Want to know what life looks like on the TGO Challenge? Here’s a selection of shots sent in by our Challengers from their crossings of Scotland over the years
All you need to know about this unique event.
The Great Outdoors Challenge is a unique and very special Scottish institution and in 2019 we celebrated the 40th Challenge. Since 1980 thousands of people have taken up the opportunity to backpack from Scotland’s west coast to the east as part of this annual event – each of them following their own carefully crafted route. Many of those Challengers come back time and time again, drawn by the potential for both wilderness and camaraderie.
On 2nd November 2020 Scotia Challenge Ltd acquired the TGO Challenge from Kelsey Media. The company directors are Sue Oxley and Ali Ogden who have coordinated the Event for 6 yrs and will continue steer the Event through these uncertain times to the best of their abilities and act as the Event’s guardians for the foreseeable future.
Sadly the relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions won’t come fast enough for a May Challenge so the Event has been postponed. It will now run from 18th June to 2nd July and is open to anyone with a route that has been vetted in 2020 or 2021. We aim to accommodate anyone who has been disappointed in 2020 and/or cannot make the new 2021 dates in 2022.
This has been the question on our minds for the last few weeks, and no doubt the minds of many Challengers too. We hope the answer will be yes but, whilst before Christmas we were pretty confident, the new variants…
Time for the virtual TGO photo competition! Thankyou to Ultralight Outdoor Gear and @KelseyMedia for putting up some excellent prizes. To enter just add your photo to the daily photo competition thread on Facebook or email it to newtonmorehostel@gmail.com. We’ll put up some daily themes…
Yesterday proved to be somewhat surreal as Challenges started out on a virtual journey – travelling to Scotland’s West Coast without leaving their homes. We’re on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram but the most surreal action is in the Challenge Facebook…
We are delighted to announce that Ultralight Outdoor Gear will be sponsoring the 2020 TGO Challenge. Their expertise and focus on quality lightweight gear makes them ideal partners for the Event and we are looking forward to working with them.…
TGO Challenge coordinator Ali Ogden discovers that you learn a lot about a stove when you need it the most… Price: £69.99 Weight: 83g Type: canister-mounted gas stove By Ali Ogden The last time either Sue or I brought a…
Challenge coordinators Sue Oxley and Ali Ogden discuss the mental health benefits of a multi-day trip into the wilds. This feature was first published in the Spring 2019 issue of The Great Outdoors. As other Challengers rush across the sand…
Challenge coordinators Sue Oxley and Ali Ogden discuss the intricacies of route-plotting. First published in the April 2018 issue of The Great Outdoors. In early November every year, hundreds of backpackers get the very good news that they have successfully…
Challenge coordinators Sue Oxley and Ali Ogden celebrate bonds forged through shared backpacking. First published in the March 2019 issue of The Great Outdoors. “Here is my route,” read the email from Tim. “It is the same as Douglas’s. We…
In the run-up to the 40th TGO Challenge this May, we will be running a series of short articles on the finest backpacking event in the world. Here, former TGO editor and long-term Challenge coordinator Roger Smith takes a look…
Wondering what the TGO Challenge is all about? Thinking of coming along but need some inspiration for your route? Why not take a look here at the blogs, vlogs and photos from the class of 2018
