The TGO Problem is an annual backpacking occasion that lasts for 15 days and entails backpacking coast to coast throughout Scotland, a distance of 180-200 miles. It’s been held for 40 years and is organized by The Nice Open air Journal which is a UK publication widespread with hardcore hikers and backpackers throughout the pond. Because of the Web and social media, the Problem has grow to be more and more widespread amongst non-UK residents and an rising variety of People and Canadians take part every year.
The “problem” of this journey is to get from one coast to a different in 15 days. Whereas most individuals do end, they’ve been pre-screened and vetted to verify they’ve the required expertise and expertise for backpacking off-trail and throughout mountainous terrain. You should apply to take part because the variety of individuals is capped. When you’re accepted, it’s a must to outline and doc your coast-to-coast route in excruciating element and submit it for overview to make sure it’s protected and achievable. The overview course of is staffed by native specialists who usually make helpful solutions about good locations to camp, river crossings, foul climate bypasses, and different hazardous circumstances.
The remainder of this text supplies an outline of methods to plan your route with tips to helpful instruments, data sources, Fb teams, maps, and web sites. Planning a route of this magnitude was a way more difficult challenge and time-consuming course of simply 5 years in the past, however the brand new planning instruments and data sources accessible on-line have made it a lot simpler to collate and manage. You continue to need to determine the place to go, what to see, and methods to do it safely, however getting the knowledge required to make these selections is simpler than ever. There’s nearly an excessive amount of of it accessible.
Starting and Endings
All challengers should start their journey at one in every of 14 begin factors on the west coast of Scotland and signal out to begin their journey. That is mandatory as a result of, for security causes, “Problem Management” in Montrose retains monitor of individuals as they make their manner cross nation. That is very hands-off and requires that you simply textual content or name Problem Management a number of occasions throughout your journey together with your present location. You’ll be able to end anyplace on the east coast between Fraserburgh and Arbroath, however you need to get to Montrose by 5:00 pm on the final day of the occasion on your crossing to depend.
How do you determine the place to begin and finish? Whereas a few of the begin factors are extraordinarily scenic, they are often devilishly arduous to get to by rail, bus, or boat as a result of they’re so distant. Some begin factors are additionally extra widespread than others, which could be good or unhealthy, relying on how social you wish to be. The place you begin may even considerably affect the route you are taking in the course of the first week, because the geography tends to funnel individuals collectively in week two, which is normally far more social.
Maps, Planning Instruments, and GPS Apps
OS Maps is the UK’s nationwide mapping company (just like the USGS) and so they promote paper and waterproof maps (however don’t at present ship to the US), and maps on-line. Additionally they have a cell app and on-line planning instruments. When you could also be tempted to hold paper variations of the entire OS maps you want on your route, be forewarned that they’re huge, cumbersome, and heavy. The waterproof variations of those maps are additionally laminated and never printed on waterproof paper, which makes them even heavier than the paper ones. You’ll in all probability be higher off planning your route utilizing a web-based instrument that makes use of OS Maps and printing that out as an alternative if you wish to cut back the load and bulk that it’s worthwhile to carry.
OS Maps has a easy however efficient on-line planning instrument that I like to make use of along side their cell phone app within the area along side a compass, however there are others accessible as effectively together with Outside Lively and Anquet’s OMN3 which licenses the digital maps created by OS Maps in addition to others. (I don’t advocate Anquet as a result of the software program is kind of dated and clunky to make use of.) All of those instruments have import and export capabilities so you’ll be able to switch routes between them interchangeably.
Grid References
If you fill out your Route Sheet, you’ll want to make use of OS Grid References to point areas on the map as an alternative of Lat/Lon Coordinates. These divide the UK right into a collection of squares after which additional subdivide these into smaller and smaller quadrants to generate an Ordnance Survey Grid Reference based mostly on the metric system. It’s fairly just like UTM coordinates used within the US. The one distinction is that everybody makes use of them within the UK.
Most on-line planning instruments present these coordinates with a click on of your mouse, which is another excuse they’re so handy to make use of.
Route Planning Choices
Scotland has a right-of-way legislation that allows anybody to stroll throughout non-public property with out prior permission, apart from sure properties owned by the Royal Household. This opens up the choice for wild and distant cross-country routes, which is likely one of the important sights of the TGO Problem and climbing in Scotland.
When planning your route, you’ll wish to determine whether or not you wish to go excessive and climb loads of mountains or keep low and follow the valleys and lochs. Each are pleasing and most of the people perform a little of each. When you do plan a excessive route, you’ll additionally need to plan out FWA’s for it, which stands for “foul climate alternates”, which is the low-level detour you’ll take when the climate is poor. These should be specified on the route sheet you undergo the Problem route vetters. An instance route sheet is proven above.
You’ll additionally wish to determine whether or not you wish to hike cross nation or follow well-defined paths, direct Land Rover tracks, or paved roads. You’re not allowed to make use of any wheeled transport on the problem though you’ll be able to trip the ferry throughout Loch Ness in case your route requires a crossing.
Some rivers require bridge crossings, so it’s possible you’ll end up detouring to them for a crossing. Being spring, a few of the bridges marked out in your map might not exist in the event that they’ve been destroyed by spring flooding. You’ll be able to normally discover this out by asking locals about present circumstances on the TGO Fb Group, which I recommend you be a part of.
Lastly, you’ll wish to work out the place you’ll be able to resupply throughout your journey, together with whether or not you propose to camp out or keep in B&Bs, hostels, mountain bothies, or some mixture throughout your journey.
Route Sharing Websites
There are numerous methods to analysis mountains to climb and locations to go to alongside your route. However essentially the most expedient manner I’ve discovered to kind by means of the tons of of choices accessible is to reference an internet site and professional group referred to as WalkHighlands.
They publish GPX recordsdata and detailed route descriptions of dozens of traditional walks you can obtain and examine. You need to use these to piece collectively a for much longer route and relaxation assured that you simply’ve hit the highlights within the areas you determine to hike by means of.
Conventional Gatherings
There are a number of locations the place Challengers collect to socialize as they get nearer to the east coast. These embody:
- Tarfside, southeast of Braemar, which a small village with a convent that serves meals and has a social corridor/pub that’s opened for the Problem. Dozens of challengers meet there and pitch their tents on the village inexperienced for the night time.
- North Water Bridge, which is a campground simply west of Montrose, with showers and washing machines.
For dates and different particulars, inquire on the TGO Fb web page.
The Pleasure of Planning
Whereas collaborating within the TGO Problem is a fabulous scenic and social expertise, many Challengers discover huge pleasure in planning their routes in the course of the winter months. I definitely depend myself of their quantity. Whereas this route planning information isn’t meant to be exhaustive, it ought to provide you with sufficient data to get began. In case you have further questions, depart a remark under.
For extra details about the TGO Problem, go to the occasion web site.
In regards to the Creator
Philip Werner accomplished the TGO Problem in 2010 and 2013. He hopes to finish his third coast-to-coast TGO Problem hike throughout Scotland in 2024.
Up to date 2024.