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3. Eryri (Snowdonia)’s Best Trail Running Events

As one of the UK’s most breathtaking mountain environments, Eryri (Snowdonia) has become somewhat of a spiritual home for a large number of trail runners. With incredible trails, challenging terrain and unbeatable scenery, it’s the perfect place to lace up your trainers, get that heart rate up and test your legs.

The area is also home to a large number of trail running events. From chilled, mass participation events that cater to all ability levels to ultra-competitive world championship events, Eryri has something for everyone. With this in mind, here’s our guide to five of the region’s best and most popular trail running events.

Ultra Trail Snowdonia

Ultra Trail Snowdonia (UTS) is arguably the region’s most prestigious and best-known trail running event. Part of the UTMB® World Series and one of only two UKUTMB® events, it attracts runners from all over the world with 2,700 participants representing over 65 nationalities attending the 2024 event. Four distances are available every year – 100 miles, 100 km, 50 km and 25 km – and the routes take in some of Eyri’s most spectacular trails.

Billed as ‘Beautiful beyond belief. Savage beyond reason’, Ultra Trail Snowdonia more than lives up to the hype. Staggeringly tough, it requires considerable physical and mental preparation.

At RAW Adventures, we actually work hand-in-hand with the event organisers to offer official UTS recce days, enabling confirmed participants and those considering the run a chance to experience the route, receive expert advice from knowledgeable local trail runners, and improve their skills and confidence. We organise Recce Days for all four official race routes and focus on critical sections where runners often drop the pace and lose time.

Slate Trail

If you’re looking for something a little less intense and more oriented towards non-competitive running, the Snowdonia Slate Trail is an excellent option. An 83-mile route that provides a wonderful insight into Eryri’s historic position at the centre of the world’s slate industry, the trail encompasses some of the area’s most breathtaking and secluded landscapes.

At RAW, we typically offer a guided luxe running event that sees participants tackle the route in three days, resulting in a challenging pace that still allows plenty of time to appreciate the striking natural surroundings. This is the perfect event for those who love running for its power to take you places you would never otherwise see and who enjoy sharing the experience in a friendly, social and supportive environment.

As part of RAW’s three-day guided luxe running event, participants will enjoy three nights of high-quality accommodation in hotels or B&Bs, as well as baggage transfer, transport and the presence of a qualified Mountain Leader or Running Guide. Though we may be biased, we think it’s one of the best ways to discover and enjoy Eryri in its totality, bringing nature, history, culture, sport and good people together in a beautiful trail running package.

XTERRA Snowdonia Trail Marathon Eryri

The XTERRA Snowdonia Trail Marathon Eryri is another big-name event plenty of trail runners want to tick off their bucket list. In 2025, the event will double up as the 2025 Trail Run World Championship and Eryri will play host to some of the best trail runners in the world, as well as an inclusive trail festival.

The event will see four races take place on the 13th of July 2025. There are official world championship final events for both the half and full marathons, as well as open races for both distances. The mix of world-class athletes and passionate amateurs should generate a brilliant atmosphere. Unless the event sells out beforehand, registration closes on the 10th of July 2025. But we recommend getting your entries in nice and early. Even if you’re not racing, you can still support the runners, enjoy Eryri’s beautiful scenery and soak up the vibes. So come on down!

Yr Wyddfa Ultra 50

The 6th edition of the Yr Wyddfa Ultra 50 takes place on Saturday the 14th of September 2024 and departs from the area’s outdoor capital, Betws-y-Coed. Encompassing 47 miles and 3,254 metres of elevation, the event has places for 350 runners, making it a smaller and more cosy affair than some of the larger events listed above.

The route takes you past and through some of Eryri’s most iconic spots, including stretches of the Snowdonia Slate Trail, Heather Terrace on Tryfan, the Yr Wyddfa summit, Glyder Fach and Glyder Fawr, and Devil’s Kitchen. Entrants must be aged 20 years or over, have run at least a marathon distance prior to the event and have some previous mountain experience. You can download the route GPX through the Yr Wyddfa Ultra 50 website and supporters can follow your progress via the live tracking feature.

Dragon’s Back Race

While not strictly an Eryri-only event, we couldn’t write a whole article on trail running in the region and not mention the infamous Dragon’s Back Race. One of the most beloved and feared trail running adventures in the UK, the route covers 380 km over six days, taking you from one end of Wales to the other, across some of the country’s wildest and most mountainous terrain.

Regularly ranked amongst the toughest trail running challenges in the world, the Dragon’s Back Race is not something you take on lightly and requires considerable experience. If it sounds like your kind of challenge, you better get training…

Trail Running with RAW Adventures

At RAW Adventures, we live, breathe and dream all things Eryri. And we love trail running. It’s the perfect combination! Whether they cater to relative newcomers to the sport or seasoned racers, all our trail running activities and events benefit from our unique blend of local expertise and passion for running.

We create a warm, welcoming and supportive environment that enables you to perform to your best and enjoy the experience, while also helping you to understand and appreciate the space you’re moving through. Sometimes, that might mean pointing out local wildlife. Other times, it may mean giving you detailed information on how to move through a particularly challenging trail section in the most efficient way possible.

If you are interested in joining us on our Guided Snowdonia Slate Trail Event or one of our official UTS recce days, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We would love to hear from you and are more than happy to answer any questions you may have.