The North Highland Way Challenge – GB Coast Walk

Nooooo… I have no intention of doing this myself! I think I’ve had enough of walking long distances for a while. Although my legs still nag me to get active again, unfortunately the demands of the job mean I have to tap on a screen to write nerdy technical documents rather than healthily making my way up a windy hillside with my nose dripping with enthusiasm.

When I was walking around this small island, which some of us mistakenly believe to be separate from the European continent, I had some great marked trails to take, but not a complete set. Five years on, the New England coast route is well on its way to completion, and with Wales already ahead of the game, that only leaves Scotland lagging behind the rest of the continent British. Yes, they have great coastal paths in Fife, Ayrshire and Moray – to name a few – but otherwise it can be difficult to find a legitimate route without using roads, or to trace a trail through tall ferns. Indeed, the North and West coasts have very sporadic routes and when I discovered them, they were invariably the most amazing and rewarding sections of my entire walk.

Northern Highland Path

I like to do my part and while I’m not promoting another coastal walker or directly trying to raise money for a great cause, this little update is intended to promote the development of a new Scottish coastal path. This time it’s Tina Irving’s coastal path baby. North
Highland Way that deserves a little help. The walk from John O’Groats to Durness is 150 miles long and can be done in easy stages. The route is still under development in places, although the Highland Council does an excellent job looking after the route within its remit.

Tina Irving was the ‘author’ of the North Highland Way and still works in conjunction with Scottish Public Services and others to make it a multi-use route. It was renamed the Camino of St. Brian in honor of St. Brian Arrowsmith, whose father fought for the Spanish in the Netherlands, and Brian Richard Sparks, who supported Tina for more than 30 years. Tina speaks Spanish fluently and often organizes Spanish events in Ireland – see www.tinasfreelance.com. She accompanied the Royal Irish Fusiliers to lay a new stone for the Battle of the Barossa which took place at Chichlana de la Frontera on 5 March 1811. She is a former corporal and served at 219 Wessex General Hospital from 1972 to 1979.

She has written a number of books, including ‘Creating the North Highland Way’ and ‘Battle for Brough Bay’, both available on Lulu.