Khardung La  claims to be the highest motorable road in the world and we biked down it. 

It is in Ladakh in northern India  and is a historical pass between Leh and the Nubra valley.

It was a great test for the  Braemar Ventile Smock as we started at below zero at over 5350 meters and ended at Leh village 39km and 1000m below at 20 degrees C.

The pass was extremely rough for the first 15km and we were held up by a bulldozer clearing rockfall which was knocking rocks on the track below. On the way down we had to avoid Indian army trucks on their way to the Siachen Glacier.

The paved road on the lower half of the pass was made for speed and some of the others took off into the distance while the rest of us took it easy.

‘Last March I have been to Swedish Sapmi (=Lapland), once more. We have been cross-country skiing for 10-days. Most of the time we made a campsite, and from time to time we have been using mountain huts. This time the weather was sunnier, but also colder then 2 years ago.

I have been using my Braemar Ventile Smock most of the time. It performed very well in the cold, with temperatures of -20°C without windchill. The fabric stayed supple (it was as flexible as in warmer conditions). I have been using the smock as a kind of windstopper and we have had some severe winds. In this area there is always wind and no protection.

The cargo-pocket is great to put some extra mittens or a hat.

At night the smock was used as a pillow. 

As we where doing some physical exercise, it was great to regulate the temperature as sweat  evaporated easily.

Really splendid piece of kit’

Nicholas

If you see see tired looking heavily laden walkers in the Highlands in the next few weeks they are likely to be TGO Challengers.

The TGO Challenge is a long distance walk, for up to 300 participants, across the Highlands of Scotland which has taken place every May since 1980. It was the brainchild of the well-known writer and mountaineer, Hamish Brown.

Challengers, as the participants are known,  can take either high or low routes within a maximum of 15 days.

There are 12 permitted start points on the west coast and North and South limits on the East Coast.

We see many Challengers in Aboyne  and at Hilltrek  we offer a cup of tea and a seat for weary feet. 

Several customers are Challengers in fact several years ago a customer from Belgium popped in to buy a Paramo jacket before starting the challenge.

This year the TGO Challenge started on 13th May and you can actually track the rapid progress of some of the Challengers on a section of the TGO Challenge website.

 The TGO Challenge is sponsored by TGO, the walkers’ magazine, Rab, the outdoor equipment specialist, and the adventure trekking company Himalayan Kingdoms.

For more information see the TGO Challenge Website

Chris Townsend will join us on Saturday April 16th to sign his new book Scotland, published by Cicerone, and to discuss his latest long walks. Chris has been the technical editor of the TGO since 1991 and is currently the President of the Mountaineering Council of Scotland. He is also an avid Paramo fan. Chris will be at Hilltrek from 10 am to 4 pm.

Join us on Saturday 5th March for an international trekking day held in conjunction with local outdoor activities company WalkDeeside. Alan Melrose of WalkDeeeside will discuss their treks to Africa, South America and Himalayas.  

Alan will also relate his experience in equipment and clothing for the range of environments encountered in their treks. In a recent WalkDeeside trek to Himachal Pradesh in the Indian Himalayas Paramo Waterproof Clothing supplied by Hilltrek performed outstandingly in high altitude monsoon conditions.

WalkDeeside treks are different to those run by the big trekking companies so it is well worth meeting Alan.

See the WalkDeeside website for more information.