UK Big 3 Rounds
Ultras by Region
Route Index
Assynt Traverse
Bala Challenge
Bob Baxter Traverse
Bob Graham Round
Bowland Dozen
Bowland 1500’s
Broxap Round
Cairngorm Munros
Canary Islands 3 Peaks
Charlie Ramsay Round
Charnley Way
Cleveland Hills Challenge
Cuillin Round
Cumbrian Traverse
Dales Skyline
Dales Top Ten
Dales 2000’s
Dark Peak County Tops
Dragon’s Tongue
Durham Hewitts
Freeman Round
Glen Lyon Corbett Round
Great North Inns Run
Harvey Howgill Tops
John Fleetwood Scottish Routes
Joss Naylor Lakeland Challenge
Knoydart 7
Lakes 24
Lakes 25@25
Lakes 2500’s
Leventon’s Line
Meirionnydd Round
National & Yorkshire 3 Peaks
No Cure Always Hope
Over The Hill Round
Paddy Buckley Round
Ring of Fire - Galloway
Scottish 4000’s
Six County Tops - Peak
Snowdonia Skyline
Snowdon to Pumlumon
South Pennine 39 Trigs
South Wales Traverse
Tan Hill to Kirkstone Pass Inn
Tranter’s Round
Tyndrum Round
Upper Calder 13 Trigs
Wainwright 7 Summits
Wicklow Round
Yorkshire Round
Yorkshire 2000’s
Sub-Ultras
COMPLETIONS
Where there is a recorder please contact them to log your completion. In addition, or if there isn't a recorder, you are invited to share your experience on the gofar facebook page to encourage and inspire other runners to have a go!
ULTRA-DISTANCE CHALLENGES
UK Big 3 Rounds
Ultras by Region
Route Index
Assynt Traverse
Bala Challenge
Bob Baxter Traverse
Bob Graham Round
Bowland Dozen
Bowland 1500’s
Broxap Round
Cairngorm Munros
Canary Islands 3 Peaks
Charlie Ramsay Round
Charnley Way
Cleveland Hills Challenge
Cuillin Round
Cumbrian Traverse
Dales Skyline
Dales Top Ten
Dales 2000’s
Dark Peak County Tops
Dragon’s Tongue
Durham Hewitts
Freeman Round
Glen Lyon Corbett Round
Great North Inns Run
Harvey Howgill Tops
John Fleetwood Scottish Routes
Joss Naylor Lakeland Challenge
Knoydart 7
Lakes 24
Lakes 25@25
Lakes 2500’s
Leventon’s Line
Meirionnydd Round
National & Yorkshire 3 Peaks
No Cure Always Hope
Over The Hill Round
Paddy Buckley Round
Ring of Fire - Galloway
Scottish 4000’s
Six County Tops - Peak
Snowdonia Skyline
Snowdon to Pumlumon
South Pennine 39 Trigs
South Wales Traverse
Tan Hill to Kirkstone Pass Inn
Tranter’s Round
Tyndrum Round
Upper Calder 13 Trigs
Wainwright 7 Summits
Wicklow Round
Yorkshire Round
Yorkshire 2000’s
Sub-Ultras
COMPLETIONS
Where there is a recorder please contact them to log your completion. In addition, or if there isn't a recorder, you are invited to share your experience on the gofar facebook page to encourage and inspire other runners to have a go!
UK Big 3 Rounds
Ultras by Region
Route Index
Assynt Traverse
Bala Challenge
Bob Baxter Traverse
Bob Graham Round
Bowland Dozen
Bowland 1500’s
Broxap Round
Cairngorm Munros
Canary Islands 3 Peaks
Charlie Ramsay Round
Charnley Way
Cleveland Hills Challenge
Cuillin Round
Cumbrian Traverse
Dales Skyline
Dales Top Ten
Dales 2000’s
Dark Peak County Tops
Dragon’s Tongue
Durham Hewitts
Freeman Round
Glen Lyon Corbett Round
Great North Inns Run
Harvey Howgill Tops
John Fleetwood Scottish Routes
Joss Naylor Lakeland Challenge
Knoydart 7
Lakes 24
Lakes 25@25
Lakes 2500’s
Leventon’s Line
Meirionnydd Round
National & Yorkshire 3 Peaks
No Cure Always Hope
Over The Hill Round
Paddy Buckley Round
Ring of Fire - Galloway
Scottish 4000’s
Six County Tops - Peak
Snowdonia Skyline
Snowdon to Pumlumon
South Pennine 39 Trigs
South Wales Traverse
Tan Hill to Kirkstone Pass Inn
Tranter’s Round
Tyndrum Round
Upper Calder 13 Trigs
Wainwright 7 Summits
Wicklow Round
Yorkshire Round
Yorkshire 2000’s
Sub-Ultras
COMPLETIONS
Where there is a recorder please contact them to log your completion. In addition, or if there isn't a recorder, you are invited to share your experience on the gofar facebook page to encourage and inspire other runners to have a go!
UK Big 3 Rounds
Ultras by Region
Route Index
Assynt Traverse
Bala Challenge
Bob Baxter Traverse
Bob Graham Round
Bowland Dozen
Bowland 1500’s
Broxap Round
Cairngorm Munros
Canary Islands 3 Peaks
Charlie Ramsay Round
Charnley Way
Cleveland Hills Challenge
Cuillin Round
Cumbrian Traverse
Dales Skyline
Dales Top Ten
Dales 2000’s
Dark Peak County Tops
Dragon’s Tongue
Durham Hewitts
Freeman Round
Glen Lyon Corbett Round
Great North Inns Run
Harvey Howgill Tops
John Fleetwood Scottish Routes
Joss Naylor Lakeland Challenge
Knoydart 7
Lakes 24
Lakes 25@25
Lakes 2500’s
Leventon’s Line
Meirionnydd Round
National & Yorkshire 3 Peaks
No Cure Always Hope
Over The Hill Round
Paddy Buckley Round
Ring of Fire - Galloway
Scottish 4000’s
Six County Tops - Peak
Snowdonia Skyline
Snowdon to Pumlumon
South Pennine 39 Trigs
South Wales Traverse
Tan Hill to Kirkstone Pass Inn
Tranter’s Round
Tyndrum Round
Upper Calder 13 Trigs
Wainwright 7 Summits
Wicklow Round
Yorkshire Round
Yorkshire 2000’s
Sub-Ultras
COMPLETIONS
Where there is a recorder please contact them to log your completion. In addition, or if there isn't a recorder, you are invited to share your experience on the gofar facebook page to encourage and inspire other runners to have a go!
The Assynt Traverse Scotland
Cul Mor, Suilven & Canisp from north-east of Stac Pollaidh (DJ Macpherson)
(© Copyright djmacpherson and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence )
The Assynt region is home to one of the most spectacular mountain landscapes in Britain and includes some of its most illustrious peaks. Although modest in height by Scottish standards, they rise dramatically from the surrounding bleak tableland as giant monoliths of rock, both mesmerising and captivating. The object of the route is a complete traverse of all its major peaks starting at Loch Lugainn below Stac Pollaidh and finishing at the Loch Glencoul viewpoint at Unapool near Kylescu. This involves climbing 12 peaks (3 on Quinag), covering nearly 50 miles and ascending some 21,000 feet. The route was conceived by Tony Wimbush and first completed in 2010 by Pete Simpson, Tony Wimbush and Colin Brooke in a time of 26 hours 59 minutes.
Route
The object is to visit the 12 peaks listed below in a continuous run starting from the car park overlooking Loch Lugainn (GR NC 095 107) and finishing at the viewpoint overlooking Loch Glencoul (GR NC 321 235).
OS Explorer Maps: Use 439 - Coigach & Summer Isles and 442 - Assynt & Lochinver
Route Guidance:
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Stac Pollaidh has two summits, either is acceptable for this route. Non-climbers are recommended to use a rope on the 'mauvais pas' when ascending the higher western summit.
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Between Cul Mor and Suilven it is necessary to cross the Uidh Fhearna, a broad stretch of water between Loch Veyatie and Fionn Loch. This was readily crossed in 2010 even after a period of heavy rain but it is worth checking beforehand to ensure a crossing is still practical. Trekking poles may assist.
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Between Breabag and Ben More Assynt it is recommended you follow Andy Walmsley's advice contained in his guidebook (see below). Do not attempt a direct ascent of Conival's south-west face. Instead skirt round into Garbh Coire and ascend some 300m of scree leading up to the ridge between Conival and Ben More Assynt
Schedule
Click on the icon to view/print a schedule (excel) for the inaugural run
Completions
Finishers are invited to add their name to the completions log. Please supply a GPX file plus name, date, club and age category plus details of hill and road support (if applicable) and send to Jonny Muir - email: jonny_muir@hotmail.com. There are no time limits or rules.
Why not share your experience on facebook to encourage and inspire other runners to have a go!
Links and Further Information
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Enquiries and reports - email Tony Wimbush: gofar99@gmail.com
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Over the hill... and far away - a treble at 60! Tony Wimbush (The Fellrunner, Autumn 2010) - an article which includes a brief account of the inaugural 2010 traverse.
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The Assynt Traverse: Blow by blow account - Report and schedule by Tomas Frydrch of his 2016 crossing in 23-54.
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The Story of John Fleetwood's May 2018 Assynt Traverse - link to John's blog
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Inchnadamph Lodge - hostel type B & B accommodation, twin rooms available.
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The Assynt Foundation - an overview of the region.
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The Corbetts and other Scottish Hills (SMC Hillwalkers Guide,2002) - includes all the peaks in the Assynt region except for the two Munros - Conival and Ben More Assynt.
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Walking in Scotland's Far North, Andy Walmsley (Cicerone, 2003) - includes a useful section on the peaks within the Assynt region.
UK Big 3 Rounds
Challenges by Region
Route Index
Andy's Southern Fells
Assynt Traverse
Bala Challenge
Bay Limestone Round
Bob Baxter Traverse
Bob Graham Round
Bowland Dozen
Bowland 1500’s
Broxap Round
Cairngorm Munros
Canary Islands 3 Peaks
Charlie Ramsay Round
Charnley Way
Cleveland Hills Challenge
Cuillin Round
Cumbrian Traverse
Dales Skyline
Dales Top Ten
Dales 2000’s
Dark Peak County Tops
Dragon’s Tongue
Durham Hewitts
George Fischer Tea Round
Glen Lyon Corbett Round
Great North Inns Run
Harvey Howgill Tops
John Fleetwood Scottish Routes
Joss Naylor Lakeland Challenge
Knoydart 7
Lakes 24
Lakes 25@25
Lakes 2500’s
Leventon’s Line
Meirionnydd Round
National & Yorkshire 3 Peaks
No Cure Always Hope
Over The Hill Round
Paddy Buckley Round
Ring of Fire - Galloway
Saddleworth 10 Trigs
Scottish 4000’s
Six County Tops - Peak
Snowdonia Skyline
Snowdon to Pumlumon
South Pennine 39 Trigs
South Wales Traverse
Tan Hill to Kirkstone Pass Inn
Tranter’s Round
Tyndrum Round
Upper Calder 13 Trigs
Wainwright 7 Summits
Wicklow Round
Yorkshire Round
Yorkshire 2000’s
COMPLETIONS
Where there is a recorder please contact them to log your completion. In addition, or if there isn't a recorder, you are invited to share your experience on the gofar facebook page to encourage and inspire other runners to have a go!
SAFETY WARNING
All the routes on this site require proven mountain running experience. You undertake them entirely at your own risk. Please take full mountain safety precautions at all times. Always ensure you carry sufficient clothing, food and equipment to cope with dramatic changes in the weather conditions! Appropriate insurance cover is recommended.
HAVE A GO!
The object of this website is to provide a single, ready source of information on the ultra-distance mountain challenges which have been developed over the past four or more decades. It now offers a diverse range of long and "short", old and recent, formal and informal routes from around the UK to encourage runners of all ages and abilities to have a go, subject to proven mountain experience in all conditions.
FRA LONG DISTANCE
RECORDS and NEWS
Please send details of any record-breaking runs and the like to Martin Stone who maintains records on behalf of the Fell Runners Association. Email: martin.stone@sportident.co.uk
Please also refer to the guidelines and definitions in the FRA Handbook.
HELP WANTED
If you can improve on the accuracy of this resource, spot any errors in grid references, names, heights, spelling or punctuation, or find a link which does not work please email Tony Wimbush.: gofar99@gmail.com
Similarly, if you wish to submit any new (or old) routes for inclusion see the contact page for the information and format that is required:.