Bennachie Ultra Marathon.
The Bennachie Ultra Marathon strings six peaks of the Bennachie hills in Aberdeenshire, Mither Tap and Oxen Craig among them, onto a single 31-mile loop. The trails are good to run on but almost nothing is level, so the preparation is less about the distance than about constant up and down and one very steep ramp at kilometre 20.
Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
The race is based at Chapel of Garioch and runs as a loop back to where it set out. The first of its three big climbs starts just before kilometre 6 and, at under two kilometres and 5.7 percent, is the kindest of them.
The core of the day comes at kilometre 20: in less than two kilometres you gain around 280 metres at an average of nearly 15 percent. The steepest part passes 24 percent, and most runners will not be running there. At kilometre 32 the longest climb arrives, a little over three kilometres at 8.4 percent with ramps close to 19 percent, and around 14 kilometres still lie beyond it. Together these three account for less than half of the total ascent. The remainder sits in shorter rises scattered over the whole loop, and every metre gained has to come back down.
Bennachie is a prominent range of hills in Aberdeenshire, and alongside Mither Tap and Oxen Craig the day also takes in Millstone Hill. Underfoot it is mostly good, runnable trail, with a short road section of three miles. What makes this race hard is the climbing, not the ground.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 6 | 2 km | 5.7 % | 12 % | +113 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 10.3 | 1.2 km | 6 % | 9.8 % | +70 m | — |
| km 20 | 1.9 km | 14.6 % | 24.2 % | +281 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 25.4 | 1.3 km | 6.5 % | 17.6 % | +82 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 32.4 | 3.3 km | 8.4 % | 18.6 % | +271 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 39.4 | 0.6 km | 10.6 % | 18.3 % | +58 m | — |
| km 42.8 | 0.6 km | 13.9 % | 21.3 % | +83 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 45.1 | 0.5 km | 10.2 % | 13.7 % | +54 m | — |
Climb categories follow the road-cycling convention and rate the terrain itself (length and gradient) regardless of sport: Cat. 4 marks the easiest rated climbs, Cat. 1 the hardest, and HC (hors catégorie, “beyond categorization”) is reserved for the most brutal ascents. Short climbs below the Cat. 4 threshold stay unrated.
How to pace Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027.
Start under control
Only a little over a tenth of the course is flat; the rest is climbing or descending. Split times mean little here, so run by effort rather than by kilometre. Because the trails are so runnable you will be tempted to run every small rise. Each one costs little, but over nearly 1,500 metres of ascent it adds up.
Hold your rhythm
The race is decided between kilometre 20 and the top of the long climb from kilometre 32. Take the steep ramp at a brisk hike from the bottom, because above 20 percent running saves little time and drains your legs. What counts at the top is not your time on the ramp but whether you have enough left to move steadily up the long climb that follows.
Spend what is left
The biggest trap comes earlier. Up to kilometre 20 the loop feels manageable: the first climb is gentle and the trails invite a quick tempo. Let yourself go on the early descents, tire your quads, and you will feel it over the final 14 kilometres, when the rises keep on coming.
Training plan for Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027: 12-week build
Build the base
Expect roughly six to nine hours for an age-group runner, depending on form. The effort is mostly aerobic but keeps being interrupted by steep sections where your heart rate climbs and you drop to a walk. You will rarely settle into one steady rhythm for long on this loop.
Train race pace
Two climbs set the priorities. The ramp at kilometre 20 calls for strong, economical uphill hiking: practise repeats of ten to fifteen minutes on the steepest slope you can find, at a fast walk. The long climb from kilometre 32 asks for something else, the ability to keep running moderate gradients with hours already in your legs. So put the hardest climbing of your long sessions deliberately into their final third.
Rehearse the course
Since the ascent is spread across the whole loop, make your long runs rolling from start to finish rather than repeating one big hill. Descending matters at least as much, because all that ascent has to be paid back on the way down: work quick downhill stretches in regularly so your quads still hold up after 40 kilometres.
Arrive fresh
A race on the second Saturday in October puts your longest sessions in late summer and early autumn. Use them to test your shoes on mixed ground too, since they have to grip on trail and cope with the road miles. With this many hours out, fuelling belongs in training: use the walking sections on climbs to eat and drink, exactly as you will on race day.
Courses
Download the Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027 course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Bennachie Ultra Marathon dynamically
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Everything about Bennachie Ultra Marathon.
How long is Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027?
Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027 is 49.89 km long. That distance shapes how much aerobic endurance, pace durability, and race-specific work belong in the training plan.
How much elevation gain does Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027 have?
Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027 has around 1,494 m of elevation gain over 49.89 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027?
Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027 is classified as Hilly, averaging 29.5 vertical metres per kilometre. 12% of the route is flat, 30% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 14% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027 have?
The hardest climb of Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027 starts at kilometre 20, runs for 1.9 km at an average of 14.6% and gains 281 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 3. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027 a loop course?
Yes, Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027 is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027 course?
Yes. The Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027 course is on this page as a free GPX download — ready to import into Garmin, Wahoo, Komoot, Strava or any other app that reads GPX.
How should I prepare for Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027?
Preparation for Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027 should account for 49.89 km, 1,494 m of elevation gain, current training load, and available training time. An adaptive plan helps place key sessions without ignoring recovery and real life.
What pacing strategy works for Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027?
The pacing strategy for Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027 should reflect 49.89 km, 1,494 m of elevation gain, and your current fitness. Start controlled and keep margin for sections where the profile or fatigue makes target pace harder.
When does Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027 take place?
Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027 takes place on October 9, 2027.
Where does Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027 take place?
Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027 takes place in Chapel of Garioch, United Kingdom.
How do I register for Bennachie Ultra Marathon 2027?
Registration runs through the organiser: cgm-ultra.co.uk. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
