Black Beacon Mountain Trail Races
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Event
The Black Beacon is a series of linear long-distance mountain trail races held from Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November 2026. The event starts and finishes around Hay on Wye and crosses the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) and the Black Mountains. Minimum age to enter is 18. Entries open on 28 November 2025 and close on 25 October 2026. Entry fees are: 100 mile £160, 50 mile £90, 50 km £60, 21 mile £50. The event organizer is Run Walk Crawl.
Races and logistics
The event includes four race distances with stated ascent and routes:
- 100 mile - +7500 m ascent. Hay on Wye to Pontneddfechan and back
- 50 mile - +3750 m ascent. Pontneddfechan to Hay on Wye
- 50 km - +2200 m ascent. Pontneddfechan to Llangynidir
- 21 mile - +1200 m ascent. Llangynidir to Hay on Wye
Checkpoints are provided on course: 13 for the 100 mile, 6 for the 50 mile, and 3 for each of the 50 km and 21 mile races. The trails are described as fast and not overly technical, with navigation relatively straightforward. There is an option to add coach transport from the finish to the start. Participants may also purchase XCover for possible refunds under certain circumstances. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
