For 50 years, this Englishwoman has been traveling across Scotland on horseback every year. Now 80 years old, she has covered 1,000 kilometres, accompanied by her handicapped dog.
Jane Dotchin is a woman living in England. In 1972, she decided to go on horseback to go to Scotland, and she traveled almost 965 kilometers. Since that first experience, Jane has gone back every year. Now 80 years old, she continues her travels , still as determined and courageous.
“There are several different routes I can take depending on the weather. I don’t care about maps, I stick to the routes I know ,” Jane said.
At 80, she travels on horseback with her disabled dog
This year, at the end of August, Jane got back on the back of her 13-year-old horse called Diamond. She took Dinky, her handicapped dog. This Jack Russel suffers from a deformity of the legs, and traveled in an adapted bag, near the neck of the horse.
For seven weeks, the three friends traveled between 25 and 32 kilometers a day. In total, Jane has traveled 1,000 kilometers with her animals this year.
On her travels , Jane takes a tent, food, and things for her dog and horse with her. She is also careful to always wear an orange vest to be seen by motorists. The only tech accessory she owns is a cell phone, which she only uses in absolute emergencies. For food, Jane heats water from streams, and eats porridge as well as oatcakes and cheesecakes.
She travels from England to Scotland on horseback
On her journey , Jane returns to see people she has met on her previous trips.
“It’s nice to see them again ,” she said. I call them in the morning to tell them that I will be there in the evening. I don’t tell them too much in advance, because if the weather suddenly changes or if I decide to stop early, they might wonder where I am.”
If her walks are always pleasant, Jane often discovers abandoned waste in nature. Its course is sometimes dangerous, because of certain motorists who do not tighten to let it pass on the narrow roads. Despite these drawbacks, Jane does not intend to stop traveling the country.
