Reflecting on the last year’s TGO Challenge with the help of some facts and figures

The comments on the messageboard a few days after the end of this year’s Great Outdoors Challenge said it all: “It was a cracking event,” “Loved every second,” “It really is the best two weeks of the year”.
Spirits are always high at the end of the Challenge. After a fortnight backpacking across Scotland’s incredible mountain landscapes, it is exhilarating to dip your toe in the North Sea and then celebrate your achievement with your fellow walkers. But many of this year’s Challengers reported one of the best years they’d experienced on the event, thanks mainly to the blessing of kind weather, particularly in the  first few days.
Among those taking part in the coast-tocoast crossing of Scotland in May were this magazine’s Gear Editor Chris Townsend and Staff Writer Will Renwick, both of whom had enjoyable crossings.
The Great Outdoors Challenge provides the opportunity to enjoy both splendid isolation and the company of friends old and new, as you follow your own route coast-to-coast across Scotland from the west coast to the east. You are supported in your Challenge by a team of coordinators and volunteers, who will give you feedback during the route-planning stage and provide support during the event itself. 
This year, we were delighted that the creator of the Challenge, Hamish Brown, was able to join us in Montrose for the celebratory dinner, in the company of 150 Challengers and representatives of the sponsors including the mountaineer Alan Hinkes on behalf of Hanwag and Fjällräven.

The numbers for the 2016 Challenge

TGO Challenge