The Highland March is an annual expedition by supporters of the Scottish football premier league club Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the final week of the league season. The supporters walk from the penultimate match to the final league game of the season, wherever those fixtures happen to be. It has become traditional that at both matches, the Highland Marchers parade around the pitch before kick off, bearing the Highland March flag and accompanied by a piper playing Highland Cathedral

Highland Cathedral

Highland Cathedral is a popular melody for the great highland bagpipe.This melody was composed by German musicians Ulrich Roever and Michael Korb in 1982 for a Highland games held in Germany. It has been proposed as the Scottish national anthem to replace unofficial anthems Scotland the Brave...

, the unofficial anthem of the city of Inverness.

History

The idea of The Highland March was conceived in the Market Bar in Inverness

Inverness

Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...

 on Hogmanay (31st December) 2002 when five supporters, Interthenet, Bronson, Shennachie, Seoras and Govan Jaggie gathered to celebrate the new year. Interthenet announced that he would be 50 in the coming new year and proposed that the group walk to the last game of the season at Falkirk

Falkirk

Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....

. Falkirk were top of the league at the time, with Inverness close behind in second place, so the idea of walking to a showdown fixture on the final day of the season held some appeal. The idea was subsequently floated on the club's unofficial website and the idea attracted further interest. The inaugural March left Inverness on Sunday 4th May 2003 and arrived in Falkirk six days later. Two of the marchers walked the full distance (what has since become known as an End to End) and the March has taken place every year since.

Here is the full itinerary of the Highland March:

2003 Highland March 1 Inverness

Inverness

Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...

 to Falkirk

Falkirk

Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....

2004 Highland March 2 Clyde

Clyde

-Places named Clyde:In Scotland:* River Clyde* Firth of ClydeIn Australia:* Clyde, New South Wales* Clyde, Victoria* Clyde River, New South WalesIn Canada:* Clyde, Prince Edward Island* Clyde, Quebec* Clyde, Ontario* Clyde, Alberta...

 to Inverness

Inverness

Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...

2005 Highland March 3 Dundee

Dundee

Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...

 to Inverness

Inverness

Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...

2006 Highland March 4 Inverness

Inverness

Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...

 to Dunfermline

Dunfermline

Dunfermline is a town and former Royal Burgh in Fife, Scotland, on high ground from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. According to a 2008 estimate, Dunfermline has a population of 46,430, making it the second-biggest settlement in Fife. Part of the town's name comes from the Gaelic word...

2007 Highland March 5 Inverness

Inverness

Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...

 to St Mirren

2008 Highland March 6 Falkirk

Falkirk

Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....

 to Inverness

Inverness

Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...

2009 Highland March 7 Kilmarnock

Kilmarnock

Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,734. It is the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'...

 to Inverness

Inverness

Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...

2010 Highland March 8 Ayr

Ayr

Ayr is a town and port situated on the Firth of Clyde in south-west Scotland. With a population of around 46,000, Ayr is the largest settlement in Ayrshire, of which it is the county town, and has held royal burgh status since 1205...

 to Inverness

Inverness

Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...

2011 Highland March 9 Inverness

Inverness

Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...

 to Hamilton

Hamilton, South Lanarkshire

Hamilton is a town in South Lanarkshire, in the west-central Lowlands of Scotland. It serves as the main administrative centre of the South Lanarkshire council area. It is the fifth-biggest town in Scotland after Paisley, East Kilbride, Livingston and Cumbernauld...

Highland March 1

Inverness to Falkirk (4th to 10th May 2003) 160 miles

Inverness to Carrbridge, 30 miles

Carrbridge to Tromie Bridge, 22 miles

Tromie Bridge to Blair Atholl, 28 miles

Blair Atholl to Dunkeld, 22 miles

Dunkeld to Kinkell Bridge, 26 miles

Kinkell Bridge to Bannockburn, 23 miles

Bannockburn to Brockville Stadium, Falkirk, 9 miles

Highland March 2

Clyde to Inverness (8th to 15th May 2004) 152 miles

Broadwood Stadium to Stirling, 15 miles

Stirling to Crieff, 22 miles

Crieff to Kenmore, 21 miles

Kenmore to Dalnacardoch, 20 miles

Dalnacardoch to Tromie Bridge, 22 miles

Tromie Bridge to Carrbridge, 22 miles

Carrbridge to Daviot, 22 miles

Daviot to Caledonian Stadium, Inverness, 8 miles

Highland March 3

Dundee to Inverness (14th to 21st May 2005)

HM3 saw the introduction of Teams in order to challenge individual marchers according to their ability.

Team Gringo 138 miles

Dens Park, Dundee to Coupar Angus, 15 miles

Coupar Angus to Dunkeld, 15 miles

Dunkeld to Blair Atholl, 28 miles

Blair Atholl to Dalnacardoch, 12 miles

Dalnacardoch to Tromie Bridg,e 22 miles

Tromie Bridge to Carrbridge, 22 miles

Carrbridge to Daviot, 22 miles

Daviot to Caledonian Stadium, Inverness, 8 miles

Team Yompa 149 miles

Dens Park, Dundee to Coupar Angus, 15 miles

Coupar Angus to Amulree, 23 miles

Amulree to Tummel Bridge, 22 miles

Ascent of Schiehallion, 4 miles

Tummel Bridge to Dalnacardoch, 11 miles

Dalnacardoch to Tromie Bridge, 22 miles

Tromie Bridge to Carrbridge, 22 miles

Carrbridge to Daviot, 22 miles

Daviot to Caledonian Stadium, Inverness, 8 miles

Highland March 4

Inverness to Dunfermline

Team Gringo (30th April to 3rd May 2006) 147 miles

Inverness to Sluggan Bridge, 23 miles

Sluggan Bridge to Newtonmore, 23 miles

Newtonmore to Dalnacardoch, 23 miles

Dalnacardoch to Ballanluig, 23 miles

Ballanluig to Almondbank, 25 miles

Almondbank to Cleish, 21 miles

Cleish to East End Park, Dunfermline, 9 miles

Team Yompa (3rd May to 6th May 2006) 136 miles

Inverness to Pitlochry, 70 miles

Pitlochry to Cleish, 57 miles

Cleish to East End Park, Dunfermline, 9 miles

Highland March 5

Inverness to St Mirren (12th to 19th May 2007) 168 miles

HM5 brought about the challenge of most of the Great Glen Way

Great Glen Way

The Great Glen Way is a long distance footpath in Scotland. It follows the Great Glen, running from Fort William in the west to Inverness in the east, covering 73 miles . It was opened in 2002 and is one of Scotland's four long distance routes. The Great Glen Way is generally walked from west to...

 with most of the West Highland Way

West Highland Way

The West Highland Way is a linear long distance footpath in Scotland, with the official status of Long Distance Route. It is 154.5km long, running from Milngavie north of Glasgow to Fort William in the Scottish Highlands, with an element of hill walking in the route...

, back to back in a week.

Team Gringo

Achnabet to Easter Drummond, 15 miles (day 1 part 1)

Inverness to Achnabet, 12 miles (day 1 part 2)

Easter Drummond to Gairlochy, 29 miles

Gairlochy to Kinlochleven, 24 miles

Kinlochleven to Tyndrum, 28 miles

Tyndrum to Inversnaid, 19 miles

Inversnaid to Balloch, 24 miles

Balloch to Glasgow Airport, 15 miles

Glasgow Airport to Love Street, Paisley, 1 mile

Team Yompa

Inverness to Fort William, 67 miles

Fort William to Kinlochleven, 14 miles

Kinlochleven to Tyndrum, 28 miles

Tyndrum to Inversnaid, 19 miles

Inversnaid to Dumbarton, 31 miles

Dumbarton to Love Street, Paisley, 9 miles

Highland March 6

Falkirk to Inverness (10th to 17th May 2008) 149 miles

Westfield Stadium, Falkirk to Tillicoultry, 13 miles

Tillicoultry to Gilmerton, 25 miles

Gilmerton to Kenmore, 20 miles

Kenmore to Dalnacardoch 20 miles (Yompa via Schiehallion)

Dalnacardoch to Tromie Bridge 22 miles

Tromie Bridge to Carrbridge 22 miles

Carrbridge to Daviot 22 miles

Daviot to Caledonian Stadium, Inverness 8 miles

Highland March 7

Kilmarnock to Inverness (16th to 23rd May 2009) 187 miles

Rugby Park, Kilmarnock to Aberfoyle, 53 miles

Aberfoyle to Killin, 27 miles

Killin to Trinafour, 33 miles

Trinafour to Tromie Bridge, 26 miles

Tromie Bridge to Slochd Summit, 28 miles

Slochd Summit to Falcon Square, Inverness, 20 miles

Falcon Square to Caledonian Stadium, 2 miles

Highland March 8

Ayr to Inverness (24th April to 1st May 2010) 203 miles

HM8 challenged the marchers with the same route as HM5 (in reverse), plus an extra 35 miles at the front end....

Somerset Park, Ayr to Lapwing Lodge, 30 miles

Lapwing Lodge to Rowardennan Lodge, 38 miles

Rowardennan Lodge to Tyndrum, 26 miles

Tyndrum to Kinlochleven, 28 miles

Kinlochleven to Clunes, 26 miles

Clunes to Whitebridge Viewpoint, 25 miles

Whitebridge Viewpoint to Falcon Square, Inverness, 28 miles

Falcon Square to Caledonian Stadium, 2 miles

Highland March 9

(11th May to 14th May 2011)

The Highland Marchers have been awarded the most difficult challenge to date: 160 miles in two and a half days. The itinerary is punishing:

Inverness to Kenmore, 80 miles

Kenmore to Cumbernauld, 60 miles

Cumbernauld to Hamilton, 20 miles

Ranks

The concept of Highland March ranks were introduced in Highland March 3 in recognition of miles walked:

0-27 Wum

28-99 Cadet

100-199 Private

200-299 Corporal

300-399 Sergeant

400-499 Lieutenant

500-599 Captain

600-799 Major

800-999 Colonel

1000-1499 Brigadier

1500-1999 Field Marshal

2000+ Legendaire

The rank of General is an honorary title given to the support driver and has exclusively been the rank of Dogsbody since 2006. However in 2010, it passed to Carbon Footprint.

The official Highland March ranks at the start of HM8 were as follows:

Brigadier Yompa

Brigadier Gringo Junior

General Dogsbody

General Carbon Footprint

Colonel Gringo

Captain Chumba

Captain Slater

Captain Dunco

Lieutenant Mrs Gringo

Sergeant Paulie Bee

Sergeant Mrs Pauliee Bee

Corporal Caley Canary

Private Lady Madonna

Private Fro'in

Private Brew XI

Private Smurf

Private Calluna

Cadet Radio Caroline

Cadet Howden Ender

Cadet Bullzaye

Cadet Caleyceuticals

Cadet CuteCaleyChick

Cadet Lauraness

Cadet Bronson

Cadet Elvis

Cadet SatNav

Cadet Interthenet Micro

Cadet Shennachie

Cadet Seoras

Wum

External links

The official Highland March website http://www.highlandmarch.co.uk

The official Inverness Caledonian Thistle website http://www.ictfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Home/0,,10447,00.html

CaleyThistleOnline - #1 Fans website http://www.caleythistleonline.com

The Caley Jaggie http://www.invernesscaledonianthistle-mad.co.uk/news/loadfeat.asp?cid=EDZ1

The Kilmarnock Standard http://www.kilmarnockstandard.co.uk/lifestyle/lifestyle-news-kilmarnock/2009/05/08/inverness-caley-fans-start-annual-trek-at-rugby-park-81430-23554299/

Reuters News Agency http://uk.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUKTRE55401220090605