01 Identity
Scottish charity record
- OSCR charity number
- SC049061
- Status
- Active
- Regulatory type
- Standard
- Designated religious body
- No
- Geographical spread
- Wider, but within one local authority area
- Volunteers
- 1-50 volunteers
- Staff
- 1
- Postcode
- KW7 6HA
OSCR note: This SCIO has been set up to replace Friends of John O’Groats Trail SC046737.You have advised us that Friends of John O’Groats Trail SC046737 intends to wind up and transfer the assets and liabilities to Association of Northern Trails Scotland SC049061.
02 Purpose and work
What the charity exists to do
The Association of Northern Trails Scotland (ANTS) maintains, develops and promotes long distance walking in the Far North of Scotland. ANTS are responsible for the John o'Groats Trail, which runs for 147 miles between Inverness and John o'Groats, as well as the North Coast Trail. Both trails pass along cliff tops and foreshore for much of the route, giving walkers access to the beautiful coastline of the Highlands. The trail has also serves to connect the far north of Scotland into the wider Scottish and UK long distance trail networks. Both trails attract both local walkers and tourists, and so promotes a slew of both mental and physical well-being opportunities, as well as supporting towards the economic landscape of the far north of Scotland, promoting access to heritage sites, and helping encourage greener forms of slow tourism.
Charitable purposes
- the provision of recreational facilities, or the organisation of recreational activities, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the persons for whom the facilities or activities are primarily intended
- the advancement of environmental protection or improvement
Beneficiaries
- No specific group, or for the benefit of the community
Activities
- It carries out activities or services itself
Constitutional objectives
The SCIO’s purposes are to support the development, maintenance, improvement and promotion of a walking route from Inverness to John o’ Groats, and such other walking routes and such related projects as the board may determine, with the objects of improving the conditions of life for members of the public and improving the environment by reducing the causes of climate change by promoting slow tourism, and thus encouraging sustainability in local communities, as well as increasing the public appreciation of our environment, conservation, and biodiversity, as well as our natural and cultural heritage
03 Annual returns
Income and expenditure history
| Year end | Income | Expenditure | Staff | Return received |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 December 2025 | £157,613 | £196,392 | 1 | 19 August 2026 |
| 31 December 2024 | £183,397 | £90,958 | 1 | 6 August 2025 |
| 31 December 2023 | £96,763 | £87,575 | 1 | 26 June 2024 |
| 31 December 2022 | £42,263 | £52,696 | 1 | 17 August 2023 |
| 31 December 2021 | £29,577 | £8,099 | 1 | 21 October 2022 |
Figures are those reported by the charity and supplied in the OSCR bulk download. Blank facts remain distinct from zero.
04 Contact record
Principal office or trustees address
- Address supplied to OSCR
- The Cottage, Lower Newport, Berriedale
- Website supplied to OSCR
- www.jogt.org.uk
- Parent charity
- Not supplied
No direct external links on this profile. The official OSCR record and source documentation are available through BritDB’s dedicated source page.
05 Provenance
Source for this profile
© Crown Copyright and database right 2026. Contains information from the Scottish Charity Register supplied by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. BritDB is an independent service and does not claim to be the Scottish Charity Register.