A ‘GRUELLING’ long distance race across Galloway’s hills and mountains is set to return this spring.
The Bruce’s Crown Race was a staple in the Scottish hill running calendar but the event has been on hiatus since the early 2000s. Now it is being resurrected by British long-distance runner Nicola Spinks, pictured, supported by Galloway Mountain Rescue Team and Scottish Hill Runners.
The race will take place from Friday April 5 into Saturday April 6 with teams of four navigating their way round the Galloway Hills, over the southern peaks of Lamarchan to Cairngarroch, then Rhinns of Kells to finally cut across to the north end of the Range of the Awful Hand and finishing up on the highest peak, Merrick, before descending to the finish.
Giving more detail about the race, a spokesperson for the event said: “The route will cover a grueling 46 miles across three hill ranges within Galloway climbing over 4000 metres.
“It is a challenging route with very few paths, testing underfoot conditions and good navigation skills will be required. Entries will be for teams of 4 only, each team require to stay together throughout the event and check into each checkpoint together as a team with a 24-hour cut off time to complete the event.
“This event is set to be one of the best with fantastic 360 degrees views. On a clear day you can see the Southern Highlands to the north, Lake District and Snowdonia to the south, Moffat and Border hills to the east and Mountains of Mourne to the west.”
