In 2007 Long Rider Grant Nicolle rode his horse, Marv, 1085 miles along the historic trail that runs from John O’Groats to Lands End. Grant prepared this document to provide information about their route, daily distance and the type of local accommodation found along the way.

DAYS                                                                                                                MILES

            START

1.            John o’ Groats to Mybster (sofa)                                                            23

2.         Mybster via Westerdale, Altnabreac railway station to Fosinard (bivi)     23

3.         Fosinard via Kinbrace, Loch Badanloch to Gearnsary bothy (bivi)          19

4.         Gearnsary bothy via Ben Armine Lodge to Rogart (b)                              21

5.         Rogart via Bonar Bridge, Glen Carron to near Amat (bivi)                       24

6.         Amat via Glen More, Deanich Lodge, Alladale Lodge, Strath Vaich

to near Inchbae Lodge (tent)                                                                    20

7.         Inchbae Lodge via Contin, Marybank to Muir of Ord (b)                            19

8.         Muir of Ord via to Tomich (barn)                                                                21

9.         Tomich via to Fort Augustus (b)                                                                16

10.       Fort Augustus (b) REST DAY (FARRIER - 1 FRONT SET)                        0

11.       Fort Augustus via Corrieyairack Pass to Laggan            (sofa)                  18

12.       Laggan via Dalwhinnie, Drumochter to Dalnaspidal Lodge (tent)               21

13.       Dalnaspidal Lodge via Trinafour, Tummel Bridge to Tirnie Farm

near Aberfeldy (b)                                                                                        25

14.       Tirnie Farm to Aberfeldy (b)                                                                          5

15.       Aberfeldy (b) REST DAY                                                                              0

16.       Aberfeldy via Glen Cochill to Amulree (b)                                                    11                     

17.       Amulree via the Sma’Glen, Glenalmond to Clathy (b)                                 17

18.       Clathy via Dunning, Pathstruie to Cleish (b)                                               19

19.       Cleish via Townhill to Masterton near Dunfermline (b)                               16

20.       Masterton via the Forth Road Bridge, past Edinburgh Airport,

Heriot Watt University to Balerno near Edinburgh (b)                                 16

21.       Edinburgh (b) REST DAY                                                                             0

22.       Edinburgh (b) REST DAY                                                                             0

23.       Balerno via the Pentland Hills, Glen Corse, Middleton to Heriot (tent)        19

24.       Heriot via Galashiels to Melrose (b)                                                            19

25.       Melrose via St Boswells to Oxnam (b)                                                       19

26.       Oxnam via ‘Dere St’, crossing into England next to Otterburn

Military training area to Cottonshopeburnfoot (tent)                                   14

27.       Cottonshopeburnfoot via Hareshaw Head, Corsenside Common to

Woodburn near Bellingham (b)                                                                  15

28.        Woodburn via Birtley, Chipchase and Haughton Castles, Walwick,

Keepwick Fell to Anick near Hexham (b)                                                   20

29.        Anick (b) REST DAY                                                                                  0

30.        Anick via Blanchland, Townfield, Hunstanworth Moor to Rookhope (tent)  19

31.        Rockhope via Lintzgarth Common, Westgate, Swinhope Moor, Newbiggin

to Middleton in Teesdale (b)                                                                          20

32.        Middleton in Teesdale (FARRIER – 1 REAR SET) via Selset Reservoir,

Brough to Nateby near Kirby Stephen (bivi)                                                  16

33.        Nateby via alongside Settle-Carlisle railway, Garsdale Head, Dentdale

to Cowgill (b)                                                                                                16

34.        Cowgill via Newby Head, Ribblehead viaduct, Horton in Ribblesdale

to Stainforth near Settle (bivi)                                                                       16

35.        Stainforth via the Ribble Way, Settle, to Saltersforth near Barnoldswick

            (tent)                                                                                                             17

36.        Saltersforth (bivi)  REST DAY                                                                      0

37.        Saltersforth via Widdop reservoir, Gorple Lower reservoir,

Pennine bridleway to Blackshaw Head (b)                                                   19

38.        Blackshaw Head via Lumbutts, Rochdale Canal towpath,

Littleborough, Hollingworth Lake, under the M62, Denshaw,

Castleshaw reservoirs to Diggle (b)                                                             18

39.       Diggle via (Pennine bridleway) Greenfield, Walkerwood Reservoir,

Matley, Mottram, Broad Bottom, Charlesworth, to Little Hayfield (bivi)         16

40.       Little Hayfield via (Pennine bridleway), Peak Forest to Blackwell (bivi)         23

41.       Blackwell via (Pennine bridleway), Biggin (FARRIER – 1 FRONT SET)

to Ashbourne (caravan)                                                                                 20

42.       Ashbourne via Rocester, Uttoxter, Bramshall to Kingstone (bivi)                 23

43.       Kingstone (bivi) REST DAY                                                                            0

44.       Kingstone via under the M6, Staffordshire & Worcs Canal towpath,

Penkridge, Brewood, Shropshire Union Canal towpath to Codsall (b)         23

45.       Codsall via Monarch’s Way/Staffordshire Way, Pattingham,

Shatterford to Trimpley (b)                                                                            20

46.       Trimpley via to Martley (b)                                                                             16

47.       Worcester (b) REST DAY                                                                              0

48.       Martley to Worcester (b)                                                                                 5

49.       Worcester via Crowle to Radford (b)                                                           12

50.       Radford via Evesham, Bretforton to Weston sub Edge (b)                        16

51.       Weston sub Edge via Chipping Campden, Moreton in Marsh

(FARRIER 1 FRONT SET) to Bledington (b)                                              16

52.       Bledington via Shipton under Wychwood, Swinbrook to Carterton (b)       14

53.       Carterton via Kencot, Langford, Lechlade to Shrivenham (b)                     16

54.       Shrivenham (b) REST DAY                                                                          0

55.       Shrivenham via over the M4, the Ridgeway, Barbury Castle

to Malborough  (b)                                                                                        16

56.       Malborough via Wilcot, Woodbridge, East Chisenbury, Longstreet,

Netheravon, Salisbury Plain to Larkhill (b)                                                   22

57.       Larkhill via Stonehenge, Great Wishford, Dinton to Fovant (b)                   14

58.       Fovant (b) REST DAY – trip to London, to see 60^th Anniversary

of the King’s Troop                                                                                         0

59.       Fovant via South Downs to Shaftesbury (b)                                                 12

60.       Shaftesbury via Guys March, Marnhull, Stalbridge to Purse Caundle (b)     14

61.       Purse Caundle (b) REST DAY                                                                        0

62.       Purse Caundle (b) REST DAY                                                                        0

63.       Purse Caundle via Milborne Port, Sanford Orcas, RNAS Yeovilton,

Lyles Cary to Somerton (b)                                                                            17

64.       Somerton via Langport, Stoke St Gregory, North Curry

to Creech St Michael (b)                                                                                18

65.       Creech St Michael via under the M5, Bridgewater & Taunton

Canal towpath, Taunton to Holcombe Rogus (b)                                          18

66.       Holcombe Rogus via Pennymoor, Puddington to Black Dog (bivi)               18

67.       Black Dog via Morchard Bishop, Monkokehampton to Hatherleigh (b)         19

68.       Hatherleigh (b) REST DAY                                                                              0

69.       Hatherleigh via Bratton Clovelly, Lifton to Launceston (b)                             20

70.       Launceston via Lezant, Trebullett, Rilla Mill, Upton Cross, Minions

to St Cleer (barn)                                                                                           18

71.       St Cleer via St Neot, Mount to Bugle (b)                                                        18

72.       Bugle via Roche, Nanpean, St Stephen, Ladock to Trispen (barn)              15

73.       Trispen (FARRIER - 1 REAR SET) via Truro to Ponsanooth (b)                 11

74.       Ponsanooth (b) REST DAY                                                                            0

75.       Ponsanooth (b) REST DAY                                                                            0

76.       Ponsanooth via Carnkie, Porkellis, Releath to Godolphin Cross (b)            12

77.       Godolphin Cross via Goldwithney, Marazion, Penzance to Newlyn (b)        12

78.       Newlyn via St Buryan, Sennen to Land’s End                                              10

            FINISH                                                                                     Total     1085 miles

To get back to Edinburgh by 4x4 and horse trailer:

Land’s End to Budleigh Salterton, Devon (b) (234 miles)

79.       Budleigh Salterton to Culgaith, Cumbria (b) (340 miles)

80.       Culgaith to Edinburgh (b) (124 miles)

To get to the start by horse box:

0.         Edinburgh to John o’ Groats (b) (281 miles)

Accommodation legend: (b) – bed

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