News from my vetters - the route is on!

Tonight I received my vetters' comments following my route submission.  Thanks to my research and help, once again, from new found friends the route was completely acceptable to my vetters.  I had made a few bloopers with grid refs, and on one day I had my direction as Southwest when I was actually heading Southeast but apart from that I am now officially good to go.


Here is an overview of my route from Strathcarron to St Cyrus.

Just want to say a special thanks to Alan Sloman and Dave Wood for the advice/assistance in tidying up my route.  You just can't beat talking to folk who have walked the walk, can you? 

Standby Number 15... ....have your route ready!

I contacted John Manning yesterday and got a super quick response informing me of my progress up the standby list.  
I have moved from number 17 to number 15 since 18th November.   John tells me he is awaiting something in the way of progress himself.  His second child's impending arrival is currently 3 days overdue.  I hope you will join me in wishing John and his family a safe and swift delivery of the latest in the Manning clan.


Ok so getting back to the standby list, it's not exactly a massive jump but it is progress nonetheless and it certainly seems like I'll be making the trip north in May.


Confident of getting to number 0 on the list, I have been tweaking my route a bit with a little help from my new found challenge friends and I have to say that their feedback seems to have made it all the better.  I have got a rough idea of where my overnights will be.  I have been encouraged to be flexible in this regard, and to ensure that I have some B&B numbers punched into my phone should the need for such a pick-me-up arise.  


I am leaning firmly away from the Lairig Ghru and towards Glen Feshie,  mainly due to the fact that I have been through the L. Ghru a few times already and want the Challenge to be something of a voyage of discovery.  Its also due to the fact that I then don't have to bother with an official FWA, although given the weather that some experienced in 2011, and the feisty nature of the winds of late, I might have a wee back up plan tucked up my sleeve, just in case.


I'm still going over the Monadhliath but a little bit further south to avoid the Dunmaglass wind turbine construction works.


Braemar features for a couple of days with the main purpose of finding some of the folk who have been helpful to me so I can buy them a beer in thanks.  Up to Loch Callater Lodge maybe for another pause over night, or maybe to press on over Jocks Road.


I've stuck with Jocks Road because I am curious about it, and like high passes.  I have the FWA for this route out to Glen Gelder to Glen Muick before rejoining my original route at Tarfside.  


From there I will make my way to St Cyrus via North Water Bridge, following the many challengers who have gone this way before, some of whom will doubtless be doing so again this year.


I've made a significant improvement to my pack weight, bringing it down from well over 15kg, to less than 12kg with 3 days food on board.  Base weight is more like 9kg now and it does feel liberating.  I'll test out the revised kit set-up this weekend and see how I get on.


Be great to hear what you folk are up to, so do post a comment if you can spare the time.


Night night, off to dream of long days and short nights in the hills.  


I'll leave you with a couple of pictures that make me smile, alot.

Me on Ben Hope for the Summer Solstice in 2008

Me and the wonderful Mrs Mynott on The Cairnwell in April 2008