TGO Challenge 2016: Route: Dornie to Lunan Bay

I'm posting this a little later than usual as it took us quite a while to knock a route together. Lord Elpus compared the creation of our route to that of drawing the National Boundary in Puckoon. But we got there in the end and now I'm left with wondering which bastard drew me my legs. 

I'm walking with Phil again this year. We appear to be joined at the hip. We may as well be, as in our ageing enfeeblement we probably have enough internal organs to cobble together one decent Challenger. He's had half his innards whipped out and I've had some additional stuffing. (Thank you, David.)

PERFECT PITCH FROM TGO CHALLENGE 2015 - CLICK TO ENLARGE

The above picture from last year's Challenge tells us what it's all about. Dramatic skies, great camp-spots, and being a million miles away from anywhere.

So here it is: I've split the walk into two maps; the first is from Dornie, on the west coast, to Kingussie, and the second is from Kingussie to Lunan Bay on the east coast.

OVERVIEW OF FIRST HALF - CLICK TO ENLARGE

You'll see that the first day and a half can be described as 'interesting' in an attempt to get away from it all as quickly as possible. If you scroll down a little you will find our route sheets so if you have the mind you can actually work out what on earth we are doing! A Corbett on the second day... Good Lord! It's supposed to be a holiday. It'll end in tears. I just know it will...

After crossing Loch Ness we attempt to thread our way between the Dunmaglass and Dell excretions. I believe we have made a valiant effort to avoid the eyesore of both wind farms until we clamber onto Carn an Saobhaidh, then we'll just have to make a dash for it down the other side to the visual purity of the Coignafearn Estate. God bless Sigrid Rausing. A dash up Carn na Fhreiceadain takes the Corbett tally to three so far.

OVERVIEW OF 2ND HALF - CLICK TO ENLARGE

It would have been perfectly agreeable to head east after the fleshpots of Kingussie, but Phil had other ideas, and so we are heading west. This will involve a great deal of bog hopping, and in all likelihood, in the pouring rain. But we are having a Cheese & Wine Party in the middle of sod-all. 

We are taking an 'unusual' route to the headwaters of the Upper, Upper Feshie. This may well end badly.

After a delightful sojourn in Braemar, we are heading to another Corbett and then, thankfully, the sanctity of Callater Lodge and the wonderful folk therein. This may well end badly.

Then, the lunatic has us clambering all over the hills until the last possible moment, when we head for the fleshpots of the much-maligned (possibly on here... koff) Brechin and its hostelries. This may well end badly.

Then, there only remains a dash to the excellent cafe at Lunan Bay, and the party at the Park Hotel on the Thursday night. This may well end badly. 

Enjoy the route sheets, and marvel at their beauty - they are a work of art. Thank you Phil. 

CLICK TO ENLARGE

CLICK TO ENLARGE