Granite Peaks Ultra – Irish Ultra Championship Race (IUC)

(Map: https://itra.run/Races/RaceDetails/Granite.Peaks.Ultra.Granite.Peaks.Ultra.50k/2026/111614)

The Granite Peaks Ultra (55km) event starts and finishes at Tollymore Forest Park, Bryansford, just below the main car park. 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 towards 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, turning right at the Slieve Binnian/ Slievelamaghan col to summit Slievelamaghan and from there it make its ways to The Brandy Pad, via Cove Mountain and Slieve Beg summits. It continues in an easterly direction before veering southwards on a track above the Annalong buttresses, towards Hares Castle before swing back eastwards to reach the Mourne Wall at the foot of Rocky where the route will then turn left towards the Bog of Donard. From there the race ascends Slieve Donard, traversing Commedagh, Slieve Corragh and Slievenaglogh. At which point it descends in the direction of Hares Gap before heading up towards Slieve Bearnagh summit, onwards to the tower on Slieve Meelmore before descending on a track just above Spellack towards the sheepfold and onto the Trassey Track, going from there back into Tollymore Forest and to the finish line, just below the Tollymore Forest main car park.

Granite Peaks 25 – NIMRA League Race

(Map: https://itra.run/Races/RaceDetails/Granite.Peaks.Ultra.Granite.Peaks.25/2026/112998 )

The Granite Peaks 25 (28km) event starts and finishes at Tollymore Forest Park, Bryansford, just below the main car park. 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 towards 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 up towards the Slieve Binnian/ Slievelamaghan col turning left towards the summit of Slievelamaghan. From there it make its ways to The Brandy Pad, skirting Cove Mountain and summitting Slieve Beg. At that point the races takes a left and follows the Brandy pad to Hare’s Gap where it the race descends to the Trassey Track and makes its way back into Tollymore Forest, past the Kings Grave ending at the the finish line, just below the Tollymore Forest main car park.

Both races are part of the ITRA National League for 2026

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.

*Poles permitted on the Ultra course but not on the 25k course

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/