I’d planned to backpack coast-to-coast for the third time this May (in the annual TGO Challenge) along a 185 mile route that requires a significant amount of off-trail, cross-country travel. That was before the Covid19 pandemic made travel to the UK ill-advised …

The Cape Wrath Trail travels up the west coast of Scotland, beginning in Fort William, and ending at Cape Wrath which is the northernmost point of Britain. It’s not actually a trail though, but a route. What’s the difference? You can connect …

This is a continuation of Monday’s post about the dozen ultralight tents and shelters I’ve owned over the past six years that explains why I bought them and why I eventually sold most of them. Here’s the entire list. I cover shelters …

The Cape Wrath Trail is considered the hardest hiking route in the United Kingdom. Located in Scotland, it runs from Fort William, through the Highlands and Western Scotland, to the lighthouse at Cape Wrath, the northwestern-most point of Scotland. Approximately 230 miles in …

The Cape Wrath Trail is considered the hardest trail in the United Kingdom because it passes through one of the wildest, most rugged and remote sections of the Scottish Highlands. Technically, the Cape Wrath Trail is more of a route than a …

The Cape Wrath Trail runs from Fort William to Cape Wrath on Scotland’s northwest coast, for approximately 280 miles. The CWT is more of a route than a trail because it’s not blazed or way-marked and because you can connect the endpoints …

The Lairig Ghru (Gaelic Làirig Dhrù) is the most famous mountain pass in Scotland. Its 500 meter deep trench cuts between the second and third highest mountains in the United Kingdom. The pass makes for a long day walk, or one of …

The TGO Challenge: More than a Hike Hiking across Scotland in the 2010 TGO Challenge this year was a great adventure and one of those life-list hikes that I’ve always dreamed of taking. But while the scenery is breathtaking, there is a …

Lessons Learned If the thought of hiking across Scotland in the TGO Challenge appeals to you, here are a few lessons learned for first timers such as Americans and non-UK residents. People who walk in Scotland regularly know all this, but if …

I sold my Mountain Laurel Designs cuben fiber Duomid last week. It is a great shelter and at 12.6 ounces including guy lines, it is insanely light. But I wanted a more comfortable shelter with a bathtub floor, so I bought a …

I always get nostalgic about backpacking in Scotland when I give presentations about my experiences backpacking coast-to-coast in the TGO Challenge. While it’s only been 5 months since Martin Rye and I hiked from Torridon to Montrose, it already seems like it’s …

The TGO Challenge is an annual backpacking event held in Scotland that requires participants to hike coast-to-coast across Scotland, about 200 miles in 15 days. This is very challenging because hiking across the mountain ranges and moors of Scotland is very rugged …

Big news last week – I got onto the TGO Challenge for May 2013, a coast-to-coast cross-country backpack across Scotland. This is an annual event where 300 hikers cross the country during the same 15-day period using different routes that they’ve defined …

I am flying to Scotland in less than two weeks to participate in the TGO Challenge, backpacking across the country for 15 days. I’ll be accompanied on this hike by two teammates, Martin Rye from Northern England and Grant Sible from Austin, …