Granite Peaks Ultra 80k and 50k and Granite Peaks 25 events are mountain running races organised by Northern Ireland Mountain Running Association as part of the festival of Running weekend. Each race starts at the rear of the Tollymore National Outdoor Centre on Sunday 25th May 2025. The 80k and the 50k are acting as qualifying races for the IMRA team selection for the Canfranc World Championships in September 2025.

The 80k race starts at 6:00AM, the 50k race starts at 9:00am and the 25k race starts at 11:00AM

Granite Peaks 80km
The Granite Peaks Ultra (80km) event starts at 6:00am on Sunday 25th May 2025 at Tollymore Forest Park, Bryansford, to the rear of the Tollymore National Outdoor Centre. After a tour of both Tollymore and Donard Forests (approximately 30km) it makes its way towards the Kings Grave (Tollymore Forest), and beyond to Trassey Track. The route continues up Trassey Track turns right once through the upper stile and heads for Happy Valley where it follows the track up to cross the Mourne Wall at the col between Meelmore and Meelbeg, proceeding in an anticlockwise direction following the wall to the dam at Silent Valley.

The race will continue up the access road alongside the Silent Valley and Ben Crom Reservoirs climbing the steps and making its way to the Slieve Binnian summit, via the Slievelamaghan/ Binnian col where it will follow the Mourne Wall down to the track at the edge of Annalong Wood. From there it will go up the track past the Blue Lough to Slievelamaghan and make its ways to The Brandy Pad, via Cove Mountain and Slieve Beg. It continues in an easterly direction to reach the Mourne Wall at the foot of Rocky where it again will turn left towards the Bog of Donard before ascending Slieve Donard, Commedagh, Slieve Corragh and Slievenaglogh. At which point it descends to Hares Gap before climbing up and over Slieve Bearnagh, climbing Meelmore (for the second time) before descending towards the sheep pen at the top of the Trassey Track. From there the route follows Trassey Track and back into Tollymore Forest, past Kings Grave again and on to the finish line at the Tollymore National Outdoor Centre.

Granite Peaks 50km
The Granite Peaks Ultra (50k) event starts at 9:00am on Sunday 25th May 2025 at Tollymore Forest Park, Bryansford, to the rear of the Tollymore National Outdoor Centre. From there it makes its way down the hill, turning right at the bottom and heading over Parnell’s Bridge towards the Kings Grave, and beyond to Trassey Track. The route continues up Trassey Track turns right once through the upper stile and heads for Happy Valley where it follows the track up to cross the Mourne Wall at the col between Meelmore and Meelbeg, proceeding in an anti-clockwise direction following the wall to the dam at Silent Valley.

The race will continue up the access road alongside the Silent Valley and Ben Crom Reservoirs climbing the steps and making its way to the Slieve Binnian summit, via the Slievelamaghan/ Binnian col where it will follow the Mourne Wall down to the track at the edge of Annalong Wood. From there it will go up the track past the Blue Lough to Slievelamaghan and make its ways to The Brandy Pad, via Cove Mountain and Slieve Beg. It continues in an easterly direction to reach the Mourne Wall at the foot of Rocky where it again will turn left towards the Bog of Donard before ascending Slieve Donard, Commedagh, Slieve Corragh and Slievenaglogh. At which point it descends to Hares Gap before climbing up and over Slieve Bearnagh, climbing Meelmore before descending towards the sheep pen at the top of the Trassey Track. From there the route follows Trassey Track and back into Tollymore Forest, past Kings Grave again and on to the finish line at the Tollymore National Outdoor Centre.

Granite Peaks 25km
The Granite Peaks 25k event starts at 11:00am on Sunday 25th May 2025 at Tollymore Forest Park, Bryansford, to the rear of the Tollymore National Outdoor Centre. From there it makes its way towards the Kings Grave, and beyond towards Trassey Track. The route continues up Trassey Track turns right once through the upper stile and heads for Happy Valley where it follows the track up to cross the Mourne Wall at the col between Meelmore and Meelbeg, proceeding in an anti-clockwise direction following the wall to the stile at the col between Slieve Loughshannagh and Carn Mountain.From there the race takes a left turn down the track between Loughshannagh and Doan all the way down to the top of Ben Crom Dam. Crossing the dam the race continues leftwards and follows the track up and over Slievelamaghan, across Cove and Beg mountains and descending onto the Brandy Pad. At that point the races takes a left and follows the Brandy Pad to Hare’s Gap crosses the stile and descends towards the sheep pen at the top of the Trassey Track. From there it makes its way down the Trassey Track and back into Tollymore Forest, past the Kings Grave ending at the Tollymore National Outdoor Centre.

The GPX files for the race routes are available on  http://www.granitepeaksultra.com/

For all of the races full race kit will be required including body cover (waterproof trousers, waterproof coat, hat & gloves), whistle, fell shoes. No road trainers.

The race routes will be clearly marked and tracked, using Primal Tracking.  Entries will not be available on race day. Please note walking poles, headphones or earbuds are not permitted in accordance with NIMRA race guidelines. The full Safety, Health and Wellbeing assessment and controls sheet is available on http://www.granitepeaksultra.com/

Help us reduce waste. Please bring you own water bottles and fill at the Tollymore Outdoor Centre, before starting Water will be available at designated aid stations also. No water bottles will be provided.

The full Habitat Impact Assessment and controls sheet is available on http://www.granitepeaksultra.com/