In three days time I have the fortunate dilemma of being dropped at Corrour Train Station in the middle of the Central Highlands. There are very few stations more remote and it offers amazing hiking, camping and bothy experiences in all directions. Making a final choice about what to do feels a lot like being a kid in the best sweet shop in town. There is simply too much choice and it can take an age to narrow it down. There is no denying though that the process of pouring over maps, watching videos and reading other blog entries is very enjoyable. It’s why I’ve certainly come to believe that planning a multi-day hike is great fun.
The First Challenge- Where To Go?
Heading north of the border into Scotland is always one that excites me but offers a big dilemma too. The hills and mountains cover much of the country and there are almost endless possibilities. We haven’t even mentioned the islands either. The outdoor opportunities abound there too. Reading about the mountainous areas tends to place most of them high on the wish list. If I lived closer, then it wouldn’t be such an issue because I could visit more regularly. Making the trip from near London though means that I really want to get it right and have to choose carefully. It could be a few months before I am able to head back again.
On this upcoming trip I have been torn between The Fisherfield Forest in Wester Ross, the wild area north of Glen Affric and the Central Highlands in and around Corrour. All draw me to them for different reasons, but it ended up being the cost and times of the trains that made me finally go with Corrour.
In the future I think I will just pick somewhere and just plan that trip rather than think about where else I could be going instead. There is always another mountain to climb or glen to explore. They aren’t going anywhere are they?
Drive Or Public Transport?
On my many trips all over the UK, I have always used my own car. It is convenient, you can go exactly where you like and I figured that it there probably wasn’t much in it cost-wise either. That’s certainly the case when using the train. The Caledonian Sleeper as good as it looks is very pricey indeed. When you’ve travelled on an Indian sleeper for over 24 hours at less than a tenth of the cost, then you tend to see it that way!
Wanting to complete a four day hike though, I figured that having the car could be a bit of a pain. Yes I could complete a circular , but I liked the idea of starting in one place and finishing somewhere else. That is where I got the idea of mixing bus and train. It has ended up being very affordable too. Below are some details about what I’ve ended up with:
National Express from Milton Keynes Parkway ( free car park ) to Glasgow- £20.60.
Train from Glasgow Queen Street to Corrour- £32.00
Train from Dalwhinnie to Glasgow Queen Street- £21.40
Night bus from Glasgow to Milton Keynes- £20.60
The journey to Glasgow will take about three hours more than driving and I will have to try and sleep on the return bus route, but I will be travelling to The Highlands from the south east for less than £100. It would be a good £ 50 more expensive driving plus all the extra miles on the car. I will of course report back afterwards about just how tolerable the journey was. The last time I was a National Express coach was when I headed up to Leeds to visit a mate when I was 21. Things ache more now unfortunately.
The OS Map Dilemma
I can’t rave about the OS Map App enough. It has been my navigational tool for several years now and has never let me down. The GPS you can use alongside it makes it even better. How many times have we been following a path marked on a map only for it to disappear under thick bracken or grass? It’s easy to relocate it again with the GPS.
The App is really easy to use and plotting different routes quickly allows you to ascertain the duration of the planned hike, your expected elevation gain and overall distance. Once saved you can even enjoy a fly-through option, where you get a good feel for the terrain you are going to cover.
Even with this amazing device, it is still worth carrying paper copies too just in case your phone decides to pack up. It hasn’t happened to me yet, but it could. Scotland is hardly Alaska, but some areas are still remote enough that getting lost could prove problematic enough.
Click here to find where I got my map for a reasonable rate.
Equipment Choices
Well this could be an entire article in itself and indeed I made a video on the run up to my amazing three day hike through remote Knoydart.
The time of year you are completing your hike will make all the difference to what kit you bring. Which sleeping bag should I bring? Do I need my thermal layers? Will my sleeping mat be warm enough and will the midges or ticks be out to feast on me? These are all questions you will need to answer and making sure you have a solution for each can be time consuming. It’s a pretty good feeling once you are out there though and you find yourself able to solve any problem due to your forward thinking. Make sure you bring your tent pegs and poles though. I’ve forgotten them before and there are very few things more anooying.