Highland Fling Ultramarathon
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Highland Fling 53 mile Ultra Trail Marathon
The 2026 Highland Fling is a point-to-point trail ultramarathon held on Saturday 29 August 2026 along the southern section of the West Highland Way. The route runs from Milngavie to Tyndrum through Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, covering 53 miles (85 km) with approximately 2300 m of ascent and 2100 m of descent. The course is about 90% trail and 10% road and is waymarked so navigation is not required.
The event features live chip timing, free luggage transfer from start to finish, a drop bag system with three drop locations, free showers and food at the finish, heated marquees, post-race massage, and official event photos. An afterparty is held in a marquee with a donation bar and a BYOB policy. Event buses run before and after the race for an extra cost.
Entry requires completion of an ultramarathon, a road marathon under five hours, or a trail marathon after 1 January 2024; entrants who have not yet met this may complete a qualifying event by 1 June 2026. Minimum age on race day is 20 years.
Race rules include no external support or pacers, required mandatory kit (emergency foil blanket, waterproof jacket with taped seams and hood, headtorch, charged mobile phone), limited earphone use, no dogs, and permitted use of poles from CP1 Beechtree (7.5 miles) onwards. The use of NSAIDs on race day is forbidden. The refund and deferral policy includes a 14 day cooling off period, 50% refunds until 1 July 2026, and no refunds after that date; deferrals are allowed only for pregnancy or adoption. The event lists a range of equality and inclusivity measures such as gender entry options, an early start for slower runners, support for breastfeeding runners, period products in portaloos, and low income support options. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
