TGO Challenge Day 1 - 12 May 2020

Walking 8.30am to 4.30pm

Distance walked 11 miles
Distance remaining 164 miles

I packed up quickly as rain threatened and was spitting but it then held off. The forecast for the day was much rain, tomorrow as well.

 
I walked a mile down the road to the Kintail Lodge Hotel where Challengers starting from Shiel Bridge are required to sign out so Challenge Control know who's started their walk. Here I met Ellie, a lady of around my age who was waiting for her friend, Barbara. I went on and after a couple of miles joined the start of the Affric Kintail Way. It was a level stony track for three miles along Glen Lichd and the rain started.

Sheep on an island - not sure how it got there

Gleann Lichd

At Glenlicht House, a private locked bothy, I stopped as, fortunately, the lean-to store was open. There wasn't much room but I brewed coffee and was then joined by Barbara (not with Ellie) and Esther, who had just met. They managed to squeeze inside as well. Coffee finished, I went on my way, across a couple of wooden bridges and a winding ascent, past some waterfalls with numerous streams either under or across the path. Some were more than just a step across. Before starting, I'd decided that if any stepping stones seemed too precarious then I'd just walk through the water. After a while I wasn't bothered about wet feet. They warmed up quickly.

 

Waterfalls - Allt Grannda

My next stop was for a late lunch at Camban bothy which was occupied by quite a few Challengers who had decided to stop for the night in view of the weather. I had lunch and then braved the rain again, stopping to pitch on a nice grassy area about a half mile from Alltbeithe Youth Hostel. It's still raging and blustery but I think I'll have a better night's sleep here than in the bothy, not that there was really any room.