The 2000 Challenge, day 14: Brechin to Montrose

I woke early, had breakfast, and was ready to be on my way by 8 a.m.

I call it the "final day turbo-boost". It's 8 miles from Brechin to Montrose, and I did it with full expedition kit in two and a half hours. OK, so it's good main road all the way - but even so! By 10.30 a.m. I was standing in the North Sea at Montrose. I had taken my boots off, naturally, but I did not shed my pack. As far as I am concerned, the Challenge requires you to carry your pack the whole way across, so I carried it the whole way!

So there it was! I had set out to do a relatively easy low-level crossing with one Munro (Meall Cuaich) and one Corbett (Morrone or Morven); in the event I had "topped out" on four Munros and two Corbetts - fully half the requirement for a crossing to be accounted as "high level" - as well as discovering a beautiful minor little top which really ought to go onto every Scottish hillwalker's "to do" list. I had taken a rest day I didn't really need in Dalwhinnie, as well as doubling up to make a pretty monumental 40km day and give myself an additional rest day in Braemar. I had seen some spectacular scenery, a pine marten and a mountain hare, and I have met no end of wonderful people including my teenage nemesis.

As I paddled in the cold North Sea I phoned my wife on the mobile, and held it out so she could hear the surf breaking on the beach. Then made my way to Challenge Control at the Park Hotel, Montrose, to sign in. I wrote some comments in the Comments book which I shall not repeat here - you can see them on the Challenge website for yourself!

That evening, the party went on until the wee small hours. I didn't stay until the end, but it was certainly well after 2 in the morning before I made my way to my waiting bed. I slept well, for I had completed the Great Outdoors Challenge!