Tough year for coastal trail but managers look forward to 'renewal' as crowdfunder launched
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The John O’Groats Trail did not escape the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, its chairman has reported in a year-end update.
Jay Wilson, chairman of the Association of Northern Trails Scotland (ANTS), wrote that 2020 was a “tough one” with only a “few hardy souls” walking the long distance coastal route from Inverness to John O’Groats.
Volunteer days were also few in number, resulting in the trail becoming overgrown in sections.
But Mr Wilson stated that trail managers were hoping that, with the vaccine roll-out, 2021 would “fulfil the prospect of renewal”.
He continued: “We’re working to fund a full-time trail manager position that will take pressure off our volunteers and add a more professional element to our organisation.
“This would be someone to perform both administrative functions such as overseeing contractors as well as coordinating volunteers and finding new sources of funding.”
ANTS has now launched a fundraising appeal via crowdfunding platform GoFundMe to support the two-year trail manager position and also for capital projects such as bridges, boardwalks and signage.
Mr Wilson said: “Not only will donations help move us towards this goal, they will also show major funding organisations that we have the grassroots support of the community.”
He added that ongoing restrictions currently made it difficult to travel to the trail, but for people who lived locally it provided a welcome location for exercise, but care needed to be taken.
“Please exercise caution when walking the trail, as emergency services are stretched thin as it is,” he wrote.
“If you happen to meet someone on the trail, try to keep a two metre distance as you pass them.”
For more information about the trail, visit: www.jogt.org.uk and to make a donation: shorturl.at/azGKW
