How much do you really know about the Scottish Highlands? It’s a valid question, even amongst Brits.
It’s easy to conjure images of tartan, midges, whisky distilleries and the Loch Ness monster. But the remote wilderness is huge, accounting for 11.4% of the landmass of Great Britain. Instead of jumping on a tour bus, the best way to understand the Highlands might just be to run them. As luck would have it, a fairly new race — and arguably Scotland’s most scenic one — encourages you to do just that.
Founded in 2021 and now held annually at the end of April, the Highland Ultra kicks off on Scotland’s remote Knoydart Peninsula and covers nearly 78 miles of rugged trails and 16,500 feet of ascent. Naturally, it has scenery to spare. Think lochs, mountain passes, ancient woodlands and one of the country’s most isolated beaches. You might spot otters, dolphins, foxes, two different types of eagles and a rare species of whale.
“It’s insanely picturesque,” says race director Kris King, who calls Knoydart one of the “most beautiful and untouched places in Britain.”
Arguably better than all of that, though, is The Old Forge, Great Britain’s most remote pub, and the de facto finishing point for your self-supported three-day adventure. Not only will you have earned a pint by the time you cross the finish line, but race entries go toward helping run the pub, too.
The Ultimate Ultra
When King was looking to expand his Beyond the Ultimate race series in the U.K., there really was no other choice than this. In the four years since the founding of the Highland Ultra, the race has only grown in stature, and now attracts some of the best ultrarunners in the world. “It’s unique because, unlike the rest of Britain, large parts of Scotland haven’t got commercial permission to operate large amounts of tourists,” King explains. “But there’s this deep heritage of travel and adventure.”
Ben Harrison, 42, had tackled some of Beyond’s previous events, and saw the Highland Ultra both as his next challenge, and as a way to prove himself once and for all. Harrison began running ultras in 2019, after finishing his first marathon a decade earlier. Originally from Wales, his running has taken him across the world; he’s run ultras in deserts, jungles, even the Arctic Circle.
Describing himself as a “slow plodder” in his early days, Harrison had just finished the Mountain Ultra in Kyrgyzstan two years ago when a fellow runner told him that, with a little bit of training, he might become a contender. Harrison doubled down, hiring a running coach and shifting his training from endless slow runs to more speed and sprint training in the gym. Last year, he ran the Jungle Ultra in the Amazon — and won.
“I surprised myself,” Harrison says. Running in the Amazon, he says, prepared him for the Scottish Highlands. Not because the Highlands are full of jaguars, vines or howler monkeys, but because they’re both pretty wet, humid environments. Wanting to make sure his victory wasn’t a fluke, he signed up for the Highland Ultra.
Runner’s Purgatory
The Highland Ultra begins, somewhat alarmingly, with a section competitors affectionately refer to as “Heaven and Hell.” (The Knoydart Peninsula is sandwiched between lochs Nevis and Hourn — frequently translated as “Loch Heaven” and “Loch Hell.”) Starting on the beach, in the remote village of Inverie — which is accessible only via boat or a torturous mountain hike — runners set off on the peninsula’s only road, winding along the shore.
On a clear day, you might see various large ocean mammals as you go. From there, you’ll descend down to sea level, passing a remote hamlet with spectacular views of the Isle of Skye and the Cuillin ridge. One river-crossing later, and it’s a three-mile grind uphill, before a return to Inverie, a four-mile climb, and a final six-mile single track along the coast. You don’t have to worry about cars either — just 111 residents call the peninsula home, meaning you’ll mostly have the place to yourself for the entirety of the initial 31-mile section.
What It’s Like Running a “Hut-to-Hut” Through the Swiss Alps
Breathtaking landscapes by day, mountain cabins by night, and as many miles as you can handle with just cows and chamois for companyReading about it sounds idyllic. Running it, less so. “The Highland Ultra packs everything into its shorter format: steep climbs that test your mental resilience, river crossings, mud, bogs, scrambling sections, and potentially rapid weather shifts that throw all four seasons at you in a day. It’s a full-on adventure,” says Ioana Barbu, who is aiming to become the second woman ever to complete Beyond’s full race series.
While the Highland Ultra is “just” a three-day run instead of the usual five, Barbu says it’s not to be underestimated and is “absolutely a race that demands respect.”
“I had a terrible day,” admits Harrison, reflecting on the first leg. “I was quite lucky to finish. The first 18 miles were actually quite runnable, but I didn’t really think about the heat at the pace we were going. I was completely under-hydrated. The last part is really steep mountains and I had just terrible cramps, dizziness and nausea. It was a textbook example of how not to run an event like that.”
Harrison slowed it down, sat for a while, and loaded up on electrolytes before pushing through the pain cave for the final few hours. Having run his share of ultras, and having done everything right to help his body recover, he knew the next few kilometers came down to mind over matter. “I just took it one kilometer at a time,” he says, “just looking back the whole time to see how close people were behind me.” He made it by focusing on making it through the first day and bedding down under the Highland stars by Kinloch Hourn.
The next day is all about uphills, with a punishing, slow climb through some of the most isolated and severe scenery of the race. We’re talking 29 miles of river crossings and mountain passes, with only the occasional red deer darting by, but not many other humans.
“It’s a genuinely hard day,” says Harrison. “It took me six hours, and while I was going a lot faster than on day one, it was an absolute slog. It’s basically straight up or straight down through quite technical terrain, although the views were incredible.”
The final day is a 17-mile effort to the summit of one of the peninsula’s imposing Munro mountains, Luinne Bheinn — known to Gaelic-challenged visitors as “Loony Bin.” From a clear day on the top, you’ll see over to the Isle of Skye and other islands of the Hebrides. The final section is mostly downhill, following the coastline to The Old Forge.
“The first six miles are amazing, because you’re going up really quite a steep ascent which is just about runnable,” Harrison says, “then the downs, you can just smash it.”
Even with the finish line in sight, the beauty of his surroundings was not lost on Harrison. “The U.K. isn’t really that remote a place,” he says, “and yet you can only get to Knoydart by boat, and the people there are completely cut off from the outside world. After you’ve left that village, there’s literally nothing there. You’re in the middle of nothing, like a postcard. You see very few people there and it’s completely your own unique experience.”
A Toast at the End of the World
In the end, Harrison crossed the finish line a good 15 minutes ahead of his nearest competitor. For many runners, though, the finish line isn’t the end — not when the staff of The Old Forge are waiting with a cold pint in hand.
Owned and run by the villagers, The Old Forge is everything you’d expect. Low beams, horseshoes on the walls, open fire, good ales on draught, friendly staff. “There were probably 50 people crammed in there,” Harrison laughs of the post-run celebrations. “You look out the window and the sea’s right there.” In other words, it’s the perfect spot for a dram of whisky.
Barbu missed out on the overall win, but claimed first among female competitors. “The descents were pure joy,” she says, “letting you really open up and fly. That’s the magic of this race — tough and beautiful in equal measure.”
The best thing about this ultra — and most races in this category, really — is that they’re open to anyone. And you don’t have to be the best runner out there to get involved. “For people who like nature and like meeting like-minded people, this is the perfect introduction to ultras,” Harrison says after a few days of post-run recovery.
Harrison recommends ultras to any moderate runner, even if the farthest you’ve ever gone is a half marathon. “Meeting cool people and experiencing great views in a place you wouldn’t normally visit is amazing,” he says. He brought his girlfriend with him to Scotland for her first ultra and she smashed it too.
“Just take the plunge,” he advises. “And adjust your expectations. You’re going to walk some sections, you’re going to take in the views and take it as it comes, but I guarantee that you’re going to have an adventure.”
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