Wild journey nearing finish line

One of the batons at Garvellachs, Argyll and Bute

An event in which four wooden batons are carried along four different routes, covering 2,500 miles, is coming to an end at Ben Nevis.

The Journey for the Wild has involved almost 1,000 people, walking, kayaking, cycling and sailing around Britain.

Conservation group The John Muir Trust organised the journey to promote the country's wild places.

The handcrafted batons will eventually be presented to the Scottish Parliament to form a sculpture.

The batons are due to come together on Friday after being carried from the Isles of Scilly, Shetland, St Kilda and the North Sea.

Covering 2,500 miles, the journey comprised 70 individual legs lasting a day to a week long.

The various routes started in May, June and July.

Lost baton

At one stage a baton was lost in a bog in the Western Isles, but a search of the area eventually recovered it.

Sam Baumber, journey co-ordinator, said the journey was undertaken with the interests of the environment at the heart of it.

He said: "They are travelling with a minimal environmental footprint and raising sponsorship to help protect wild land.

"The collaborative effort of everyone involved is truly inspiring."