Today saw the start of the 2024 Cape Wrath Ultra®, an 8-day ultra-running journey through the remote Scottish Highlands to the most north-westerly point of the UK.

172 runners toed the start line today, all with the same goal of reaching the iconic Cape Wrath Lighthouse in 8 days’ time.  

At 37km, day 1 is often seen as an introductory day – a shorter taste of the adventure yet to come. After being set off from the Village Hall at Treslaig, runners first enjoyed a fast and runnable section alongside the beautiful Loch Linnhe before heading into the Highlands. For many, the main challenge today was reining in the pace. It can be all too easy to be swept up in the rush as runners start alongside the flatter trail along the loch. However, with 8 days to go, many of our runners were sensibly setting off slow, anxious not to overcook it too soon. You won’t win the race on Day 1, but you can certainly lose it!

A boat journey across Loch Linnhe marked the beginning of the journey

The weather Gods were certainly smiling down on our participants today on Day 1 of the race. Loch Linnhe was perfectly still as runners were taken by the boat to the start in Treslaig. The sense of anticipation was palpable as runners excitedly chattered away to each other on the boat. There was a real sense that participants were now leaving civilization ready for the adventure ahead.

Burton and Dixon Holmes have come all the way over from the USA to compete. For them this has been a long time coming.

“This is five years in the making, all the planning, training has led to this,” they said. The pair actually volunteered on last year’s event, where they got stuck in building the tented accommodation that they will take advantage of at this year’s event.

Christine Caldwell is another Event Team member who has returned as a runner, having volunteered on the previous 2 editions. She said, “I wanted the Event Team experience before doing it. It’s the best way to know the event.”

Scottish runner Iain Young was feeling more excited than nervous on the start line.

He said, “It’s an event I’ve wanted to be able to do for a long, long time. I’m really chuffed.”

“As long as I make it through Day 7 – I’ll crawl Day 8 if I have to.”

Runners were set off in 2 waves today – one at 11 and one at midday. The atmosphere at the start line was magical, with excited chatter amongst the runners, many of whom couldn’t believe their luck with the weather. For many runners, this is just the end of a much longer journey of months of training, poring over maps, testing kit, perfecting nutrition strategies and tapering.

Adding to the wonderful atmosphere was the sound of bagpipes played to the runners as they finally set off!

 Bridget Glaister and Lewis Taylor have an early lead

The first overnight camp was in a breath-taking location, and was a real treat for runners after their first day out in the hills. Tucked away underneath the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct (also known as the Harry Potter bridge), runners and Event Team alike enjoyed the sight of the Jacobite steam train going over the bridge.

Here, runners were treated to hot soup and chips as a post-run snack, before a delicious dinner of  vegetable cassoulet was served. Many runners were enjoying taking in the afternoon sunshine on beanbags, or having a cooling dip in the nearby river to wash off the sweat of the day. 

The first runner into the finish today was Swiss ultra-runner Ludwig Antilli. The Scottish mountains are a switch up from the Alps where he usually runs. He said, “It was wonderful. A really good run. I took it easy – no mistakes today. I can push a lot on Day 3.”

However, due to the wave starts, Antilli was not actually the fastest on the day. This accolade went to British runner Lewis Taylor, who ran the route in 3 hours 5 minutes. Lewis Taylor has previously had much success in the orienteering scene and has competed in many Mountain Marathons.

It is close in the men’s field, with only three minutes separating Lewis Taylor (first), Ludwig Antilli (second) and Timothy Rigg (third).

The fastest woman on Day 1 was Bridget Glaister. Bridget was always looking to be a top contender after putting in a stunning performance at the 2022 Dragon’s Back Race®. She ran a strong day, coming into the finish in 3 hours 34 minutes.

Second woman (and first to arrive into Glenfinnan) was Charlotte Hurst. Charlotte’s run is particularly impressive given she is Type 1 diabetic. Charlotte is taking on this challenge with the mission of raising awareness about living with diabetes, saying that she is “Flying the flag for diabetes - proving that diabetes doesn't need to stop anyone from doing anything.”

Coral Mowbray was the third fastest lady of the day, and the women’s field is also close, with less than 15 minutes separating the top three runners

Tomorrow is when the challenge really begins, as runners head into the last great Wilderness in Britain – the Knoydart peninsula.

With such a long way to go, it will be interesting to see how our frontrunners fair on this longer and more technical day.

Watch their journey as they move north:

Results on Day 1

Men

1. Lewis Taylor (03:05:15)

2. Ludwig Antilli (03:07:03)

3. Timothy Rugg (03:08:35)

Women

1. Bridget Glaister (03:34:22)

2. Charlotte Hurst (03:39:54)

3. Coral Mowbray (03:48:34)

BE THE DOT TO FOLLOW IN 2025!

HAS ALL THE EXCITEMENT INSPIRED YOU FOR YOUR OWN CAPE WRATH ULTRA® JOURNEY?

Sign up for the 2025 Cape Wrath Ultra or the shorter Cape Wrath Explorer and join us for 8 unforgettable days in the Scottish Highlands.

Sign up before 7th June to save £100 with the early bird price! In 2025, we are limited to 200 spaces, many of which will already be taken up by those who’ve registered interest in the event.

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