Packing for the Challenge, and the cold weather!
Spent this afternoon unpacking the gear I had previously put together for this year’s TGO Challenge, finding some warmer stuff, and packing it all again. Even with the warmer, and inevitably heavier gear, I’ve managed to keep the weight down to 13k, and that includes five day’s food for two. My dear wife is carrying the lunch bag… Her pack weighs just over 10k.
Even as I packed it was snowing here in Newtonmore - hard to believe we’re well into May. The problem is that the weather could change again tomorrow, and probably will. We were on the hills above Shiel Bridge on Saturday - on the Corbett Sgurr Mhic Bharraich, and the weather forecasters had been warning of very cold NE winds and low temperatures. It turned out to be a roaster of a day and we walked to summit in base layers. We only needed a fleece when we sat by the summit cairn. In the late afternoon the temperature in Glen Shiel was 19C.
Anyway, my thinking is that it’s probably better to be safe than sorry and I’d rather be in a warmer sleeping at night as opposed to a lighter, cooler one. I’m a little worried about the space inside the new VauDe Power Lizard tent, which we’ll be sharing, but at a tad over 1k it’s too much of a temptation. I’m using a TNF One Kilo sleeping bag but I’ve also packed a silk liner, just in case it turns chilly again. I’ve packed the MSR Windpro stove - I prefer this kind of stove to those you screw into the top of a canister - and I’ll be using the new Gregory Z55 pack. It’s much heavier than the old ZPack, which has been my pack of choice over the past few years, but since I’m carrying a heavier load than usual it might offset the extra weight a bit.
To balance things up a bit the bad news about the weather was offset by some good news about the Inn at Dalwhinnie. Apparently the new restaurant opens today and as we’ll be camping in the grounds next week we’ll take the opportunity of visiting the new eaterie! The bad news is that they don’t have their alcohol licence yet. Ho-hum - maybe we’ll buy a bottle of wine en route. I had thought of having an alcohol-free couple of weeks but then I reminded myself this was the TGO Challenge. I remember John Manning used to tell me he was going to keep off the booze only to get into the company of certain individuals who doubtlessly led him astray…
So, come Thursday afternoon we’ll make our way to Mallaig - me, Gina and my sister’s hubby Raymond. I’ve no doubt, with a bit of luck, we might even be led astray on our very first night.