Beara Way Ultra
Sheep's Head, Ireland • 15-16 May 2026
Beara Way Ultra
The Beara Way Ultra is a long-distance mountain running event held in County Cork. The course starts and finishes in Castletownbere town centre, following a route that encompasses various villages and terrain throughout the region. The race has a total distance of 161 km with a total ascent of 5500 m. The event is part of the Irish Ultra Championships and the Munster Ultra League and is classified with an extreme difficulty rating.
The route is fully marked, and participants are permitted to use GPS devices. There is a total time limit of 37 hours to complete the course. The event features several main aid stations and additional marshal points. Main aid stations include:
- 161 km (Main distance)
Main aid stations are located at Allihies village, Eyeries village hall, Lauragh church car park, Glengarriff village hall, and Hungry Hill Campsite in Adrigole. These stations provide water, snacks, first aid, and toilets. Manned checkpoints also allow for the use of drop bags, which are provided to runners at registration.
Participants must carry advanced mandatory kit, which includes a waterproof jacket with taped seams, waterproof trousers, head torch with spare batteries, a whistle, a foil blanket or survival bag, and a mobile phone. Runners must also carry a map and compass or a GPS with the route downloaded. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.