The Great Outdoors Challenge
The TGO Challenge is an annual self-supported walk across the Highlands of Scotland, west coast to east coast. The Challenge was the idea of Hamish Brown, the writer and mountaineer, and has taken place every May since 1980. Still known to some old timers as the “Ultimate Challenge” after the original sponsor, Ultimate Equipment, it was subsequently sponsored by The Great Outdoors (TGO) magazine.
It is now entirely independent, but enjoys the support of major sponsors who recognise the popularity and reach of this event in the outdoors community. More information can be found on the Challenge website.
Many challengers have published their diaries of the event on personal blogs. Trouble is, as is the nature of blogs, time rolls on and these posts slowly disappear from view. And of course most of the pre-digital diaries and stories have never been shared beyond family and friends. This is a shame, as there are some great stories out there. So we have gathered a few here for the enjoyment of fellow challengers, and to encourage those who may be thinking about taking up the Challenge.
A very wet Phil in the Balmacaan Forest – TGO Challenge 2006