- DATE: Saturday 25th April 2026
- ENTRIES CLOSE: Thursday 23rd April 2025 @ 9pm
Registration: 9.45 – 10.30 am
Race Director: Richard Wilson
Long course (NIMRA Championship)
Start: 11 am
Distance: 20k (subject to route choice)
Ascent: 2000m
Short course (NIMRA League)
Start: 11.15 am
Distance: 9km (subject to route choice)
Ascent: 500m
RESULTS – Provisional results will be streamed live here
This year’s Annalong Horseshoe Fell Race will be based at the Carricklittle track, race registration and parking for the first 50 cars only at the top of the lane Grid Ref 345226.
Long course – The race will follow the same route as per Annalong Horseshoe of the last few years, starting at the top of the Carricklittle track, inside the gate and will visit Chimney Rock, Donard, Commedagh (summit), Cove, Lamagan, Binnian (summit) with the finish at the Carricklittle entrance to the race venue. Competitors must visit all of the checkpoints in the correct order, with the route between checkpoints being at the runners’ discretion.
This is an arduous mountain race on open mountains and entrants should have the necessary required fitness levels and experience before submitting an entry. In bad weather and/or poor visibility navigation skills and experience is an essential requirement for all entrants. This is not a suitable race for novices or new entrants to the sport of mountain running. The race organisers reserve the right to refuse a starting place to anybody whom they deem to not have the requisite experience and/or fitness or to be adequately equipped. The minimum entry age is 18 on the day.
Mandatory checkpoints as follows:
| CHECKPOINT | GRID REF | DESCRIPTION |
| Start | 341230 | inside gate at top of track |
| CP1 | 364257 | Chimney Rock summit cairn |
| CP2 | 358277 | Slieve Donard summit, inside wall corner |
| CP3 | 349279 | Saddle Donard-Commedagh CUT-OFF 13:45 |
| CP4 | 346286 | Slieve Commedagh summit cairn |
| CP5 | 336271 | Cove summit cairn |
| CP6 | 328261 | Slieve Lamagan summit cairn |
| CP7 | 320233 | Slieve Binnian Summit |
| FINISH | 346226 | entrance gate to race venue |
There will be a cut off time at the marshaled checkpoint at the Donard-Commedagh saddle, time advised as 13:45. All runners must report to this checkpoint and ensure that their race number is recorded before continuing on the race route. Any runners arriving at the checkpoint after the cut-off time will be requested by the marshals to proceed to the finish area via the Annalong Valley. Any runners disobeying this instruction and continuing on the race route will be disqualified and barred from entry to future B.A.R.F. organised events. Marshals will remain in position until 2:00pm. Any runners arriving at the Donard/Commedagh col after this time must return directly to the race venue via the safest route and MUST NOT continue along the race route. If possible, they should also advise the Race Organiser of their retirement, location and return route via the contact number below.
Please see the following out of bounds areas and points to note:
- Annalong Wood is out of bounds.
- Championship: the route from Donard to Commedagh MUST be to the South of the wall. Anyone seen to the North will be disqualified.
- The Commedagh control will be at the south side of the tower (not at the summit cairn.)
- The Lamagan-Binnian col control is not required. However, if your route passes near it, please punch at it.
Short course – This year, BARF have added a shorter race route which is part of the new NIMRA League. A less arduous, and easier to navigate variation of the Annalong Horseshoe, intended to be more accessible to new hill runners and those not wishing to complete a long race. The route starts at the top of the Carricklittle track, and follows that track to the path junction at Binnian/Lamagan col, then visits a checkpoint at Binnian Summit before returning to the finish at the carpark on Carricklittle track. Competitors must visit all of the checkpoints in the correct order, with the route between checkpoints being at the runners’ discretion.
Although less arduous than the longer race, this is still a race across rough mountain terrain and entrants should have the necessary required fitness levels and experience before submitting an entry. In bad weather and/or poor visibility navigation skills and experience is an essential requirement for all entrants. The minimum entry age is 18 on the day.
Mandatory checkpoints as follows:
| CHECKPOINT | GRID REF | DESCRIPTION |
| Start | 341230 | inside gate at top of track |
| CP1 | 321255 | Slieve Lamagan Slieve Binnian Col |
| CP2 | 320233 | Slieve Binnian Summit |
| FINISH | 346226 | entrance gate to race venue |
Runners are not permitted to run on top of the Mourne Wall.
All runners must report to the race control at the finish area and return their SI Cards, whether they have completed the course or not.
Timing will be SI Cards (aka dibbers) and Control Boxes. Any runners losing their SI Card will be charged a £30 replacement fee. (see here for an outline of the SPORTident timing system)
Entries Fees
Long course: £15 for affiliated, £17 for unaffiliated. Over 65’s free.
Short course: £12 for affiliated, £14 for unaffiliated. Over 65’s free.
Registration will be pre-entry only, no registration will be available on the day. Race entries will open on Sunday 29th March and close on Thursday 23rd April or sooner, if entries are full.
(Entry links at the top of the page)
Race numbers will be restricted to 150 people.
Age is determined as the entrant’s age on the day of the race.
There will be no safety pins provided at this event – competitors are advised to have a means of securely fixing their race number to the front of their vest.
Parking
There will be an entrance fee of £3 per vehicle for car parking at the event centre payable in cash on arrival – runners are requested to bring the correct change. Car parking will be in the two fields beyond the main car park, entered through the main car park. Parking is available for the first 50 cars only – once full, race competitors will be required to use alternative car parks in the area. All vehicles are parked and left unattended at their owner’s risk.
Toilets are available at the race venue.
Registration will open at 9:45 and close sharp at 10:30 am. Competitors who have arrive after 10:30 will not be permitted to start.
Competitors must report to registration wearing a face covering which must also be carried on the course.
Competitors are requested to obey social distancing rules and adhere to marshals’ instructions in relation to start procedures.
This race will be run under Athletics NI and FRA rules. The minimum safety kit to be carried will be as described here on the FRA website.
‘FRA Mandatory Minimum Kit’ comprises:
The following kit requirements apply to both long and short courses:
Waterproof whole body cover (with taped seams and integrated attached hood), hat, gloves, map of the route, compass, whistle, thermal (foil) blanket and emergency food.
The above is a minimum requirement. Weather conditions or an adverse weather forecast may result in the Race Organiser adding to this list, items such as a head torch, additional thermal layer, space blanket, etc may be added at any time, up to the start of the race. It is the competitor’s responsibility for their own safety and advised to arrive at race registration prepared for all eventualities. A rigorous kit check will be undertaken of each competitor’s safety kit prior to the start. Any competitor not complying with the minimum safety kit will not be permitted to start the race.
Weather conditions in mountain areas can be very unpredictable and swing between extremes. Runners should be familiar with the dangers and signs of hypothermia and hyperthermia and what action to take. Please read these leaflets on the FRA website – Hyperthermia Hypothermia – and be prepared.
Once competitors have punched the finish control, please proceed promptly to the download desk to record your time and return your SI Card. There will be no refreshments served after the race this year and group socialising after the event is discouraged.
This is a non-GPS event. GPS equipment is not permitted to be used during this event for navigation purposes and any person detected doing so will be disqualified and barred from entering this event for five years. Such equipment may be used to record a route for subsequent analysis with no penalty.
Suitable maps are the OSNI 1:25,000 Activity Map or Harvey 1:25,000 Mourne Mountains. Results – will be streamed live to http://barfni.co.uk/results/index.html
All inquiries should be emailed to admin@barfni.co.uk
Race Emergency Contact number: 07845 659503