Active Outdoors events 2025: Marathons, 5Ks, cycle sportives, hill races and more in the Highlands and Islands, Moray and Aberdeenshire
Get yourself ready for 2025 with our list of outdoor events taking place across the Highlands and Islands, and Moray and Aberdeenshire.
To suggest other events to be included, please send details to activeoutdoors@hnmedia.co.uk along with a high-resolution photograph if possible. Events will be added at the editor’s discretion.
Look out for further coverage of many of these events in Active Outdoors and across Highland News and Media’s websites, app and newspapers.
JANUARY
January 4 | Loch Morlich Running Festival
The Loch Morlich Running Festival gives you a chance to kick off your new year as you mean to go on, with a 5k and 10k run around the loch in Glenmore, near Aviemore.
www.fitnessat58.co.uk/our-events/loch-morlich-running-festival
January 11-12 | Strathpuffer
A brutal 24-hour mountain bike endurance event held at Contin and Strathpeffer in the depths of winter, with 17 hours of darkness, alongside some ice, wind, hail, mud and snow usually thrown in for good measure.
FEBRUARY
February 13-16 | Fort William Mountain Festival
The Fort William Mountain Festival offers people an opportunity to get out and explore the Lochaber landscapes with expert local guides, as well as showcasing the best outdoor films and speakers, plus competitions and more.
https://mountainfestival.co.uk
MARCH
March 8 | D33 Deeside Way Ultra
Out-and-back 33-mile ultra run starting at Duthie Park in Aberdeen.
March 9 | Inverness Half Marathon
Take on the half marathon or 5k in the Highland capital, starting at Bught Park and finishing in style on the track at the Queen’s Park athletics stadium.
www.invernesshalfmarathon.co.uk
March 15 | Craig Dunain Hill Race
The annual blast to the masts takes runners on a 10km off-road course with 390m of ascent. Registration and parking at Great Glen House.
www.highlandhillrunners.org.uk/clubraces.html
March 29 | MacAvalanche
A biking event with a difference, as riders hurtle through snow, descending over 900m from the top station at Aonach Mor to funnel onto the trails below the gondola at Nevis Range.
https://www.nevisrange.co.uk/event/macavalanche-2025/
APRIL
April 13 | The Moray Marathon
The only springtime road marathon in the north and east of Scotland, the Scottish Athletics approved course starts and finishes at the Morriston Playing Fields in Elgin. Organisers say it is a fast and flat route with a good PB potential. There is also a 20-mile course option.
https://www.moray-marathon.co.uk
April 20 | Easter 10k
Hosted by the Wick Triathalon Club in conjunction with North Highland Harriers, the Easter 10k goes from Staxigoe outside Wick to Noss Head Lighthouse and back.
https://www.northhighlandharriers.co.uk/nhh-events/easter10k/
April 27 | Etape Loch Ness
The closed-road cycle sportive see riders tackle a 66-mile route around the shores of Loch Ness, starting and finishing in Inverness.
MAY
May 3-4 | Ultra X Scotland
Runners take a tour around Loch Ness using mostly off-road trails, covering 110km over two days or 60/50km in one day. There is also a 25km single length run available.
https://ultra-x.co/ultra-x-scotland
May 10 | Moray Coastal Trail 50
Following the Moray Coastal Trail from Forres to Cullen, this is a 50-mile ultra with 1200ft of ascent along the scenic coastal path.
www.moraywayultras.com/coastal-trail-50
May 10 | Formartine and Buchan Way Ultra Marathon
Runners complete as many lengths of the 4.3-mile section between Maud station and Auchnagatt village hall as they can in the space of 12 hours.
May 10 | Kintyre Way Ultra
The Kintyre Way Ultra this year follows the section from Machrihanish to Campbeltown. Solo entry or relay teams accepted to cover the 35 miles of trail running.
May 11 | Race to the Base
A new and wild half marathon trail run to the base of Suilven in north-west Sutherland, with 1400ft elevation gain on a mix of tarmac and rough tracks.
May 11 | Run Garioch
A 5k, 10k, half marathon and junior run from the event base at Inverurie in Aberdeenshire.
May 17 | Bealach na Ba Cycle Sportive
A circuit of the Applecross peninsula taking in the famous Bealach na Ba climb on a closed road, with a start and finish in Shieldaig.
https://www.bealachsportive.com
May 17-23 | Ballater Walking Festival
Explore the natural beauty of the Cairngorms surrounding Ballater with a series of guided walks, plus evening events.
May 18-25 | Cape Wrath Ultra
Ultras don’t get much more ultra than this - 400km over eight days through the Highlands, from Fort William to Cape Wrath at the most north-westerly tip of the Great British mainland.
May 24 | Cycling in the Straths
A weekend of cycling, Mackay Country hospitality and local entertainment in one of the most beautiful and unspoilt parts of the country. There are two choices of rides, a 68-mile Strathnaver Challenge and a 48-mile Ben Hope Trial, with a gentler all-ages cycle around the Kyle of Tongue on the Sunday morning.
May 24 | Stornoway Half Marathon & 10k
The 40th edition of the popular Isle of Lewis half marathon, which takes place on a mix of road and trail – followed by the infamous post-race ceilidh!
May 31 | Cairngorms Ultra Trail
A 60km ultra trail run through wild and remote country in the Cairngorms. Starting and finishing at Mar Lodge near Braemar, runners will go deep into the heart of the mountains, crossing wild rivers and negotiating tough terrain in a circuit of the Ben Avon plateau.
www.highterrainevents.co.uk/cairngorm-ultra-trail
JUNE
June 7 | Lochalsh Dirty 30 Challenge
A 30-mile walk or run from Glenelg, passing the Skye Ferry, the Skye Bridge and Eilean Donan castle before climbing over the hills and past ancient brochs before returning to the finish in Glenelg. There’s also a shorter Dirty Dozen route over 12 miles.
June 14 | Celtman! Extreme Scottish Triathlon
The extreme Scottish triathlon sees competitors swim 3.4k in Loch Torridon before a 200k bike ride through Wester Ross and a marathon over the two Munros that make up Beinn Eighe.
June 14 | 10 Under the Ben
Mountain bike riders pit themselves against the clock on a 10-mile loop with 400 metres of elevation in the shadow of Ben Nevis in this endurance event that is open to solos, pairs, trios or quads.
https://www.nevisrange.co.uk/event/10-under-the-ben-2025/
June 14 | Isle of Skye Half Marathon
A popular closed-road half marathon on the Isle of Skye, starting and finishing in Portree.
June 15 | Touler 10k
The Touler 10K multi-terrain race follows a challenging, undulating route through the Afon Valley taking in the beautiful Glenavon Estate and Tomintoul. Organised by the Kirkmichael and Tomintoul Community Association, the route is approximately one-third trail and two-thirds tarmac.
June 21 | Highland Cross
The Highland Cross continues after celebrating the 40th edition of the 50-mile coast-to-coast duathlon last year, which has raised more than £6 million for Highland charities since 1983.
June 21 | West Highland Way Race
The 95-mile ultra race follows the West Highland Way from Milngavie to Fort William, including 4500m (14,760ft) of ascent. Experienced runners have a 35-hour time limit to complete the event, which is a qualifying race for the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc series.
June 28 | LDWA Highland Coast to Coast walk
A new challenge event organised by the North of Scotland Long Distance Walkers Association will see walkers trek 36 miles across country from Ullapool to Ardgay.
https://ldwa.org.uk/NorthWestGrampian/W/9911/highland-coast-to-coast.html
June 28 | Moray Way 100
Starting and finishing in Forres, this 100-mile “ish” race heads for the Moray coast at Findhorn, then goes east along the trail to Lossiemouth and Spey Bay before turning south on the Speyside Way. At Grantown the course joins the Dava Way for a final up and over to the finish. A relay option is also available with teams of up to four people running fixed legs of the course.
www.moraywayultras.com/moray-way-100
June 29 | Lairig Ghru Hill Race
The 50th anniversary of the Lairig Ghru Hill Race takes place in 2025. It has run consecutively every year without break since Eddie Campbell’s inaugural race in 1976. Entries open in late March. It is a category C Long Hill Race run over 43km between the police stations of Braemar and Aviemore, following the historic drove road rising to 2733ft between some of the highest peaks in Britain.
www.deesiderunners.com/races/lairig-ghru-race
JULY
July 5 | The Great Glen Ultra Marathons
A 72-mile ultramarathon from Fort William to Inverness along the Great Glen. The event is a qualifier for the UTMB, with a 22-hour cutoff. The terrain is a mixture of canal towpaths, forestry paths and tracks, and some roads. There is also a 42-mile option from Fort Augustus.
https://runyarocket.com/race/great-glen-ultra-marathon
AUGUST
August 16 | Great Wilderness Challenge
The Great Wilderness Challenge has raised more than £4 million for charities since it began in 1986. The event involves a choice of walking or running routes across 25, 13 or 7 miles around Dundonnell, Poolewe and Aultbea through the wilds of Wester Ross, with the additional option of a 10k fun run or limited mobility routes.
www.greatwildernesschallenge.info
August 16 | Speyside Way Ultras
A 50km/35 mile ‘original’ based on the long-running Speyside Way race from Ballindalloch to Buckie and a 100km/65-mile longer version that begins in Aviemore and joins the classic route at Ballindalloch.
www.moraywayultras.com/speyside-way-ultra
August 23 | Cairngorm to Coast
Hike 30km through the Cairngorms before a 70km cycle over the Dava Way and via the National Cycle Network to Lossiemouth on the Moray coast, plus bike only and hike only options.
August 30 | Ride the North
Ride the North comes to Glamis Castle in 2025, with two routes – of 100 miles and 70 miles. As always, the event is non-competitive and is described by organisers as a celebration of all that is good about cycling in the beautiful north-east of Scotland.
August 31 | Caithness Half Marathon
A half marathon following mostly single-track roads from Watten Hall in the village that lies between Wick and Thurso. Organised by local running club the North Highland Harriers.
https://www.northhighlandharriers.co.uk/nhh-events/caithness-half/
SEPTEMBER
September 6 | The Bá Sportive and The Bá Duathlon
The Bà Event Series, run by Jenny Graham, is in its first year and consists of two events that are described as “jaw-droppingly beautiful and extremely challenging”. The Sportive – previously known as the Bealach Mor run by Hands On Events – involves a tough 90-mile road bike ride including a closed-road ascent of the Bealach na Bá. The brand new Duathlon begins with an 18-mile mountainous run before merging into the Sportive’s Bealach na Bá ride to finish at Kinlochewe.
September 6-7 | Glenmore 24
A 12- or 24-hour trail race held in the Glenmore forest outside Aviemore. The route follows a four-mile loop on starting at the Hayfield then heading out on forest trails passing Loch Morlich.
https://www.entrycentral.com/event/126402
September 14 | Aviemore Triathlon
An open-water swim in Loch Morlich followed by some gnarly mountain biking on the Glenmore trails and finishing up with an off-road run. Two distances available.
durtyevents.com/our-events/aviemore-triathlon
September 20 | Skyline Scotland
The Salomon Skyline Scotland returns after taking a break in 2024 with a new home at Nevis Range, near Fort William. There will be 10 new race routes incorporating skyrunning, ultra and low-level trail events from 5k to 100k.
September 20 | Highland Fling
A 53-mile trail ultra marathon along the West Highland Way through Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, from Milngavie to Tyndrum.
September 20 | Banchory Beast Race
The 10k Beast Race has wild hill climbs followed by non-stop obstacles, island crossings and the thickest mud in the heart of Aberdeenshire.
September 28 | Baxters Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running
Scenic marathon along the shore of Loch Ness, with a 10k, 5k and Wee Nessie races also on offer.
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September XX | Glencoe Marathon (2025 date TBC)
Run through the mountains on a challenging 26-mile off-road route from the foot of Ben Nevis through Kinlochleven and into Glen Coe.
https://glencoemarathon.co.uk/
September XX | Ben Nevis Race (2025 date TBC)
The historic race up and down Britain’s highest mountain officially began in 1951, with just 21 competitors.
OCTOBER
October 4-5 | Aviemore Half Marathon and 10k For All
Starting and finishing at the Badaguish outdoor centre in Glenmore, this beautiful half-marathon route takes in the trails around Loch Morlich with spectacular forest, loch and mountain views in the Cairngorms. The half marathon takes place on the Saturday, with the 10k going ahead the following day.
October 4-5 | Beyond The Ultimate Highland Ultra
A 125km ultra marathon taking place in Knoydart, described as a four-day event with three stages over three days. Take part as a solo or in teams of two, three or four.
https://www.beyondtheultimate.co.uk/race/highland-ultra/
October 11 | Rat Race Sea to Summit - Ben Nevis
Part of an ultramarathon trail running series taking you to the highest points in Scotland, England and Wales. The Ben Nevis event is 29 miles in distance, starting on the shores of Loch Linnhe and finishing at Nevis Range, after visiting the highest point in Britain.
https://www.ratrace.com/uk-sea-to-summit
October 18 | Dramathon
A marathon along the Speyside Way from Glenfarclas Distillery to Glenfiddich Distillery, taking in – you guessed it – even more distilleries along the route. Pick up a set of miniature whiskies at the end of the race.
October 25 | Meall a’Bhuachaille Hill Race
A 13km hill race with 720m of climbing over Meall a’ Bhuachaille and along the length of the ridge before a wet and muddy descent back to the forest at Badaguish.
www.highlandhillrunners.org.uk/clubraces.html
NOVEMBER
November 1 | Knockfarrel Hill Race
An 8km, 365m hill race from Strathpeffer to Knockfarrel and back.
www.highlandhillrunners.org.uk/clubraces.html
November 8 | Dava Way 50km
A 50km ultra marathon from Grantown-on-Spey to Forres over the 1050ft summit.
www.moraywayultras.com/dava-way-50k
DECEMBER
December 26 | Nairn Turkey Trot
A “guess the time” 5km fun run – where no watches or GPS devices are allowed! Full fancy dress costumes welcomed.
https://www.nairnroadrunners.co.uk/Turkey%20Trot.htm
• All details believed to be correct at the time of publication. Please check with organisers to confirm events are going ahead, as well as for entry requirements.
