Traversing Shorelines, Clifftops, Back Lanes and Footpaths

The John o’ Groats Trail is a 147 mile coastal walking route from Inverness to John o’ Groats, traversing shorelines, cliff tops, back lanes and footpaths of the Scottish Highlands.

The route is a work in progress. Some of it is remote, pathless and challenging terrain. The walk is meant to be used both by long-distance walkers going as far as to or from Land’s End, and local walkers looking for a coastal stroll.

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Stages of the Trail

The walk is divided into stages that can each be walked in a day. Most stages begin and end where food, drink, shops, and accommodation can be found. Golspie is the stopping off point where the fifth (Dornoch to Golspie) and sixth (Golspie to Brora) stages meet. There may be livestock in one or two fields. If so, always be careful of bulls or cows with calves.

The fifth stage of the JOGT is entirely walkable by the average fit walker. There are few obstacles: one or two barbed wire fences that may need to be climbed. A mixture of road and path, with frequent transitions from one to the other. Little of the stage is marked.

The sixth stage of the JOGT is again entirely walkable by the average fit walker. All on path or worn footway, there are no obstacles. None of the stage is marked.