I wonder if TGO will be including anything about the TGOC Best Route Award? Perhaps a breakdown of why Martin's route won. Might help others, such as myself, plan more enjoyable routes.

John

I can say this about Martin's route - he certainly doesn't mind his own company. From his blog, it sounds like you could count on one hand how many challengers he met in his first 10 days.

I've now read Martin's route and funnily enough it's very similar to my last years route, although I didn't take in as many peaks, which I'm sure helps make Martin's route a winner. I didn't see many Challengers until later in the trip either. This year I only saw two the whole way across. I don't think I'll be planning as lonely a route as that again, although as Martin points out, why race off to the east when the best peaks are in the west? This is why I saw few people this year - messing about in Knoydart for to long.

John

I have no idea what the challenge organizers consider are the components of "the best route". I do think that there is a tendancy for challenge routes to be low and unimaginative and relatively easy. I am aware no 200 mile walk is easy. Apart from first timers,I think Challengers could do with nudging towards more challenging routes. This new award may change the atmosphere in the right direction. There is already an unofficial "high" route category defined by 12 or more Munros. The uncompetitive nature of the Challenge has stopped that being official I imagine.
If it were me I would want to encourage: new routes, imaginative routes, routes through the wildest bits, exploring off the main paths. I think that Martin's route is that sort of route. It is however the opposite of what many want from the challenge which is to, more than occasionally, meet other challengers walk with them a bit, divert to other watering holes and meet some more.

I think the award is for routes which best encompass the spirit of the Challenge, and the social side is certainly an important side of the Challenge.