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The TGO East challenge is a shorter, sister event to the main TGO challenge, lasting roughly 7 – 8 days compared to the usual 2 weeks of the main event. The organisers describe it as: “The TGO East offers a way for less experienced backpackers and those who lack confidence in their skills to ‘find their feet’ in the TGO challenge area while experiencing some of the demands and joys of the main event”. As someone who fits those criteria (but enjoys spending time camping and hiking), the challenge seemed like a fun way to push myself. There are 22 pre–prepared routes to choose from, which definitely made life easier than planning a route across a place I had never been.

Being younger and having never done a hike longer than 4 days, route 7 (grade 1) seemed like an ideal starting point, with shorter days and less total ascent than some alternatives, while still offering enough of a challenge.

Day 1 – Aviemore to Ruigh Aitaechain Bothy (25km)

After sleeping in a hostel in Aviemore the night before, I consulted the map for the day ahead and set off Southwards, spotting a red squirrel as I left, which I took as a sign of good luck. After an hour of walking, I reached Loch an Eilein, a good chance to take some photos and stop for breakfast. Unsurprisingly, there were frequent showers, so I was taking my waterproof jacket on and off throughout the whole day, stopping about every 30 minutes to do so. Reaching Glen Feshie, the trees became sparse, revealing a small airstrip for gliders. After waiting around trying to catch sight of one, I carried on, deeming the weather too foul for anyone to be out in one.

The River Fehsie offered many scenic views of various wildlife, from deer to buzzards. I probably would have seen more, if not for the thick forests that lined the entire route on the first day.

Reaching the bothy was a relief; after around 7 hours of walking, it felt good to know that I was capable of completing the challenge, and felt excited for the week ahead. I set up my tent outside as there were several others in the bothy and didn’t want to cram myself in. Dinner was pasta arrabbiata, which would be a staple part of my diet throughout the oncoming week.

Day 2 - Ruigh Aitaechain to White Bride (22km)

Packing down the tent and continuing, the path became rockier and more uneven as I ascended up the Glen, leaving the forest behind. Due to the rain the previous days, what would have just been a dirt track became swamped with mud, which was bad news for my new boots and trousers. As the scenery opened up, I could see miles ahead, at snow-covered mountain peaks and the dark clouds that lay ahead.

Tributaries intercepted the path at several points, ranging from small becks to wider streams. One in particular had removed any trace of a way to cross it; thankfully, other challengers upstream had diverted their path to cross it, so I did the same.

Shortly after, I reached a precarious bridge across a gorge, an unnerving way to cross, and the sign said I was halfway through the second day, so I stopped for a bite to eat as soon as I had a phone signal.

Upon arriving at White Bridge, I found myself to be the first person there, but still felt as if I had enough energy to continue on. I managed to walk a few kilometres down the river before finding a flat bank, which made an ideal location to spend the night. Ending on a high note with more pasta arrabbiata again.

Day 3 – White Bridge to Braemar (17km)

What was already a shorter day was made much easier because I decided to carry on at White Bridge the day before, a good idea as my feet were becoming riddled with blisters (not ideal). A small village in the eastern Cairngorms called Inverey marked the first village since Aviemore, and after cakes and coffee, it was onwards towards Braemar. I spent much of the third day on roads, which wasn’t much of an issue because cars were infrequent compared to the many hikers and cyclists. Around halfway through the route, the path turned off from the road and onto a steep bank towards the top of the Glen. However, because of my blisters, I continued along the road into Braemar. This alternative route was exactly the same distance as the original route, but saved me and my feet the trouble of a harsh climb and descent.

Braemar is a beautiful village, centred right in the heart of the Cairngorms. It has many local shops and pubs which I made the most of, devouring several square sausage sandwiches and purchasing some much-needed Compeed (lifesaving stuff). After pitching up at the campsite, I met up with my work colleague Liam for a night spent in the local pubs, slightly regretting that decision the following morning.

Day 4 – Braemar to Shieling of Mark (29km)

By far the hardest day of the challenge, and the night before didn't make it any easier. After pulling myself together, I met Liam for breakfast before we went our separate ways. The path leaving Braemar was stunning, surrounded by woodlands and the Balmoral Estate. I hoped to see a capercaillie amongst the trees but had no luck.

I’m not sure if I was daydreaming or just careless, but after checking my map for the first time in an hour, I realised I’d missed the turn-off towards Gelder Shiel bothy, so I had to backtrack around 2 km to rejoin the correct route. The trek up and around Conachcraig was my personal favourite moment from the entire week. The views were second to none, looking like a backdrop from Lord Of The Rings, and my phone camera really didn’t do it justice.

Amongst the grass and rocks were small patches of snow and ice, foreshadowing what I would run into later in the day. After passing Glenmuick, a small, winding path followed a fast-flowing beck up a steep valley. Several other hikers were pitched wherever there was a somewhat flat spot, tempting me to do the same, but after having dinner (pasta again) I decided to push on and make the climb up to the bothy.

As I left the valley, the sun was going down, not ideal, as the path was now non-existent, meaning I had to rely solely on GPS and any notable features I could recognise on the map. As it turned out, there were none; the entire landscape merged into one large dried peat bog, surrounded by snow. After scrambling up and down the steep sides of the peat for half an hour, I could see the bothy below me, marking the end of a long but rewarding day.

Day 5 – Shielen of Mark to Tarfside (19km)

Leaving behind the warmth of the bothy, I headed to Muckle Cairn, which marked the highest point of the trip at 730m. The descent towards Glen Lee was a real challenge; large tufts of grass and random dips in the ground made it even harder not to roll an ankle. In the glen, a herd of around 40 deer ran back and forth, disturbed by my emergence (don’t blame them; having not showered in days, I’d be scared too).

Next up was Loch Lee, incredibly scenic, with remnants of old settlements along its shores and an old castle that had seen better days. The stroll towards Tarfside was just that, a stroll. I took my time, stopping for anything notable: old ruins, cows, birds of prey.

Arriving at Tarfside and leaving the Cairngorms, I was greeted with a bacon butty and a coffee, a good way to end a day of walking, and in the evening the local bar opened with a BBQ outside, so I was spared eating pasta for yet another night.

Day 6 – Tarfside to Edzell (21km)

Originally planning to end the day at North Water Bridge, I was met with heavy rain, so I decided to divert the route and stay the night in Edzell. I followed the road out of Tarfside along the River North Esk, crossing a little further downstream, and trudged through boggy fields and farm tracks. The landscape gradually changed from rolling hills and valleys to flatter fields, which was a relief because it meant I was getting closer to the coast. For lunch, I stopped at an abandoned house in the middle of nowhere, enjoying yet more pasta, albeit in a slightly eerie setting. While checking the map on my phone to see where to go next, it died, but no worries, I had multiple power banks so that I could charge it up; paper maps for the rest of the day.

Towards Edzell were the rocks of solitude and the infamous ‘blue door’; I had no idea why it was so well known, but several people along the trail had mentioned it. A little while later, I reached Edzell, where I had decided to book a room in the local hotel so I could dry my clothes. By then, they were drenched because I'd foolishly thought the earlier rain was just a passing shower, so I didn’t put on my waterproof until it was too late. The fish and chip shop and butchers were a welcome sight, and that meant dinner was sorted, and lunch the following day too. Then it was back to the hotel where I could finally sleep in an actual bed once again.

Day 7 – Edzell to Kinnaber Links (18km)

With a good sleep and dry clothes, I set off along the road, leaving Edzell for the final day of hiking, not much further now. The bank up and over the A90 was surprisingly steep and the final ascent of the trip; from here it was all downhill, not metaphorically, though. Crossing the A90 was a little sketchy; I stood at the side for what felt like hours before traffic broke. On the other side, I got a glimpse of the sea and could just about see the edge of Montrose.

After a break and some sausage rolls from yesterday, it was more walking along the road past the hillside and towards the beach. The final hour or two flew by; the walking was easy, and the end was increasingly near until there it was: the sands of Kinnaber Links signalled that the journey had come to an end.

Overall, the trip was an exciting week of meeting new people, seeing great places and gaining new experience in hiking and camping. It's one of the best ways to get into the hobby and just as good if you already have some experience. I’d recommend it for anyone, beginner to expert.

Everyone else on the trip thoroughly enjoyed themselves; some had done the event several dozen times, while for others it was their first crossing. For me, the TGO East was a perfect balance of hiking and wild camping, long enough to get the full experience but not so long that new hikers would feel intimidated by the distance.

Personally, I would go again tomorrow if I could, but hopefully I’ll find time to complete another TGO East in the coming years, or perhaps challenge myself to the full 2-week event if I’m up for it.