Carnethy Skyloop Hill Race
| Entry Fee | £10.00 |
To enter you must first Log In or Register your Details with SiEntries.
The Carnethy Skyloop - The Long Classic in the Hills of Home - is a Category 'A' Long hill race, covering around 30 kilometres and 1,700 metres of ascent, in the Pentland Hills, south of Edinburgh.
Registration, as well as the start and finish, is at Lothianburn Clubhouse, Midlothian, from 9am. (Grid Reference NT 24874 67276.)
The race starts at 11am. There is an optional earlier start at 10am. Further details are below.
The Carnethy Skyloop is a serious undertaking. As a general rule, your finish time will be comparable to your road marathon time, but significantly slower in poor conditions. Crossing eleven separate summits and climbing Allermuir Hill twice, the race route includes numerous steep ascents and descents on loose and rough ground. The route is largely unmarked and runners are required to navigate between the 16 checkpoints.
The race route, marked in red on the map, is the optimum route, and runners are reminded not to visit the summits of South Black Hill, Black Hill and Hare Hill, at the request of land managers.
Entries
Entries are online only and will remain open until 7pm on Thursday 8 October. There will no entries on the day. The entry fee is £10.
Rules and Conditions of Entry
Due to the challenging nature of the Carnethy Skyloop, a cut-off will again be imposed for the safety of competitors and marshals. The cut-off (2 hours and 45 minutes) will be imposed at Checkpoint 12 (Bavelaw).
There will be an optional early start at 10am. In 2025, this was primarily for competitors in the FV50 or above age categories, and similarly for the MV60 and above categories. This year, any competitor, regardless of age, who believes they are capable of completing the Carnethy Skyloop, can request an early start. Competitors are asked to fill out the section marked 'Early Start Time' when you make your entry and contact the race director with details of relevant experience.
For those competitors who start at 10am, we cannot guarantee that the aid station at Checkpoint 5 (Flotterstone) will be set up in time, but these competitors will have 3 hours and 45 minutes to reach Checkpoint 12 (Bavelaw).
Race Rules - General Guidance
- Competitors MUST have the following minimum kit with them at all times during the race. This is the minimum kit requirement for this event, but you are responsible for carrying any additional items you consider necessary for your own protection, given the conditions, or as the race organiser may dictate on the day.
- Waterproof jacket with hood
- Waterproof over-trousers
- Hat and gloves
- Map and compass suitable for navigating the course
- Whistle
- Suitable running shoes - fell shoes or equivalent. Road shoes are not acceptable
- Hill Racing experience is required. This race is not suitable for beginner hill racers. If you are in any doubt about your eligibility to run the race, contact the race director.
- Navigational skills will be required. Following GPS tracks of the course on a watch is not allowed. The course is unmarked except where a set line is required to prevent erosion. You must be able to find your way in cloud and/or rain using map and compass. You cannot depend on being able to follow a path or another runner. Local knowledge might be an advantage, but in general the racing line follows established footpaths.
- All competitors must be aged 18 or over on the day of the race.
- You are responsible for your own safety, but if you see someone in trouble YOU MUST HELP, even if it costs you your own race.
- You MUST wear your race number on your front. It must NOT be folded in any way. If you cover your race number with clothing, then you must make it visible at every checkpoint and the finish line.
- Runners arriving at Checkpoint 12 (Bavelaw) after the cut-off are required to retire and accept a lift to the start/finish. The decision of the marshals at this checkpoint is final.
- Runners are not allowed to run with their dogs on the course.
- Running poles which fold or telescope are allowed. You MUST not use them and must keep them folded until you are past Caerketton Hill (CP2). At all times you must ensure that the poles do not impede or endanger other runners. Note that this rule differs from SHR mandatory safety policy rule 11. Carnethy Hill Running Club has its own race insurance, so the use of poles does not invalidate the insurance. Non-folding/telescoping poles are not allowed as they present a hazard at the start.
- No race parking is permitted anywhere on the access road to Midlothian Snowsports Centre or in the centre's car park.
Race Rules - Retirement Procedure
If you retire from the race, you must do so in a safe manner. All registered runners who fail to finish MUST hand their race number in at the finish line
- Continue to and report to the nearest race marshal.
- We recommend (if possible) using one of the two escape points indicated on the published race map.
- YOU MUST REPORT TO THE FINISH LINE. You must hand your race number into the finish. This is essential, and failure to do so will make life very difficult for the race organisers. We are under an obligation to account for all competitors who have registered for the race. If we cannot account for you, we have to find you. This is usually difficult, time consuming and stressful, and we may have to involve the police. If you think this is alarmist, then please read about the Sailbeck tragedy in 2012.
Note that the above are Mandatory Safety Rules, supplemental to those given by Scottish Hill Runners safety policy. Both sets of rules apply. The rules are for both your safety and those organising and marshalling the race. It is the competitor's responsibility to understand and accept the rules. Any questions should be directed to the race organiser.
Other Race Information
- Suitable Maps: (The downloadable map found at the Skyloop Race Page is sufficient for the race if you are familiar with the Pentlands and the race route. Alternatively:
- Explorer 344: Pentland Hills, Penicuik & West Linton (1:25000)
- Landranger 66: Edinburgh, Penicuik & North Berwick (1:50000)
- Harvey Pentland Hills (1:25000)
- The organiser recommends trying this course before race day or at least doing some training runs of equivalent height and distance. This race is much harder than you might expect it to be.
- A covered area for bags will be available at the race start, but Carnethy cannot accept any responsibility for their security.
- There will be plentiful race parking available on the main road and in a signposted field behind the Lothianburn Golf Club House, adjacent to the start and finish.
Please read the Official Race Page for more information including a course description and a printable race map.
Data Protection Legislation
Carnethy Hill Running Club (CHRC) use SiEntries as a data processor. SiEntries will take information provided by you for the purposes of managing race entry. Please see their Privacy Policy Statement. Any data taken or kept by SiEntries is governed by their policy, and any requests for opt out, withdraw of consent etc should be directed to SiEntries.
CHRC will use information provided to us by SiEntries for the sole purpose of the organisation and safe running of the Pentland Skyline Race. CHRC will retain and make public the following results information indefinitely (subject to your legal right to request erasure, correction etc) : Your name, gender, age group, club, race times and race finish positions. All other personal information in CHRC possession will be erased within three months of the race date.
View the Event Disclaimer / Terms and Conditions.
View the Event Cancellation / Refund Policy.
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