TGO Challenge Day 13 - 24 May 2022

Walking 6am to 2pm

Distance walked 15 miles
Distance remaining 0 miles

I heard a couple of loud noises this morning whilst under the tarp. I thought a bird had collided with it but when starting to take the tarp down it appeared that one or more birds might have taken exception to me being under their tree. There was a lot of it but I was able to scrape it off and then wipe down with a wet cloth.

 

The woodland I had planned to camp in would have been fine; also around an electricity substation immediately before it. However, the exit of the path on to the road was totally blocked by a fallen tree but it would have been possible to exit just before the gate.

 

I road walked all the way into Brechin. There wasn't much traffic. I shopped for breakfast and lunch at the large Co-op.

All was well with my planned route until I reached a farm shown on the map as Caldcots. Here, I asked a lady walking dogs about my route as there were a couple of stretches with no right of way on the map. She wasn't sure but just then the farmer came along and I asked him. He said my route wasn't on rights of way but kindly gave me directions with advice to keep clear of cattle in a couple of places. Looking at my map, he pointed out a stretch further on where he wasn't sure there was a right of way. Sure enough, there wasn't. I went down a farm track marked private which, after a while, led to a grass track along a field margin (although shown as a white lane on the map). After this, I just trespassed along the route I wanted to go. There was no path at all and at one point I went through a hedge backwards to emerge on to a vehicle track.

Eventually, I reached a highway and road walked to Hillside and then on to Charleton Fruit Farm where there is an excellent cafe. Here, I stopped for a coffee and a substantial chocolate, pecan and caramel tray bake. 

Sustained, I walked the half mile across Kinnaber Links and on to the beach to complete my Challenge. 

Kinnaber Links

It was then a walk of something over a mile down the beach to Montrose where I booked into the campsite and then on to the Park Hotel to check into Challenge Control, collect my certificate and rather good Rab t-shirt.