and subsequently went to the unofficial campsite with already 20 tents up and by the end of the day with probably around 35.

At 18:00 the local masons started their BBQ (I had two cheeseburger) and opened the bar. There were about 3 times as many people here as last year … which also caused the bar to close at around 22:00 … no more drinks available!

Was a very nice evening … quite cold at the end and during the night. My goal for tomorrow would be to go as far as possible … maybe even all the way to St. Cyrus … that is a long way (40km), but let’s see!

After the Callater party that ended for me at 30 minutes past midnight I got up at 07:30. Already heard and smelled breakfast activities. Packed my backpack and had two wonderful Bacon sandwiches (never seen those in Central Europe) with brown and red sauce (whatever that is anyway, but they said you either are a red or a brown sauce person – I liked both and even without any sauce).

And then it was time to say goodbye and leave … not without a final picture. Thank you one more time!

And off I went along Loch Callater towards the famous JOCK‘s road (😀 – I lost the path several times because it was not recognisable) up about 500m from the Loch surrounded by Munros. The path itself is on Munro level.

See the pictures below for an impression of todays tour that was rather cold (I guess 2-3 degrees on top … at least with the windchill) and misty. I was quite exhausted despite the low kilometres and look forward to the hotel bed and good food tonight. … and I will do my laundry 🧺

Tomorrow is the last real mountain day … have to climb up 600 m to above Loch Brandy (been there last year in September already) and then back down into Glen Esk to Tarfside. Should be about the same length than today … which means I will leave late … maybe 10:00 or 10:30.

Weather was OK – initially dry and later some light drizzles that continued towards the next morning. Total of 24 km toda with a lot of up and down … first 200m up then roughly 5km in no-paths land.

After that I went up 500 altitude meters to the Munros of the Glenshee ski area and then back down to the cafe where I wrote yesterdays report.

After I left the cafe I had to go down the busy highway to Braemar for 2km to then turn east up the Carn an Tuirc. My goal was not to climb the Munro but to go to about 850m and then cut along the mountain north towards Loch Callater … worked more or less good.

After last years stop at the Callater Lodge I wanted to come back to actually stay and experience the fantastic camaraderie (and party) among the challengers. Typically with lots of alcohol and singing. On the way to the lodge I decided to just quickly go in there … say hallo and leave again.

What can I say … once arrived I was sucked in the setup … incredible friendship, hospitality and openness. Please note that this is a lodge … no running water, no electricity, no real toilets … that belongs to the Invercauld Estate and is operated by Bill for decades now.

Long story … I changed my mind and was offered a bed in the house. They have a total of 16 beds in 3 rooms plus extra space on the floors and camping outside plus attached Mountain Bothy.

„My“ room

It was a fantastic evening with singing and drinking till after midnight for me and longer for others.

I am very very glad that I stayed and experienced that … in my opinion a must for every challenger and an event that ties you even closer to the challenge.

I managed to get up next day at 07:30 to leave towards Jock‘s road and over to Glova Hotel. But next day is next day!

I felt much better today … pain is still there but reduced and manageable … and that stayed the way, so I even went up my first Munro after having pitched the tent. It really was a wonderful day and a very very beautiful countryside.

27 km to the tent site and another 3.5km up and down the MAM NAN CARN that also added 500 altitude meters.

Left around 09:20 and received a UK army food set for a day from two nice ladies that had too many … and they are pretty heavy. Understand why they wanted to get rid of them … but good for both parties!

Went up the Glen Tilt and passed the Duke of Atholl‘s hunting lodge — it can be let for a weekly rate of GBP 6.000 with room for 20!

After about 20km I crossed this beautiful bridge that is there for a sad reason.

And then I went up to FEALAR LODGE , the highest permanently inhabited house in the UK … stalking is possible and most of the lodges are available for guest — the big one houses 22.

I went up for another 7 km exceeding my previous target. But look at that … unbeatable in my opinion!

After a one hour snooze I decided to climb the Munro … only took me a little more than an hour. Who knows if I will make another one on this trip … what you have you have.

And, do you see my tent in one of the pictures?

On the way down — what a coincidence in this area (remember the CHALLENGE MOMENTS) — I ran into Carl, who made the record of the most climbed Munros during a challenge together with a friend last year. They managed 50!!!! (I did 8 last year and probably will do max. 3 this year)

Tomorrow I will go towards the Glenshee ski area (this Day 7 report was actually send during Day 8 from the Cafe at the Shee — Day 8-9 could take as I will not have any connection till I arrive at the Glova Hotel) and then over to Loch Callater Lodge … famous for their parties and alcohol! (without me though!)

I will stop shortly, eat and drink something and then move on to Jock‘s road leading into Glen Glova!

… and, I saw all kinds of animals today pretty close up.

The campground was nice … went to bed at 21:30 and pretty solidly slept till 07:00 … I really sleep well in tents and nature!

Today was planned to be the shortest and naturwise the least exciting day of the tour. First I walked to the famous HOUSE OF BRUAR … been there probably 10 times already (great outdoor and scottish clothing plus a superb food department) … to have my well deserved breakfast and ran into Paul again.

If you drive to the North of Scotland you pretty much have to pass that place at the A9 (exit Blair Atholl) … very recommendable stop! Paul and I had a long discussion and I went then on to Blair Atholl where I reserved a Pod some time ago.

I already showered and washed my clothes and now I need to take care of my foot / leg. I still need to buy some supplies and will have dinner in a local restaurant – I take every opportunity where I can avoid eating dried food.

Food for the day was Fish & Chips 🤤

Tomorrow I will go up Glen Tilt and the hike towards the best scotish ski area at Glenshee — should be a much longer day again.