At long last I’ve managed to clear enough space to sit down and get some serious planning done for this year’s TGO Challenge.

I haven’t been on a Challenge since the very early ’80s and in all the years since I’ve managed to resist it. My wife’s taken part in two or three with her pals but I’ve always had this feeling that I’d rather wait a few years. I think now I’ve waited long enough and this year my wife Gina, brother in law Raymond Bainbridge and myself will set out from Inverie in Knoydart and head across country to St Cyrus.

The route sheet has been filled in and submitted, my old pal John Donohoe has vetted it, and in between the piss-taking comments he has actually offered some very constructive comment. There is no doubt that within the group of route vetters that the event uses there is a massive amount of local knowledge, a brilliant resource that really is a boon to Challengers, especially first timers and those from overseas.

Indeed, between you and I, I’ve taken another look at my original route and already I’ve noted several possible changes that I might just make. Part of this is due to the possible underfoot conditions we might come across.

On our original route we’ve planned a two-day traverse of the high Monadh Liath, a favourite area of mine but at the moment the whole area is heavily covered in snow, so much that I have grave doubts that it will be gone by May. Indeed, I suspect this might be the snowiest Challenge for a few years and if anyone is planning any high level sorties to the likes of the Cairngorm plateaux or even the Lairig Ghru then they might find it extensively snow covered. I don’t really like the idea of having to carry an ice axe and crampons with me all the way across Scotland so we might make some adjustments to the route if things still appear to be white.

Also giving my gear a good going over and I might take the chance to try some new gear. I already have a new Gregory Z55 pack which is a little on the heavy side at 1.90g but is a whacking 61 litres capacity. I’m just awaiting delivery of the new vaude Power Lizard, a new two-person tent that weighs an astonishingly lightweight 1kg! I’ve been told that in reality it’s more of a large single person tent than a two-person tent but Gina and I’ll have a look, try it out before the event and decide later whether to take it in preference to our usual backpacking tent, Hilleberg’s Nallo2.

I’ll probably stick with my MSR Windpro stove in preference to a super light meths stove as I find cooking for two much easier on a gas stove with a remote canister and Gina has already dehydrated all our meals. It’s great being married to someone as organised as her.

Still looking at the other gear I’ll use and I’ll let you know how that builds up. Meanwhile, we have a trip to Jordan to prepare for before the TGO Challenge. Seven days backpacking in the sun between the Dana Nature Reserve and Petra. I’ve been to Petra a couple of times, both times as visits added on to trips to the Wadi Rum, so this time I’m looking forward to having Petra as our final desination, entering the lost city by the back door through the mountains. A marvellous place and I’m looking forward to it.

But right now I need to opack the car, take the long drive south to Manchester, where I’m giving a talk to the Rucksack Club tonight. I’m looking forward to that too. Maybe see you there…

If you have a spare five minutes or so check out our new Five Minute Mountain video. Ben Ledi is an old favourite of mine and a great hill for a winter day out, especially in the current conditions. But more importantly my deputy editor on TGO, Emily Rodway, filmed this one. I think she did a cracking job. Have a look and see what you think…

Well, it’s official. According to figures released by the Met Office the UK winter has been the coldest for more than 30 years. It doesn’t surprise me, I can’t recall such a long and intense period of cold, and snow, in my lifetime.

I’ve lived in the Cairngorms area since 1977 and I do remember some cracking winters in the late seventies and early eighties, but I don’t seem to recall such intensity in the cold. Here in Newtonmore the last few nights have all been below minus ten, with a minus twelve last night. Such cold temperatures used to be one-off occurrences.

Apparently the mean UK temperature was 1.5C (34.7F), the lowest since 1978/79 when it was 1.2C (34.16F), the weather forecasters have said. The mean is calculated by taking the average of the daytime maximum temperature and night-time minimum over a 24-hour period.

Not surprisingly Scotland has experienced the lowest temperatures, with overnight temperatures falling as low as minus 22.3C (minus 8.14F) at Altnaharra, Highland - the lowest UK minimum since 1995, the Met Office said. In England the average winter temperature has been 2.4C (36.3F), the lowest average since 1978/9.

And it’s not over yet. Indeed I’m now becoming slightly concerned about this year’s TGO Challenge. My own route will involve a two-day crossing of the Monadh Liath and I’m beginning to suspect I’ll have to carry an ice axe and crampons. Certainly anyone considering a walk over the high Cairngorms would be well advised to carry winter gear. I suspect there will be snow on the Cairn Gorm plateaux all summer. The amount of snow up there really is astonishing, but the curious thing is once you go south of Drumochter the snow levels are pretty average for the time of year. It looks as though the Cairngorms has really taken the brunt of the winter, which at least keeps the skiers happy and puts some dosh into the coffers of the Cairn Gorm Railway Co - for better or worse!

I’ll start posting some thoughts on the TGO Challenge shortly, but for the moment here are a few pictures to remind you folk in the balmy south what a real winter is like!

Inshriach Forest in December

Sgairneach Mor in Drumochter in February

Carn Elrig in Rothiemurchus in January

I’m afraid the mountain safety talk I was supposed to give this evening in Fort William has been cancelled because of the weather.

Essentially I can’t get to Fort William because the roads are blocked and Heather Morning of the MCof S, who is organising the event, can’t even get her car out of her back yard!

Conditions are grim here in Badenoch and there has been a good 8 inches of snow fallen overnight. To make matters worse the wind has now picked up so there is a lot of drifting. Just heard the A9 has been closed at Dalwhinnie and further south near Blackford. This winter just goes on, and on, and on, and on…..

The next Adventure Show will be broadcast on BBC 2 Scotland/ Sky Channel 990 on Sunday Feb 28 at 7pm. The main feature will be the Strathpuffer 24 Hour Mountain Bike event, an absolutely horrendous bike race in dreadful conditions. Look out for nasty consequences for Team Adventure Show!

The show will also be out and about with instructors from Glenmore Lodge on a ski mountaineering course in the Cairngorms and I’ll be taking a wee wintry walk up a hill associated with both Macbeth and Peter Rabbit! I’ll also be carrying out a rather unusual gear test - on motor campers. Hope you enjoy it!