The 82-year-old pensioner completed a 600-mile ride from England to Scotland on her horse Diamond – a seven-week journey she has undertaken every year since 1972.

An 82-year-old woman completed an annual seven-week trek from England to the Scottish Highlands with her horse and dog.

Jane Dotchin has made the epic 600-mile journey every year since 1972, meeting the friends she made along the way.

Heading north, the horse lover covers between 15 and 20 miles a day until she reaches Inverness in the Scottish Highlands.

This year she moved away again with her horse Diamond from the small farm where she lives, near Hexham, Northumberland.

“I love camping and I love the scenery,” she said.

Jane covers between 15 and 20 miles each day until she reaches Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. She carries everything she needs with her, including her tent, food, a few belongings and her Jack Russel, Dinky, in the saddle bag.

“The more I did it, the more cool people I met along the way that I would love to see again.”

Jane carries everything she needs including her tent, food, a few items and her Jack Russel Dinky in the saddle bag.

“She likes to sit in the saddlebag,” Jane said. “She likes to sit in there and watch the world go by.”

And despite wearing an eyepatch, Jane is determined to continue the annual tradition for as long as possible.

“I know the route so well that I don’t need to read a map. I can do it if I follow the routes I know,” she added.

“If I was ever in trouble, I know there would be someone nearby to help me.”

Jane became acquainted with long-distance walking for the first time when she moved into the idyllic Westland some 40 years ago in 1972.

She previously said: “Although my mum looked after my other ponies, she didn’t feel like looking after my half-finger stallion, so I drove him to Somerset to visit a friend, about 300 miles away. “

Jane says the more she took the trip, the more people she met along the way

Jane explains that Dinky is “pretty happy” as she sits in the saddlebag and “watches the world go by.”

“It was quite hard work, but it went well.”

Jane made the trip every year, driving south where the bridge roads were much better.

But as the area developed, she noticed that the route was becoming more crowded and decided to head north instead.

Every autumn for thirty years she trekked north, visiting friends along the way, including some near Fort Augustus on the edge of Loch Ness.

“It’s nice to see her again. “I call her in the morning and say I’ll be there in the evening,” says Jane.

“I don’t warn them too far in advance, because if the weather suddenly changes or I decide to stop early, they might wonder where I have to go.”

The trip takes about seven weeks, depending on the weather.

“I refuse to trudge through the pouring rain,” added Jane.

Despite wearing an eyepatch, Jane is determined to continue the annual tradition for as long as possible

Jane is shocked by the mess she has seen over the years, which she finds “disgraceful”.

“I don’t want to drive over hills in bad weather, but on the road.” “Maps don’t bother me, I just stick to the routes I know.”

Jane lives on a diet of porridge, oatmeal and cheese and carries an old mobile phone with a battery that lasts six weeks – although getting reception can be a problem.

While Jack Russell Dinky goes on a diet of oatmeal porridge, oatcakes and cheese which he buys from local shops.

Jane is shocked by the mess she has seen over the years, which she finds “disgraceful”.

She once said: “It’s terrible, especially the disposable fryers lying around everywhere.”

Jane previously received the British Horse Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award, which she said was “a bit of a surprise”.

“There’s always something interesting going on and it never gets boring,” she added.

The British Horse Society Scotland wrote in a Facebook post: “Well done Jane, Dinky the dog and Diamond – 2023 was a wet year but even well into the 80s the rain never put you off.” You are one Inspiration for riders around the world. “