Race Across Scotland

Event overview

Race Across Scotland is a 215 mile (~346 km) ultramarathon following the Southern Upland Way from Portpatrick to Cockburnspath. The route includes mountains, valleys and forests and has total elevation gain of 7,218 m. The 2026 race is scheduled for 8–12 August 2026 and entry is by application only. The event capacity is 250 places and there is a strict overall cut-off time of 100 hours. An earlybird entry fee is shown as £699.

Course, checkpoints and support

The race uses 12 checkpoints along the route. Checkpoints supply water and a range of refreshments; some village halls also provide hot food. Several bothy locations are listed with no facilities. Runners are self-sufficient between checkpoints and must carry mandatory kit. Support crews are permitted from Glentrool (Checkpoint 3) onwards but are not allowed at certain checkpoints or sections; there are specific parking and noise rules for support crews. Pacers or unentered support runners are not permitted.

Safety, kit and logistics

Participants must be at least 20 years old on race day, demonstrate prior endurance/ultrarunning experience and be able to self-navigate with map and compass. A mandatory kit list is enforced at registration and includes a hardcopy Southern Upland Way map, compass, waterproof coat and trousers, headtorch and backup light, mobile phone, water purification, survival bag and emergency food (500 Calories). Organisers provide a GPS tracker. Roads are not closed on route and runners should be self-reliant; the organiser aims to reach a participant in difficulty within 30 minutes to one hour where possible. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.