‘THE LONGEST TRY 2010’

JOHN O’ GROATS TO LAND’S END

Army/Navy Rugby Match May 1st 2010

As a prelude to the walk, VIA and the team will be attending the annual Army/Navy Rugby Match at Twickenham Stadium, London.

The team will be raising funds around Twickenham, prior to the Match.

VIA will then attend the match and will receive the ‘Match Ball’ which will be taken and carried throughout ‘The Longest Try’.

The end of the sponsored walk will be by a symbolic ‘TRY’ at Land’s End.

The Longest Try Aims

• To take an 8 man team of veterans who have suffered from the

symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on a sponsored

walk from John o’ Groats to Land’s End.

• To build self esteem, confidence and team building in those taking part.

• To raise awareness of PTSD throughout the walk and to raise funds to

provide training in expedition skills for those taking part in future VIA

fund raising events and expeditions.

• To raise funds to enable VIA to fund more veterans through the

treatment process to eradicate the symptoms of PTSD.

• To raise awareness of Veterans International Aid (VIA) charity

throughout the country.

John o’ Groats

Day 1 John o’ Groats to Helmsdale, 51 miles

Days Total 51.5 miles - Longest Try Total 51.5 miles

John o’ Groats

Helmsdale

Day 2 Helmsdale to Alness, 48.5 miles

Days Total 48.5 miles Longest Try Total 100 miles

Helmsdale

Alness

The Longest Try

Days 1- 2 - 3

The first 2 and a half days will be spent walking on the A99 and the A9 until reaching Inverness.

The team will then fund raise in the City, while the walkers carry on through finishing Day 3 at Drumnadrochit.

The walkers will join the National Walking Trail, ‘The Great Glen Way’ in Inverness.

Entering Inverness

Day 3 Alness to Drumnadrochit via Inverness, 40 miles

 

Days Total 40 miles Longest Try Total 140 miles

Days Total 40 miles Longest Try Total 140 miles

Alness

Inverness

Drumnadrochit

The Great Glen Way

The Great Glen WayThe Great Glen Way is Scotland's fourth National Long Distance Walking Route.

It runs from Fort William at the northern end of the West Highland Way to the City of Inverness along the Great Glen Fault.

The route is 73 miles (118 Km) in length following closely the line of the Caledonian Canal.

It follows the line of the Caledonian Canal for almost all the way, this canal opening out into Loch Lochy, then Loch Oich prior to the much longer Loch Ness.

The Great Glen Way

Day 4 Drumnadrochit to Fort William, 55 miles

Days Total 55 miles Longest Try Total 195 miles

Drumnadrochit

Fort William

Loch Ness

Caledonian Canal

Loch Oich

Loch Lochy

The Great Glen Way

End of The Great Glen Way

Start of The West Highland Way

Fort William

Day 5 Fort William to Inverarnan, 54 miles

Days Total 54 miles Longest Try Total 249 miles

Fort William

Inverarnan

West Highland Way

Day 6 REST DAY

Drover’s Inn - Inverarnan

Day 7 Inverarnan to Carbeth, 36 miles

Days Total 36 miles Longest Try Total 285 miles

Inverarnan

Carbeth

West Highland Way

Loch Lomond

The West Highland Way

Scotland’s first official long distance route links Milngavie to Fort William – a distance of 154km (96 miles) - from the northern outskirts of Glasgow, to the foot of Ben Nevis at Fort William.

The Route passes through Mugdock Country Park, follows the shores of Loch Lomond, passing Ben Lomond, through Glen Falloch and Strathfillan, crossing Rannoch Moor, past Buachaille Etive Mor to the head of Glencoe, climbing the Devil’s Staircase, descending to sea level to cross the River Leven at the head of Loch Leven before entering Lairigmor and Glen Nevis.

VIA will be doing this route in reverse, from Fort William to Milngavie.

The West Highland Way

Day 8 Carbeth to Srathclyde Park near Glasgow, 32 miles

Days Total 32 miles Longest Try Total 317 miles

Carbeth

Strathclyde Park

Strathclyde Park to Dinwoodie Campsite, 54 miles

Days Total 54 miles Longest Try Total 371

Strathclyde Park

Glasgow

Dinwoodie

Day 10 Dinwoodie Campsite to Skelton, 51 miles

Days Total 51 miles Longest Try Total 422 miles

Carlisle

Skelton

Dinwoodie

Gretna

Carlisle and The Cumbria Way

A well-loved 70 mile route through the heart of the Lake District National Park, linking the two historic Cumbrian towns of Ulverston and Carlisle.

The route cuts through classic Lakeland Country via Langdale, Borrowdale, Coniston, Derwent Water and Caldbeck with plenty of scope for high-level detours.

VIA will only be doing a small portion of this walk and will leave it just before Penrith.

The Cumbria Way

Day 11 Skelton to Preston 50 miles

Days Total 50 miles Longest Try Total 472 miles

Preston

Lancaster

Kendal

Penrith

Skelton

Day 12. REST DAY

Lake District

The Lancaster Canal

Day 13 Preston to Lymm, 51 miles

Days Total 50 miles Longest Try Total 523 miles

Wigan

Leigh

SaleLymm

Leeds & Liverpool Canal

Preston

Leeds & Liverpool Canal

Day 14 Lymm to Stoke on Trent 50 miles

Days Total 50 miles Longest Try Total 573 miles

Lymm

Northwich

Sandbach

Stoke on Trent

Trent & Mersey Canal

Day 15 Stoke on Trent to Ashwood (Dudley) 50 miles

Days Total 50 miles Longest Try Total 623 miles

Stone

Stafford

Wolverhampton

Dudley

Staffordshire & Worcester Canal

Day 16 Ashwood Dudley to Tewkesbury 48 miles

Days Total 48 miles Longest Try Total 671 miles

Ashwood

Kidderminster

Worcester

Tewkesbury

Day 17 Tewkesbury to Bristol 50 miles

Days Total 50 miles Longest Try Total 721 miles

Tewkesbury

Gloucester

Bristol

Day 18. REST DAY

Weston -super- Mare

The Severn WayNow one of the longest waymarked walking trails in Britain, the Severn Way traces a route along the entire Severn Valley from source to sea, a walking distance of around 210 miles (338kms).

Linking two countries with diverse cultures, the path is an ideal way to explore the towns and villages, history and heritage of Wales and England, whilst at the same time passing through some superb countryside.

VIA will be walking a small part of the walk, between Tewkesbury and Bristol.

Day 19 Bristol to Combwich 50 miles

Days Total 50 miles Longest Try Total 771 miles

Bridgewater

Bristol

Day 20 Combwich to Lynton 45 miles

Days Total 45 miles Longest Try Total 816 miles

Combwich

Lynton

Minehead

South West Coast Path

Day 21 Lynton to Bideford 50 miles

Days Total 50 miles Longest Try Total 866 miles

Lynton

Ilfracombe

Barnstaple

Bideford

South West Coast PathThe South West Coast Path starts at Minehead in Somerset and runs along the part of the Somerset Bristol Channel coast, across North Devon, right round Cornwall, then along the South Devon and Dorset coasts to Poole Harbour.

This is a distance of 630 miles (1014 km) which is over twice the distance of the Pennine Way and makes it by far the longest National Trail in Britain.

VIA will be walking from Minehead to Land’s End on this pathway.

Day 22 Bideford to Bude 40 miles

Days Total 40 miles Longest Try Total 906 miles

Bideford

Bude

Day 23 Bude to Newquay 53 miles

Days Total 53 miles Longest Try Total 959 miles

Bude

Newquay

Padstow

Wadebridge

Day 24. REST DAY

Newquay

Newquay

Day 25 Newquay to St. Ives 42 miles

Days Total 42 miles Longest Try Total 1001 miles

Newquay

St. Ives

St. Agnes

St. Ives

Day 26 St. Ives to Land’s End 25 miles

Days Total 25 miles Longest Try Total 1026 miles

Land’s End

‘The Longest Try’

Total Planned Miles = 1026