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Willie Day (Falkirk Victoria Harriers) winning the road race at Strathallan in 1973

The Strathallan Road Race was not just a feature of the Gathering held in Bridge of Allan or a race loved by the road running fraternity, but one of the stepping stones towards the full marathon distance.   The Scottish Marathon Club had been active after the war encouraging sports meetings with no road race to put one on, and in encouraging those with a road race to make it of a distance that helped progression to the full 26 miles marathon distance.   Hence the 12 miles Balloch to Clydebank, the Sprimgburn 12, the 14 miles at Shots, at Dunblane, at Babcock’s, the 16 miles Clydebank to Helensburgh, the 18 at Rothesay, several around the 20 – 22 miles distance such as Strathallan and the Edinburgh to North Berwick.   Strathallan was also part of the four race SMC championship series which consisted on the 12 at Springburn, 16 at Helensburgh, 21 at Strathallan and the full SAAA marathon championship.   

Over the years however the original 22 miles race which went out from the Games Park at Forglen Road to Tillicoultry and back along the Hillfoots, became 21 miles, then 14, then 10.   The winners where known are listed below and it will be noted that many of them were Scottish international athletes with Commonwealth and/or Olympic Games honours.

There are several missing results and if anyone can fill in any of the gaps, please send on the information.   It was a good race on a good course in a lovely part of the countryside and held at a well run and organised meeting.   All the runners liked it – note how many big names above came back more than once – Don Macgregor, Gordon Eadie, John Lineker, Jim Dingwall – and the distance at 21 or 22 miles provided a much-needed step towards the marathon distance.    We could do with it back.

This account of the first gathering was published in the Aberdeen Press & Journal of September 4th, 1913.   A romantic tale which differs from Queen Victoria’s account which is retold at the end.

Looking for reports of the Braemar Gathering in the Press at the start of September, 1890, none were discovered.   Not in the Elgin Courant & Courier, not in the Dundee Evening Post, nor in the Morayshire Sentinel nor even in the Scotsman.   There were some minor Royals in residence, there was a gathering of sorts of local aristocracy but there was little in the way of shooting or picnics reported on.   In 1901 the Greenock Telegraph said briefly that ‘The Braemar Gathering is not likely to be revived.’   That was it in total, verbatim.   What was reported in the Press was the progress of the Boer War which lasted from 1899 to 1902.   The hostilities started effectively in October 1899 so were the Games held in that year?   

The September issue of the Dundee Courier had headlines such as “NEARING WAR”,  “SENSATIONAL SIGNS”, and “AN ULTIMATUM”, “WAR IN 48 HOURS”, “ACTIVE PREPARATIONS”, “INDIAN TROOPS FOR THE CAPE”.   But the Games side of the Gathering did indeed take place as the following extracts from the Courier (first) and the Aberdeen Journal indicate.   

The competitions took place, and there were many of them, and the list of results and presentations from the Journal are below.

The 1899 Gathering was a success by any measurement: Royal presence, march of the combined clansmen, number of spectators, appropriate weather, good competitive athletics and an appreciative crowd plus, of course, the social part of the Gathering for all regardless of status.    As we have seen, there were no Games at all in 1900 or 1901 but in 1902 ….

The Dundee Courier of 12th September, 1902 had one and a quarter full, closely printed columns covering the event.   Under the heading of “THE KING AT BRAEMAR” there were two more announcements – “ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION”  and “THE GATHERING OF THE CLANS”.     The King and Queen were there with the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Fife.   The Courier remarked that various reasons caused the postponement of the Gathering for the previous two years.   An understatement.   The well attended Games were held at a slightly different venue – at Clunie, two or three miles from Braemar, on a large field close to the banks of the river Dee.   As ever the clansmen were early arrivals: the Balmoral Highlanders, the Farquharson men, and the Duff Highlanders were all there.   The King and Queen were to arrive at 3:30 and were preceded by outriders in scarlet coats, the various Highlanders were drawn up into an avenue down which the Royal carriages passed.   When they arrived at the ground, the massed pipe bands played the Invercauld March and the Royal carriages arrived at exactly 3:30.   The Games were back and everyone was happy.   As for the athletic and other events, “Among the concluding contests of the day was a hurdle race, part of which took the competitors through the River Dee”.   The King was so interested in this one that he walked down to the river to get a better view where he held a conversation with the headmaster of Winchester College.   The Royal party left at about 5:20 pm.   They had shown an interest in all the events – watching the two miles race ‘lap by lap’ and showed a great interest in all events with the King walking round the ground for a better view of several of them.   The results were as follows.

The 19th century had started in style: The war was over, the Games aspect of the Gathering was also back, Royalty was still interested and involved.   The traditions of the Games, many still followed in the 21st century, were continued.

If we jump forward to 1875 , the Gathering had a wonderful press with details of accommodation available for all thoise wishing to attend the event, of the various groups of the aristocracy and their guests and, of course, the royal party whoch consisted of the Queen, HRH Princess Beatrice, HRH Leopold, the Lady Abercrombie, Hon. Miss Stopford, the Hon Miss Phipps, and more.   The full list of notables took up about a third or more of a column in the Aberdeen Journal of 1st September.    The gentlemen of the Press were also welcomed by now and the coverage was quite extensive compared to the 1850’s.   The results –

The list of events was also quite extensive in all disciplines – there was even a sack race and a three legged race. One of the teams there included William McCombie Smith who was a good athlete and member of the Aberdeen University team who had been disqualified from competition on the grounds that ‘he had taken part in public or professional meetings.’   He also won the Queen’s Prize for the Two Mile Race, won the Hammer Throw and was second in Putting the 28 lb Weight and was third in the running long leap.   There were other Games or Gatherings taking place on the same day – the Lonach Gathering had been on the same day for many decades, and there was also a Stonehavne Highland Games and all had their own traditions.

The Gathering of 1880 was not graced with royalty (the Queen wasn’t there) although there was a good number of the aristocracy for what was one of the highlights of the social season.  As for the Games aspect of the week, the Aberdeen Journal gave the following information in its 10th September edition.

The race over 13 hurdles and through the river Dee sounds interesting, maybe especially as the race is over a quarter of a mile.  Results below indicate that there were 5 competitors.   The introduction of races for Girls and boys under 15 years of age and the comment that like events could be introduced into sports meetings in England.   The actual results of the events are noted below.

Another good meeting with all events being contested – McCombie Smith again present but with less success than previously.

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Came 1885 and the Queen herself was at Braemar, her arrival noted by the Edinburgh Evening News as follows –

The range of events from sport results via dancing and presentations for length of service, wearing of highland garb was as wide as ever – but there is no mention of the quarter mile over 13 hurdles followed by the swim across the Dee!

Of all the highland gatherings and games, Braemar is perhaps the most notable.   That is of course down to the presence of the reigning monarch or their representative.   Lip service is paid to the age of the games, connections to royalty, legendary figure to have competed there but little is normally written about the actual Gathering which encompassed the whole weekend.   This was not always the case – as an acknowledgement of the history and the coverage of the event we will reproduce here some of the reports from bygone Gatherings.   We will start with the Games of 1844.  As ever they were held in the first week of September.  Although Queen Victoria was in Scotland at the time visiting many ‘tourist attractions’ such as the Falls of Tummel, she does not seem to have been at the actual Games – the weather was probably the cause of her absence from the field.   The report of the day however,in the Perthshire Advertiser read as follows.

Two years later, on 27th August 1846, coverage in the Elgin Courant read as follows.

You will note the comprehensive coverage of the entire gathering with the social aspect taking priority over the athletics, but we do learn what events were contested and that the time of the winner of the hill race was taken and kept from year to year.    Two years later, September 1848, the coverage in the Aberdeen Herald was even more fulsome taking up almost an entire column of broadsheet newspaper which started – 

But what of the actual athletics?   

The Queen had given Mr Farquharson 5/- to be given to the winner of the hill race.   100 years later that would have made him a professional while the other prizes were in kind – snuff boxes and silver brooches – which would have kept their amateur status!   

The Queen returned in 1850 to the Royal Braemar Gathering – the Royal title had been granted in 1846 – along with a large and distinguished retinue.  The Games progressed satisfactorily –

A bit more detail in this report on the 1850 Gathering in the Montrose, Arbroath and Brechin Review which also informed everyone of every detail of the week including the march of the competitors, the arrival of the royal party, the ball held afterwards, picnics on the river, shooting on the estates of the Duke of Inmvercauld, etc.  There was not however a great deal of change in the events mentioned although the awards after the Games were in a wider range of categories than there are now.   The modern athletes are however following in this tradition.

Tranter’s Round is a linkup of the high ridges of the Mamores, the Grey Corries, the Aonachs, Carn Mor Dearg and Ben Nevis. When first completed in 1964 by Philip Tranter it was the 24hr Munro Record.   Details: the start and finish are at the Glen Nevis Youth Hostel.   It consists of 18 Munros plus one which was formerly recognised as such but delisted in 1997.    The route covers 59 km (36.6 miles) and 5400 m (17,706 ft)

For such a small area, the distance from Callander in the Trossachs to Killin – not much over 20 miles – there are a lot of hill races.  There are two Callander Crags races for a start (one in summer and one in winter), then as we head north there is Ben Ledi and nearby Ben Gullipen, heading north again we come to the village of Strathyre.   This very small village hosts two hill races – the short, it’s only 5K but a steep 5K, Ben Sheann (above) which is notorious for its midges, and the much longer Stuc  a Chroin which is 22 K with 1500 ft of ascent.   Finally, there are the two short races run from the local Highland Games, one in Lochearnhead and one from Killin.   A total of 8 races.   

Chronologically, the first of the year is the Callander Crags (Winter) held at the start of January starting and finishing in Tulipan Crescent directly opposite the very steep path through the woods.   Short, steep and popular there were 124 runners in January 2020 with Ochil Hill Runners winning both men’s and women’s races.   Ryan McGuire won the Men’s race in 24:19 and Catriona Buchanan the Women’s in 27:58.   The summer version of the event is held right at the start of June with the same start and finish as the winter.   Just as popular it is approximately two minutes quicker than the January race.   The most recent result to hand is that for 2012 when the winner was Rory Downie of Squadra Porcini in 22:47 and first woman was Ciara Largey of Lochaber in 26:44.   It is maybe appropriate at this point to note that local man Prasad Prasad has won all of the races on this page other than Killin – and a few more besides.   He has won the Callander Crags winter race in 2013 in 2012 and 2013.   As you go down the page you will see his name at the other races and there are victories in the one-off Callander Games Hill Race in 2011 and the nearby Ben Venue in 20:11.

Ben Gullipen, just west of the main road at Kilmahog, is held in the first half of March.   Not a steep one but scenically it is worth the trip.   Described by some as a race of two halves, starts off with 4 miles up followed by 4 down.  Almost all easy running on a Land Rover track with a nice gradient to pull you up the hill.   Organised by local outfit ‘skidaddle’ it’s not clear if it is run any more.    Donald McPartlin of Garscube Harriers won it in 2017 in 51:12 and Sarah McKenzie of Lochaber was first woman in 67:56.

Map of whole course of Stuc a Chroin (from the race website)

Between these two comes Stuc  a Chroin at the very start of May and Ben Sheann at the end.   It is the Big Daddy of all the hills mentioned here.   It is so close to Ben Vorlich that hill walkers often do them as a double Munro in the same day; they could maybe double up as a run too.   However, for the present, it has been part of the British Championship and is a hard one.   Starting with a climb up to the  ridge overlooking Glen Ample, a drop down into the Glen then a climb up to Ben Each and along to Stuc a Chroin  (a wee scramble there) and then back to the start.   Winners between 1989 and 2014 show the quality of entrant attracted by the event.

Won by Finlay Wild in 2019 in 2:06:20 with Andrew Fallas of Carnethy in 2:11:36, the first woman that year was Jill Stephen of Hunter’s Bog Trotters in 2:41:58.   There were 168 runners for this one.

Ben Sheann Route (from race website)

Ben Sheann is a mid-week race at the end of May.  The midges are no local legend – one runner was heard hoping that the race would start before he collapsed from blood loss.  Scottish Hill Racing describes it as “A micro classic. A small race with a big feel. The race climbs steeply through the forest to the prominent summit of An Sidhean. After the summit, follow a loop around some boggy tussocky ground before lauching back into the forest for the final exciting descent.   Expect midge hell.   A new course was established in 2010 to replace the old route which has disappeared beneath forestry operations.”

Although it only just over three miles, they are steep miles and if your uphill or downhill technique or courage is deficient, be sure it’ll be found out.   Race results back to 2005:

The short Ben Ledi is held right at the start of July and is a popular walk with local people as well as those from further afield.   The route is a simple one – approximately 10k – a loop which heads up Ben Ledi over the summit and down Stank Glen. It does not normally see as many runners lined up at the start of the race as the others in the years between 2013 and2017 inclusive there were 59, 39, 73, 80 and 53.  It is a straight up-and-down with no problems at all of where you are supposed to be running.   Recent winners were as follows.

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Later in July there is the very short hill race at Lochearnhead.  Incorporated into the Balquhidder, Lochearnhead & Strathyre Highland Games, the race is approximately 3 miles and has 1600 feet of ascent.  Usually a small field, sometimes the race has a good runner or maybe two.  It is hard to tell since the Games website does not keep results of past races.  Not as high profile as Stuc a Chroin, not as scenic as Ben Gullipen or Killin, the hill race is worth doing as part of the series.   Still, it is a good challenge for any runner.

The Killin race is another mid-week one held on a Wednesday in conjunction with the local highland games.   It is a short, fairly popular race, probably because of the location, and for a short midweek race often attracts athletes of a good calibre.   Recent race results – 

2014: 1. Colin Donnelly, 21:55; 2. S Rawlinson, 22:02; 3. A Barrington, 22:25.   First Woman: S Heward, 32:30; 2. J Bowman, 37:30; 3. V Lee, 42:19

There was no meeting in 2015.

2016: 1. S Rawlinson, 22:17; 2. C.Donnelly, 22:56; 3. S Fallon, 25:15.   First Woman: D MacDonald, 31:50; 2. H Porter, 33:35; 3. S Heward, 34:36.

2017: 1. S Rawlinson, Lochtayside, 21:56; 2. C. Donnelly, Hawick, 24:18; T. Videman, Czech Republic, 25:29.   First Woman D MacDonald, Inverness, 27:24; 2. F Wharton, Kendal 30:43; 3. Jen Gane, Lochtayside 32:21

2018: 1. R Jebb, 21:09.5; 2.  R Abernethy, 21:12.6; 3. S Rawlinson, 22:55.2.  First Woman: S Taylor, 27:59.7; 2. J Turner, 31:07.7; K Sharp, 34:34.6.

2019: 1. A Campbell, 22:19.9; 2. Murray Strain 22:53.0; 3. S Rawlinson, 24:17.3.  First Woman: L Knox, 32:34.4; 2. V Thornton, 34:20.3; 3. M Best, 35:16.6.

2022: 1. J Esdie, 22:34; 2. T Knox, 23:57; 3. S Rawlinson, 24:05.  First Woman: Esther Hulley, 33:05; 2. Jennifer Hulley, 35:50; 3. M Kuiper, 37:40.

There is also a Junior Hill Race but there are no track events.   The Killin Highland Games has an international flavour to it that many other Games lack.   Athletes come from all over Europe (France, Belgium, Italy, the Czech Republic have all appeared recently) and the Heavy events have seen athletes from the United States, the antipodes as well as Europe taking part.   Of course England and Wales are represented, maybe especially in the hill race where well known fell runners from Kendal and other clubs are frequently in action.   A good meeting, an enjoyable race at an attractive venue.

Prasad Prasad has won the Lochearnhead Games mentioned too – unfortunately BLS Games don’t have race winners on their website for us to see how often.   However, there it is – a whole series of races which are all withing about 20 miles and ranging from 3 miles to the 2 hours+ of Stuc a Chroin.   You could have a good summer doing these races alone, or just travelling to see them, enjoying the scenery, the cafes and the races too of course!

The Wicklow Round is a long-distance hill running challenge in the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland first run in 2008.   The route follows a proscribed 100-kilometre (approx 62 miles) circuit of 26 mountains, which must be completed in a fixed order, that total over 6,000 metres (20,000 ft) of elevation; there is some flexibility on route-choices between peaks   Rounds completed outside of a cut-off time of 24-hours are not generally recorded.    Irish ultra-runner Joe Lalor is credited with the creation of the Round.   Unusually the first person to complete the Round was Moire O’Sullivan, in a time of 22:58:30 on 29 May 2008.   Unusually in that all the other rounds were first run by a man.   O’Sullivan went on to write a book about her experience on the Round called Mud, Sweat, and Tears.   The highest point is Lugnaquilla st 3035 feet.   

Trail Running Ireland has this to say about the round:

Although the Round’s peaks can sometimes be hard to classify as true mountains, it is the repetitive nature of the effort that makes it so tough. All runners who have completed it are quick to mention the navigational aspect as a defining feature of the round. There aren’t always perfect peaks to the hills which aren’t always linked by decent trails, requiring good portions of off road running. The route an athlete takes can gain or lose precious minutes on each and every peak, minutes which add up over the course of 15+ hours.

The record for the round is 15:04:30 set in May, 2019 by Gavin Byrne; the women’s fastest time was 22:37:43 by Karina Jonina in May 2017.

The Denis Rankin Round is a long distance hill running challenge around the Mourne Mountains in County Down, Northern Ireland    The route is a circuit of over 90 kilometres, ie 56 miles, covering 26 miles with a total climb of over 6,500 metres, ie 20,000 feet. The Round must be completed within 24 hours to be considered a success. The Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc recognises the Round as a qualifying event.   The Round is named after Denis Rankin, a pioneer and leading light in fell running and mountain marathons in Northern Ireland since the 1970’s, who tragically died on 16^th May 2013 competing in a fell race on Slievemoughanmore.   This is not an organised event but a challenge open to all who believe they can circumnavigate the beautiful, rugged and demanding mountains of Mourne within 24 hours.

There have been various ways of doing it – eg Billy Reed from Ballyclare in Antrim has done a double round, the only man to have done so.   His time for a single round was 20 hours 29 minutes and for the double round 43 hours 17 minutes.   It can also be run as a  club relay with the following rules:

• Standard rules apply plus the list below (See Rules)
• Five runners – One per section (no support runners)
• Runners must be members of the same running club
• One GPS tracker per team which is transferred between runners
• Logistical support is allowed between sections
• Nominate a team captain. This person will be responsible for registering your team through the standard process

The standard rules referred to are on the Round website and include such as the requirement to register the attempt 24 hours before starting, name, age, nationality, etc as well as start time and estimated finish time, direction (clockwise or anticlockwise) and whether the run is supported or unsupported.   There are now 140 members and the round is noted as being first run in 2014.