Jamie's Moray Recce

Last week I got to go up to Moray for the first time to scope out the last day of the Challenge. We’re ending in Spey Bay – a beautiful place where the river meets with the North Sea.

It was the first time I had been to Moray and it was a real treat to be shown the area by Gavin and Karen. They both work for Moray Council and DofE is part of what they do.

I didn’t know exactly what to expect as I stepped off the train at Elgin, but I was greeted with amazing excitement, warmth and generosity. There's so much already in the planning for how the area can mark DofE's Anniversary and Gavin and Karen were both very keen on helping us to mark the end of our Challenge.

They whisked me off on a tour of the area: to Craigellachie, where we’ll be camping our final night; to Spey Bay itself to see what celebrations will look like at the finish; and to Fochabers where they’re planning something special to mark the Diamond Anniversary year.

It was a very full afternoon, but being great hosts they took me to the famous Baxters for a generous serving of pancakes topped with cinnamon apples, ice cream and toffee sauce – yum! I’m told that many local participants finish off their expeditions and you can see why. Just the sort of food you need after a big hike!

After my trip I was left feeling full – and not just of pancakes! – but also full of ideas about how we can complete our Challenge with a bang! We’ll be keeping you posted as we find out more. Maybe you can get involved too!