Cairngorms Ultra
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Cairngorms Ultra Trail
The Cairngorms Ultra Trail takes place on Saturday 13 June 2026 and is based at Mar Lodge Estate, three miles west of Braemar in Aberdeenshire. The start and finish are located at Mar Lodge and event parking and basic camping are available at the venue.
The route is waymarked and follows largely off‑road trails, old drove roads and mountain passes through the Cairngorms National Park. The course reaches a maximum height of about 700 m and records 1006 m of ascent and 1007 m of descent. The route passes through Caledonian pinewoods in Glens Derry, Luibeg and Quoich and traverses the Lairig an Laoigh and Lairig Ghru. The majority of the course follows well defined paths and tracks with only small sections on minor roads.
Distances
- 60 km full course (1006 m ascent)
- Approx 48 km short course option via CP5 at Linn of Dee
Aid stations are limited for environmental reasons; they are located at Derry Lodge (around 23 km) and Linn of Dee (around 45 km). Participants should carry sufficient food and water supplies; fresh mountain water is available at natural rivers on the route. A GPX file is provided and navigational devices are permitted as backup.
Entries are limited due to conservation restrictions and minimum entry age is 18 years. The full event carries an overall time limit of 12.5 hours with intermediate cut offs. Early bird entry and refund conditions apply. Camping at the venue is basic and priced at £10 per tent or camper van per night; toilets and fresh water are provided but there are no showers or electric hookups. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
