Dearg up and doon hill race

In 2021 the first Dearg Up and Doon took place as part of the trail running weekend organised by Outsider events. And the sun shone.

Finding the start line in the car was easy enough and parking was easy. From there to the queue to pick up the number and onwards to the toilets. First race in a long time with plenty of toilets.

The start is in long grass in a field which makes for difficult running for a very short time till you reach the road. That is the least of the worries for the day. The route heads out through the grounds of the castle and generally you are shaded by the trees. Once you leave the tree line that is you out in the open for the rest of the day until you near the finish line.

The route is a gradual climb to about and from there to and the top of the hill it is steep. The trail on this part is mainly loose stones so watch out as it can get difficult. The views are great for most of this race.

The second of the feeding stations was around the mark which was some way after that advertised for the event. On a hot day this was not a great thing.

Once past the rifle range where people are shooting who knows what you are almost at the end. However, lets get you back into the woods and through all that long grass again before coming to the finish line and a brilliant crowd. We measured nearly on this event so keep that in mind.

No issue with access to the race in 2021.

Getting to Blair Castle is easy as it is situated just off the main A9 road from Perth to Inverness.

No pre runs, but other events such as a 5k are available.

Blair Castle.

Blair Castle

No medal just a cheer coming over the line. Massage, beer and burgers are all available.

This event comes with a camp site included in the cost. However, there are lots of places to stay nearby.