Day 1: The Journey has Begun

The Cape Wrath Ultra has begun, with 172 courageous runners setting off this morning on an immense journey. It will take them 8 days through the remotest and wildest parts of Scotland to reach their destination – the Cape Wrath lighthouse.

Today was a shorter day, with ‘just’ 37km of running and 500m of height gain. Day One of the race took runners along the scenic road next to Loch Linnhe, before heading inland for the beautiful and more remote trails of the Ardgour Peninsula, where participants were treated to their first views of the Highlands that they will spend the next week immersed in. For many runners, this day was a warm-up, with many of the more experienced among them being well aware that going out too fast can be a fatal error – you won’t win the race on Day 1, but you can lose it.

Runners were taken by boat to the start line this morning

The West End dock in Fort William was a hive of activity, as participants gathered to collect their GPS trackers, an all-important feature given the remoteness of the route, and drop off their overnight bags which are transported to each overnight camp for them. From here, participants took a ferry to the start line across the Loch in Trislaig.

It was a magical start to the race, and as the boat pulled out from the dock, there was a real sense that the runners were leaving civilisation behind them. Unlike last year, when the weather made for a choppy ride, the weather was much more settled today, with bursts of warm sunshine amongst the clouds.

Runners were then welcomed ashore by the traditional sound of Scottish bagpipes, a fitting beginning to a race which captures the essence of the Scottish Highlands.

We caught up with a few of the runners on the start line as they prepared for the journey ahead of them.

Agamemnon has travelled from Athens, Greece to take part in the adventure, and was looking forward to his journey, which has been in the pipeline for a long time.

He said, “It all began with the Highlands. From what I've seen and read, I really wanted some day to come here. Two years ago, I bumped into the race online. I followed the race for two years, and last year in May I said, I'm going to do it. And here I am.”

Training in Greece is very different to the Highlands. “Unfortunately I didn't have any rain, only hard, dry terrain, but I think I did okay. We shall see – positive, positive, positive!”

Johan Port has also travelled a long way to participate. Originally from France, Johan now lives in the Arctic Circle. He said, “We saw it on Instagram and I said to my friends, that looks fun.”

It is his first time in Scotland. “I am looking forward to discovering Scotland. It's my first time here. I think it's the best way to explore the country. And meet plenty of really fun people and have a beautiful experience.”

The challenging conditions of the Arctic means he is more than prepared to tackle the traditional Scottish climate. “We train through the snow, through the dark, through the wind, through the storm. We have plenty of mountain and trail. I ran a couple of ultras. I'm training every day.”

This is also Samantha Schulz’s first time in Scotland. She has come from Edmonton, Canada, and is looking forward to a different kind of adventure. She said, “I've wanted to come to Scotland forever, and I'm excited to experience the landscape and the mountains, and then have someone carry my stuff for me so I don't have to backpack.”

On the other end of the scale, Ieuan Belshaw and Molly Weeber know exactly what they’re in for, having both volunteered on the event last year. 

Ieuan said, “It's quite cool because you get to see a lot of familiar faces. It's really nice to see a lot of volunteers that I worked with last year. It's dead friendly - a good atmosphere.”

He didn’t seem too fazed by the challenge ahead as we chatted to him on the boat crossing. “I'm pretty chilled. It hasn't really sunk in yet to be honest. I'm just going to take it day by day.”

Molly was a bit more nervous. “I am anxious. I was able to eat breakfast though, which is remarkable.”

Volunteering last year has given her a great confidence boost though. “I'm really glad I did it this way, because I came from the US, so I didn't know anybody last year. To see so many people that you know and recognise is nice. And I still wanted to do this after the weather last year.”

Last year’s race gained notoriety for challenging weather conditions, but this year already seems to be an improvement, with dry conditions and a light breeze on the start line in Trislaig. There was certainly much excitement in the air as runners set off to the joyful sound of bagpipes, with Wave 1 starting at 11am and Wave 2 starting at midday.

Spirits were high at the end of a fantastic first day

The location of the first overnight camp, in the shadow of the famous Glenfinnan viaduct is certainly something special, and gives just a taste of the further scenic locations yet to come.

Runners all seemed in very good spirits after a fantastic first day out in good weather conditions. Runners were spotted loading up on chips and tucking into a delicious evening meal while they caught up on the day’s adventures.

Sarah Perry, Vicky Bassett-Smith, John Cleland and John Farris were enjoying refuelling and catching up in the participant tent after their day out in the Scottish Highlands.

This is the first time Vicky has done anything like this, having only taken up running relatively recently. Vicky has had an incredible and inspiring journey to get to the start line, having gone from being morbidly obese, to being fit enough to run and walk in the hills of Scotland. She had a good first day, saying “It's been great to get going and see what my new body can do.”

Sarah has done many ultras before, though this is her first multi-day. She said, “There's been a lot more running than I'm used to. A lot more road and compact trails. Today was quite tough for me. I also had a bit of a bag malfunction, but it was all good fun. You've got to have some tests!”

She is looking forward to the trails of Knoydart tomorrow though. “I'm ready for the hills!”

John Cleland had enjoyed the day after overcoming his nerves before the start. “I think it's been a fantastic day. The pre-race nerves have all gone now. We're on the way. The last 2 weeks have been so stressful building up to it. But today was beautiful and the weather was good, so I feel very lucky!”

John Farris also had a great day, and is already enjoying some new experiences. He said, “It's been a fantastic first day running in Scotland. I'm Texan and I've never seen or touched a bog and I got to run behind the bog master, this girl who just levitated over the mud as I sunk knee deep. It was an honour and a privilege to run behind the bog master herself. She was a rockstar! She also made me run faster than I intended, but it was fun chasing after her and getting mud sprayed on my face. The full Scotland experience!"

David Parrish and Jo Meek are the current leaders, but all is to play for!

The fastest runner on Day 1 was newcomer, David Parrish, in a time of 2 hours 55 minutes. This is David’s first ever ultra, although he is a competitive road runner and fell runner. He said, “I've never raced over a half marathon distance before, so I didn't want to go too easy and then regret it because I was on my feet for too long.”

He enjoyed the easier day. “I think it was quite calm and restful compared to tomorrow and the next day. It was nice weather and there was a lot of road running.” 

Spanish runner Fernando Alvarez was the second fastest on Day 1, and with less than thirty seconds’ difference between him and David, there is not much in it. Third fastest was British runner, Richard Lindsay in a time of 3 hours 4 minutes.

The fastest lady on Day 1, with a time of 3 hours 9 minutes, was Jo Meek, a Scott sponsored athlete, who has enjoyed much success in ultras abroad in Costa Rica, Russia, and the US.

She said, “It was really runnable which really suits me, so I just got into a rhythm. I spent most of it on my own. I fell in a bog which was quite funny – right up to my waist. So that will always be the highlight – that made me laugh.”

In spite of her fast time, she is cautious about going out too hard. She said, “You wonder if you've gone off too fast, but hopefully not. I've heard tomorrow's a bit of a wall, so I'm going to just really respect it. I'm going to guess the worst and hopefully it will be better than that.” 

Elaine Bisson (2nd woman 2021 Dragon’s Back Race and 2nd woman 2022 Northern Traverse) was the second fastest woman on Day 1, with an impressive time of 3 hours 30 minutes, with Jana Szczepaniak only 3 minutes behind her. 

Tomorrow will be when the competition really emerges

Tomorrow, runners will face their first real test, as they must tackle 54km and 2000m of ascent through the notoriously remote Knoydart peninsula. Known as Scotland’s last true wilderness, this section is likely to be a real test of endurance and determination. However, runners will be rewarded for their efforts with some of the most breath-taking sweeping landscapes in the country, that only those intrepid enough to make the journey will have the privilege to experience.

You can follow their progress on the live GPS Tracking:

WISH YOU WERE JOINING THE ADVENTURE?

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Sign up for the 2024 Cape Wrath Ultra or the shorter Cape Wrath Explorer and join us for 8 unforgettable days in the Scottish Highlands. Over 50% of entries are already gone, so enter now to secure your spot!

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