Dunoon Ultra

Race completed

52 km Distance

980 m Climbing

4.1 Grit · Challenging

55.9503° N, 4.9273° W © OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

What the course asks

Climbing rate 19 m / km Rolling. Moderate undulations. Requires consistent effort across varying grades.

Time limit 11 hours 12:42 min/km average. Comfortable. Room to walk the climbs and stop at aid. About average for a 50K. Measured against 1038 races of the same distance. Cut-off calculator →

Field size ~131 Mid-sized. Company early, well spread out by halfway.

DUV results for the 2019 edition (54km) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Typical conditions, August

Daytime high 16°C

Night low 11°C

Rainfall Showers likely

Daylight 14 h 40 m of light

Regional 2001-2020 average for August — NASA POWER, grid elevation 157 m. Not a forecast.

Results history

Year	Race	Finishers	Men's winner	Women's winner
2019	54km	131	Stuart Paterson · 03:57:50	Charlotte Black · 05:04:29
2018	54km	139	Stuart Paterson · 04:13:47	Angela Reid · 05:02:53
2017	54km	145	Donald Mcpartlin · 03:54:56	Fiona Ramsay · 04:36:22
2016	54km	118	Michael Tweedley · 04:13:42	Madeline Robson · 05:03:28

The field shrank 6% between 2018 (139) and 2019 (131). 35% of the 2019 field were women.

DUV results for the 2019 edition (54km) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Course notes

terrain This is a rolling course. Expect fast, runnable sections where rhythm is key.
gear With trail terrain, choose a shoe with moderate cushioning for optimal performance.

Gear for this race

Chosen for 52 km of trail with 980 m of ascent.

Trail Running Shoes 52 km of trail — cushioning that is still there in the last quarter.
Race Nutrition 52 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
Hydration Vests Flask capacity for 52 km, without the bounce.
GPS Watches Battery life first — a 52 km day outlasts most full-GPS modes.

Adidas

Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra

RunRepeat found the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra to be perfect for midfoot and forefoot strikers, while iRunFar noted that the shoe feels incredibly effici…

★★★★★ 4.5

Salomon

Sense Ride 5

RunRepeat found the Salomon Sense Ride 5 to have immaculate lockdown and a smooth and stable ride, making it confident on moderate trails and steep downhills. I…

★★★★★ 4.5

Maurten

Gel 100

Hydrogel technology for 25g carbs per gel with minimal GI distress.

$3.5 ★★★★★ 4.7

Nathan

VaporKrar 12L

12L race vest co-designed with ultra champion Rob Krar, with insulated bladder pocket.

$170 ★★★★★ 4.6

Garmin

Enduro 3

Ultra-endurance GPS watch with solar charging and 300+ hour battery in GPS mode.

$900 ★★★★★ 4.8

All gear guides →

Overview

The Dunoon Ultra is a 50k trail race taking place in Dunoon, United Kingdom, on August 22, 2026. Runners face 980m of elevation gain over 52km, giving it a climb of 18.8m per kilometre. This makes it a hillier course than 84% of 50k races.

With 131 finishers in its latest edition, this race draws a larger field than 84% of its 2651 peer 50k races. The 11-hour time limit allows for a 12.7 minutes per kilometre pace, which is tighter than 40% of 1011 peer 50k races.

Organised by PA23 BID Ltd, the Dunoon Ultra has been run 4 times, from 2016 to 2019. Entry fees range from £65 to £80.

Similar races

Other 50K trail ultras, closest in distance first.