The first trail on my End to End journey was the John O'Groats Trail, a 147 miles trail running from John O'Groats following the East Coast of Scotland down to the finish line in Inverness.
I had given myself two weeks to walk the trail with no rest day until I reached Inverness. Using the official John O'Goats trail website to plot my route. Meticulously planning each day, how many miles I would do and at roughly what pace I would need to go.
The path meanders out of John O'Groats up to Duncansby Lighthouse before heading around to the impressive Duncansby Stacks. These rock formations showcase the power of the sea and are some of the finest examples of natures art work.
From there, you're along the cliff path, often edging along barbed wire fences with the drop down into the sea below. The coves near Duncansby Stacks are filled with Puffins jostling for the best nesting place and plopping into the sea.
This trail was tough but very enjoyable, perhaps one of my favourite on the End to End. From sketchy cliff edges to road walking and sandy beaches where every step was watched by bobbing seals. The tough terrain was made worth it by the stunning Scottish landscape, dramatic sea views and the bounty of wildlife.
I used the official John O'Groats website (https://www.jogt.org.uk/stages/) and the Harvey Map (https://www.harveymaps.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000042.pl?WD=john%20o%27%20groats&PN=John%2do%2d%2dGroats%2dTrail%2dYHWRJO%2ehtml#SID=4 to guide me along the trail.
You can follow the full journey from John O'Groats to Inverness in the video below. For more trails, tips and adventures, follow my YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEn8KynNF7zrmDy_3WpzLYQ
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