News from the Grand Lodge of Scotland: Trekking for the PGL of Lanarkshire Upper Ward’s 225th
The Provincial Grand Lodge of Lanarkshire Upper Ward, under the Grand Lodge of Scotland, is set to mark its 225th anniversary on 9th May 2026. In preparation, fundraising efforts are already in motion to make the celebration an event to remember.
One of the most inspiring initiatives is Past Provincial Grand Master John (Jack) S. Drummond’s ambitious trek from Land’s End to John O’Groats, which kicks off on 1st March 2025. Covering 1,215 miles, this journey will be a testament to Jack’s resilience and determination, taking him approximately two to three months to complete. Along the way, he plans to visit Lodges across the UK, strengthening bonds within the Masonic community.
If you wish to make a donation to support this initiative, you can do so by BACS direct to PGL of Lanarkshire Upper Ward. It would be appreciated if any donations could be marked as LANDS END with details of who the donation is from.
BACS details below:
The PGL of Lanarkshire Upper Ward
Royal Bank of Scotland
Sort Code 83-24-38
Account No 00148011
John S. Drummond, with the Grand Master Mason and Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, and Provincial Grand Master of Lanarkshire Upper Ward
The Journey:Section oneSouthwest Costal Path: From Landsend to Barnstable
Day 1: Saturday 1st March Landsend to Zennor = 16 miles
Day 2: Sunday 2nd March Zennor to Gwithian = 15 miles
Day 3: Monday 3rd March Gwithian to Perranporth = 19 miles
Day 4: Tuesday 4th March Perranporth to Mawgan Porth = 18 miles
Day 5: Wednesday 5th March Mawgan Porth to Wadebridge = 17 miles
Day 6: Thursday 6th March Wadebridge to Boscastle = 20 miles
Day 7: Friday 7th March Boscastle to Bude = 20 miles
Day 8: Saturday 8th March Bude to Clovelly = 23 miles
Day 9: Sunday 9th March Clovelly to Barnstable = 23 miles
Section twoThe Bristol Channel Welsh Border & Exmoor National Park
Day 10: Monday 10th March Barnstable to Warren Farm Exmoor = 18 miles
Day 11: Tuesday 11th March Warren Farm to Roadwater = 18 miles
Day 12: Wednesday 12th March
Roadwater (the Quantocks) to Bridgewater = 22 milesDay 13: Thursday 13th March
Bridgewater to Cheddar (the Somerset Levels) = 20 milesDay 14: Friday 14th March Cheddar to Easton-in-Gordano = 28 miles Day 15: Saturday 15th March
Easton-in-Gordano to Chepstow = 18 miles Day 16: Sunday 16th March Chepstow to Monmouth (the River Wye & Offa’s Dyke Path) = 17 miles Day 17: Monday 17th March Monmouth to Pandy (the River) = 16 miles Day 18: Tuesday 18th March Pandy to Hay-on-Wye (the Black Mountains) = 16 miles.Day 19: Wednesday 19th March
Hay-on-Wye to Knighton (the Highest Ridge & the Dyke) = 28 miles
Section threeKnighton to Hebden
Day 20: Thursday 20th March
Knighton to Craven Arms (the Shropshire Hills) = 14 milesDay 21: Friday 21st March Craven Arms to Ironbridge (Wenlock Edge) = 23 miles Day 22: Saturday 22nd March
Ironbridge to Penkridge (crossing the watershed) = 25 miles Day 23: Sunday 23rd March Penkridge to Abbots (Towpaths & Cannock Chase) = 16 miles Day 24: Monday 24th March Abbots Bromley to Thrope (the River Dove) = 21 miles Day 25: Tuesday 25th March Thrope to Newhaven (the trail follows the alternative Pennine Way) = 22 miles Day 26: Wednesday 26th March Newhaven to Chelmarton = 20 miles Day 27: Thursday 27th March Chelmarton to Castleton = 13 milesDay 28: Friday 28th March Castleton to Edale = 3 miles.
Section fourThe Pennine Way
Day 29: Saturday 29th March Edale to Crowden = 16 milesDay 30: Sunday 30th March Crowden to Standedge = 13 miles Day 31: Monday 31th March Standedge to Hebden Bridge = 15 miles Day 32: Tuesday 1st April Hebden Bridge to Thornton-in-Craven = 22 miles Day 33: Wednesday 2nd April Thornton-in-Craven to Malham = 18 miles Day 34: Thursday 3rd April Malham to Horton-in-Ribbleside (Airdale & Penny-Ygant) = 18 miles Day 35: Friday 4th April Horton-in-Ribblesdale to Hawes (Ribblesdale & Calmhigh Road, Wensleydale) = 14 milesDay 36: Saturday 5th April Hawes to Keld (Great Shunner Fell & Swaledale) = 12 milesDay 37: Sunday 6th April Keld to Middleton-in-Teesdsle (Durham Moors) = 21 miles Day 38: Monday 7th April Middleton-in-Teesdale to Dufton Upper Teesdale & High Cup = 20 miles Day 39: Tuesday 8th April Dufton to Alston = 19 milesDay 40: Wednesday 9th April Alston to Gilsland/Lambly & Brampton a689 = 18 miles.Day 41: Thursday 10th April Gilsland/Brampton to Longtown a6071 = 20 miles
Section fiveHeading west to the b7076 & b7078 roads to South Lanarkshire
Day 42: Friday 11th April Longtown to Gretna b7076 = 5 miles Day 43: Saturday 12th April Gretna to Lockiebie b7076 = 14 miles Day 44: Sunday 13th April Lockiebie to Beattock b7076 = 14 miles Day 45: Monday 14th April Beattock to Crawford b7076 = 16 miles Day 46: Tuesday 15th April Crawford to Abington b7076 = 10 miles Day 47: Wednesday 16th April Abington to Cairn Lodge Services b7078 = 10 miles Day 48: Thursday 17th April Cairn Lodge Services to Kirkmuirhill b7078 = 8 miles Day 49: Friday 18th April Kirkmuirhill to Hamilton b7078 =10 milesDay 50: Saturday 19th April Hamilton to Glasgow City Centre b7078 = 14 miles Day 51: Sunday 20th April Glasgow City Centre (Kelvin Way to Milngavie to start the West Highland Way) = 11 miles
Section sixWest Highland Way. Milngavie to Fort William
Day 52: Monday 21st April Milngavie to Balmaha = 20 miles Day 53: Tuesday 22nd April Balmaha to Inveraran = 21 miles Day 54: Wednesday 23rd April Inveraran to Tyndrum = 14 miles Day 55: Thursday 24th April Tyndrum to Kingshouse = 18 miles Day 56: Friday 25th April Kingshouse to Kinlochleven = 9 miles Day 57: Saturday 26th April Kinlochleven to Fort Willian = 14 miles
Section sevenThe Great Glen Way. Fort William to Inverness
Day 58: Sunday 27th April Fort William to Laggan = 22 miles Day 59: Monday 28th April Laggan to Fort Augustus = 12 miles Day 60: Tuesday 29th April Fort Augustus to Drummadrochit = 24 miles
Day 61: Wednesday 30th April Drummadrochit to Inverness = 24 miles
Section eightThe John O’ Groats Trail
Day 62: Thursday 1st May Inverness to Culbroke = 13 miles Day 63: Friday 2nd May Culbroke to Alness = 12 miles
Day 64: Saturday 3rd May Alness to Tain = 18 miles Day 65: Sunday 4th May Tain to Golspie = 18 miles Day 66: Monday 5th May Golspie to Brora = 16 miles Day 67: Tuesday 6th May Brora to Berriedale = 18 miles Day 68: Wednesday 7th May Berriedale to Lybster = 17 miles Day 69: Thursday 8th May
Lybster to Wick = 18 miles Day 70: Friday 9th May Wick to Keiss = 11 miles Day 71: Saturday 10th May Keiss to John O’Groats = 13 miles
The end!