26/05/2026
Isle of Skye 127km - 4960m - 18hrs 10mins
Coming just two weeks after a strong result at The Lap, I knew Skye was going to be a big ask. After spending time in the Hebrides on the Hebridean Way with Kate & Lucy beforehand, I had a rough idea of what was coming⦠and Skye absolutely did not disappoint. Boggy. Wet. Windy.
I knew the opening sections would be the biggest challenge, the first 40km contained around 80% of the total elevation gain. The Trotternish Ridge - the longest landslip in Britain - was relentlessly steep, boggy, exposed to brutal southerly winds, and demanded over six hours of sustained effort before reaching The Old Man of Storr.
The Storr.
Suddenly the crowds appeared, which made complete sense once I saw it properly. Photos genuinely donāt do this place justice. Even in moody, low-cloud conditions it felt surreal running beneath it. One of the highlights of the entire race, and somewhere I absolutely need to return to.
From there the route continued up and down along coastal cliffs towards Portree, serving up more brutally boggy terrain alongside some incredible views as the weather eased slightly lower down.
Somewhere after Storr I managed to open a gap to 6th and could occasionally spot 4th ahead, but I settled into my own pace and just enjoyed the experience - the beauty, the terrain, and yes bogs.
Leaving Portree, the route followed Loch Sligachan towards Sligachan. More deep bog in places, but still beautiful a lot more flatter and runnable. Another major highlight came running through Glen Sligachan towards Camasunary Bay. Honestly, I donāt really have the words for it. Tough underfoot with rocks, water, and technical terrain, but absolutely stunning from start to finish.
A diversion near Elgol kept us on tracks and roads to protect us and the eroding cliffs, which actually made for some nice steady running. As daylight faded, one final 150m climb over the hills from Torrin to Broadford stood between me and the finish line.
18 hours and 10 minutes later: 5th place.
Huge shoutout to Kate for the support, staying up until midnight to watch me cross the finish line, and providing the perfect reset afterwards in Fort William. Turns out a hot tub and a beer are elite-level recovery tools.
Shout out to GB Ultras for a fantastic event again and to the photographers and Mammut UK for their support too.
Next up - Take a small running break, guiding Isaacās Tea Trail and do some hiking in the mountains and then look towards an unsupported BG.