Scotland

My backpacking trip to Scotland this May did not go as planned. Two days into my hike, I came down with what was probably Norovirus. It kicked my ass, and it took me about a week before I began to feel myself …

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 TGO Challenge is an annual backpacking event that lasts for 15 days and involves backpacking coast to coast across Scotland, a distance of 180-200 miles. It’s been held for 40 years and is organized by The Great Outdoors Magazine which is …

I’ll be backpacking coast to coast across Scotland in the 2024 TGO Challenge next May for the third time. The TGO Challenge is an annual backpacking event started in 1980, where 400 backpackers, hiking solo or in small teams, attempt to hike …

I’m headed to Scotland again in May to hike from the west coast to the east coast in this year’s 2020 TGO Challenge. This is an annual backpacking event, now in its 41st year, where 400 backpackers, hiking solo or in small …

I like to keep track of what gear worked and what didn’t on my backpacking trips for future reference. If you’d like to see the complete list of gear I brought for this, the southern half (140 miles) of the Cape Wrath …

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 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 …

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 …

There aren’t many peat bogs in the continental United States and it’s difficult to learn the skills for safely hiking across them in Scotland, England, and other parts of the world without first-hand experience. While you can avoid peat bogs and stay …

This tale started with an invite to walk in the USA with Philip in the 100 Mile Wilderness – in return, I offered to walk with him in the UK on the The Great Outdoor Challenge in 2013. Plans hatched, routes plotted, …

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 …

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 …

Strathcarron in Western Scotland is one of those Highland railway stops where you can literally leave the train platform and hike up into the mountains. Surrounded by a tiny hamlet with just a few homes, the only real business nearby is a …