The Ultra Tour of Arran 2025: A Runner's Ultimate Challenge
- Dean Ashby
- 2 days ago
- 8 min read
Day Two started from Brodick at sunrise.
One of the incredible things about ultra running is that it’s one of the only sports where women can hold their own, or even outperform men, when the challenge becomes extreme. How amazing is that? On 5 April 2025, six runners from Ashby’s Adventure Trails and Treks competed in the Ultra Tour of Arran, a two-day off-road ultra running event on the Isle of Arran in Scotland. Four of them were women.
Here’s how the team got on.
How It All Began
The story starts back in 2021, when Dean completed the Isle of Arran Ultra. The event consists of a total of 60 miles (97km) and an elevation gain of 2,794 metres (9,167 feet).
This helps to give you context: A marathon is 26 miles (42 km), and Snowdon is 1,085 metres (3,561 feet)! In addition, the route includes technical mountain climbs and descents, forest paths, and coastal stretches.
Four years on, Dean was considering entering the Arran Ultra again. Who would join him? Five other runners got the ultra-bug. Like Dean, three of them had already run ultra marathons, so they knew what to expect. The remaining two were marathon runners and were accustomed to physical challenges.
The squad was formed, and plans were made.
Getting to the Isle of Arran Ultra
At 8am on the 4th April, we flew from Birmingham to Glasgow with EasyJet, the cabin staff laughing along with the team. On arrival at Glasgow airport, we were greeted by our nine-seater taxi which took us to Troon ferry port in less than an hour.
We relaxed on the top deck of the ferry for the one-hour crossing, enjoying the April sunshine and calm blue sea. On arrival in Brodick ferry port at around 4pm, a RAT RACE coach was waiting for us and any other arrivals. The coach drove us the short distance to Ormilade Park, a lush green field opposite the beach, which was the location of the event village. The RAT RACE crew checked and approved our kit and fitted our trackers to our running vests. The right kit is essential; without it, runners are not permitted to start the race.
We surveyed the start-line and facilities, which included a huge 12-foot map of the Island, street-food van, toilet and shower block, and camping pitches.
Instead of camping, we rented a house. Our rented property in Brodick was perfect; light, sunny, spacious, comfortable, and only five minutes from the start line. Confidence – and nerves – were high. We ate a good meal in a nearby restaurant, completed final kit preps, and went to bed to try and get a good night’s rest.
Day One
Walking to the start point, we saw that Brodick sea front was looking awesome. The sun was shining and the sky was blue, but the air was cool and fresh, making perfect running conditions. Race briefing complete, we were off, heading along the coast uphill to Lamlash, the pace steady. Once out of Brodick, we headed across open land, the sea glistening on our left, enjoying incredible scenery in every direction.
As we headed down to Lamlash, the terrain started to level off, and we felt strong as we headed around the coast to Whiting Bay. The pace slowed as we hit beach sections that were rocky and fairly slippery; no injuries was the call. Sure footed, we moved through these sections. Then, as we started to climb away from the shoreline and down to Whiting Bay, our pace increased as we hit some good tracks.
Check point 1: reached right on target time.
Our checkpoint drill was ‘feet, food, and f off’ (in other words, get out as fast as possible). With cut-off times in place, good time discipline is essential. If you don't make a checkpoint on time, the RAT RACE team won't let you continue on foot to the next checkpoint. We decided to stick to a strict 10/15min routine. The checkpoint was well stocked with everything a runner could want, from energy bars to salted oranges. We refilled our water bottles, grabbed a snack, and then we were back onto the trails.
The next section was steep. Our training on the mountains paid off as we climbed towards the Giants Graves, the remains of two Neolithic chambered tombs on a ridge in a forest clearing. The team was on form, confident, in the zone, and travelling strong.
Checkpoint 2: Kildonan
We quickly arrived at checkpoint 2 in Kildonan, and again the checkpoint routine paid off. We were moving well, but we had to maintain momentum.
The forest section was complex because we had to negotiate wet, marshy, peat bogs, and the infamous ‘Bog of Doom’ which will suck your legs in and keep hold of your trainers if you’re not careful!
Once out of the forest, we increased our pace and traversed some nice, flowing sections. Then, one last steep climb. Feeling tired now, we dug in, encouraging one another to keep at it. We reached the top.
Now, one final section. The trail was good, so we increased our pace. We felt a surge of relief to hear the cheers from the supporters at the finish line, and as we turned right into the Park, the end was in sight.
The last 100 metres were downhill. As we approached the finish line, someone had paused to take a selfie before crossing. We soared past him and finished above him on the leader board…always get over the line before you stop, I thought.
Day 1 complete.
Getting our breath back from our final sprint, we consumed our recovery drinks. Mountain Fuel is great for replacing vital nutrients and minerals, and definitely improves recovery time.
Returning to the rented house, we showered while our support crew cooked dinner: chicken, rice, pasta in a light sauce, fresh vegetables. Tired and nervous, we prepared our kit for day two and had an early night.
Day Two
'An ultra marathon is hard.....But a double ultra is a different beast.' Nikki.
An earlier start, we had to be on the start line at Brodick sea front at 07:30. The sun was rising and once again the sky was clear blue. But there was a noticeable drop in the number of participants in comparison to day one, and we all knew that day two was going to be brutal.
This time we headed out of Brodick in the opposite direction to day one, along the wooden boardwalk towards Brodick Castle. We hit a section on the sand and then headed into the mountains along the amazing Glen Rosa, a beautiful glen with waterfalls and deep pools. Our legs were feeling strong, and the pace was good. However, the section up to Caisteal Abhail, a 2,700 foot rocky mountain, was steep and it was impossible to run. This was a case of dig in and get the climb done.
Day two was already difficult. The sun was fierce, we were out of the wind, and the heat was just bouncing off the rocks.
As we headed down towards Lochranza, a Golden Eagle soared above us, a truly amazing sight.
We hit a track and picked up the pace. As we turned a corner, we saw a group of people sitting on the rocks cheering us on, or so we thought. As we got closer, we realised they were cheering on a runner who was just behind us. The heat, fatigue, and pressure was starting to affect us. Checkpoint times were extremely tight and there was no time to pause.
Checkpoint 1: Lochranza
The checkpoint was located beside a whisky distillery. Later, we heard a rumour that a runner dropped out of the race here, nipped into the distillery, got a lift back to race headquarters, and crossed the finish line holding a bottle of Arran’s finest single malt.
Well, who could blame him?
Once again the three F’s. We quickly powdered our feet and got some snacks and fluids down. The day was getting hotter, and hydration was critical. We would be burning 6,000 calories, so the nuts, bars, and oranges at the checkpoint were well received.
We hit the road again. Our pace was good as we headed along the coast. A few technical sections slowed us down and we had to climb over a few hundred meters of large rocks. Approaching Sannox, we picked up the pace again. We were now 20 miles into the race and at our last main checkpoint.
Checkpoint 2: Sannox
This was our last opportunity to fill our drinks and fuel. Now, the race was about regrouping, supporting each other, endurance, and sheer willpower.
Our legs were starting to get heavy as we moved through the valley to the Saddle. Concentrating hard, we climbed up to the Saddle, the sun beating down. There was no escape from the heat and the glare. At the top of the Saddle, a race marshal instructed us to climb up a technical section, one at a time. ‘You ok?’ he asked us.
I encouraged the team to stay focused on the task in hand. Everyone climbed up the channel like experts. I was so proud: 23 miles in on day two and the legends are climbing a vertical section! As we crossed the Saddle, we headed left. Now we were flagging. Motivation was key “We have absolutely got this”, I told them.
Goatfell was extremely challenging and involved technical assent.
North Goatfell was brutal; steep, hard underfoot, difficult terrain. The heat was blinding us and sweat was streaming down our faces, stinging our eyes. And what came next? Goatfell.
As we turned a corner and saw the mountain ahead, I knew the team members behind me would be mentally challenged having already climbed The Saddle and North Goatfell. Glancing at them, I could see the pain in their eyes, a look I had seen from others many times before. It’s the mind saying stop, telling you your legs can’t go on. When people tire like this, it’s critical to try and keep them in a good place. You need to inspire them to go the extra mile, and the effort needs to come from the heart.
This was it, we told ourselves and one another, do it once more, one more climb. We knew once we were at the top, we had broken the back of the event.
'The camaraderie of fellow runners, mixed with grit, determination, and a hint of stubbornness got me to the end.' Charlotte.
Well, they absolutely smashed the last climb! “Its all down hill from here”, I called. I saw Russ and then Nikki smile - the old look was back, the belief you feel when you know you have completed the hardest part.
The next section was a steep downhill, too sheer to run. But once the trail became less technical, we started to increase the pace. The legs were heavy, but the smiles were back. Just a few miles left.
Double Ultra Marathon Complete
We were back in Brodick where we had started early that morning, 10 hours ago. We crossed the road by Brodick castle and hit the sandy section again, and this time it was beyond tough on tired legs. But the noise of the finish line was getting louder. We crossed a bridge and only had 500m to go. We picked up the pace and turned into the finish line. Our game plan was to finish together and as we crossed the finish line, we all made one last effort and jumped to tap the top of the finish post.
What an amazing achievement, what an incredible Island.
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