The Formartine & Buchan Railway 12 Hour Ultra will return in 2024 with a race date of 11 May, and making the event even more accessible to those looking to take a step into the world of ultra running, there will also be a 6 hour event on the bill.

The North East event starts at Maud Station beside the famous railway museum and takes runners along the flat runnable trail path towards Auchnagatt, covering a rough distance of 4.3 miles. Runners are guaranteed to see some 'Highland coos' on their way but caution is advised as they have been known to enjoy a walk on the line!

Competitors must run as great a distance as they can within the 6 or 12 hours gaining a minimum distance of 26.3 to qualify for a medal and goodie bag. Although the route is as flat as you would expect from a railway line there is a slight incline in both directions to the midway point (approximately 100ft per direction).

The event was created by Gavin Taylor & Kevin Mottram both of whom are experienced ultra runners with an intention to create a tough, challenging and fun event in the North East of Scotland. Speaking of their race, they said: "The idea came about during discussions whilst travelling back and forth between different races throughout Scotland and we noticed at the time there was a lack of ultras in the North East and wanted to incorporate our ideas back into our local community.

"As the route is flat this type of event opens the door to the non-experienced distance runner looking to step up into the ultra distances. The route will utilise both Maud and Auchnagatt stations for fuelling which means you can travel light knowing well you are not too far away from fuel and a friendly kick up the arse from your support crew."

If you'd like to know more visit the Tay & Ram website.

Image: Tay & Ram Facebook