The Kerry Way Ultra – Sept 5-6, 2025
The Kerry Way Ultra – Sept 5-6, 2025
Length of route
Approx. 120 miles/200km along the route of The Kerry Way
Venue
The Killarney Racecourse, Ross Road, Killarney – Registration, Start and Finish.
Cut-off times
Foilmore/Gortmore – 10pm Friday • Waterville – 4am Saturday
Sneem – 9am Saturday • Kenmare – 4pm Saturday
Registration for The Kerry Way Ultra will only be possible for competitors who hold the necessary qualifications – completion of 2 marathons OR 1 x 50mile ultra OR 1 x 100k ultra in the previous calendar year. Please note: No refunds or deferrals accepted.
There are two options for entrants to The Kerry Way Ultra – a 6am Start and a 10am Start, see below.
The Early Start (40h) will be non-competitive and is for those who want to enjoy the race without the pressure of going for a podium place while the Late Starters (36h) have a reduced time on the course but have a chance of a podium place.
The Late Starters will be ranked on their Finish time. The Early Starters will be ranked after the last Late Starter but will be given their actual time. Primal Tracking will show where everyone finishes across both waves after the event.
Thursday
Bag Drop – The Kerry Way Ultra Committee will provide transport for drop bags for Lord Brandon’s Cottage for all competitors. If you do not have a crew, your drop bags will be transported to the eight remaining crew stops.
Place your Drop Bag in the numbered plastic boxes at the Killarney Racecourse on Thursday afternoon from 4pm to 5pm. These boxes will be marked with the Crew Stop Name and race numbers, ie. Gortmore and Race Numbers 1 – 25. It is your responsibility to put your bags into the right box. Small bags only. These plastic boxes will then be transported to the crew stops for you.
Any items you need returned, please place back in your drop bag after use at a crew stop. These will be returned to the Killarney Racecourse over the duration of the event and can be picked up there. It may be Saturday evening before they are returned. Anything not recovered by Sunday afternoon, will be dumped.
Do not leave valuables in the drop bags. Kerry Way Ultra is not responsible for lost or damaged drop bags and their contents. Your Drop Bags are essential – help us help you by following the instructions above.
Thursday
Bag Drop – The Kerry Way Ultra Committee will provide transport for drop bags for Lord Brandon’s Cottage for all competitors. If you do not have a crew, your drop bags will be transported to the eight remaining crew stops.
Place your Drop Bag in the numbered plastic boxes at the Killarney Racecourse on Thursday afternoon from 4pm to 5pm. These boxes will be marked with the Crew Stop Name and race numbers, ie. Gortmore and Race Numbers 1 – 25. It is your responsibility to put your bags into the right box. Small bags only. These plastic boxes will then be transported to the crew stops for you.
Any items you need returned, please place back in your drop bag after use at a crew stop. These will be returned to the Killarney Racecourse over the duration of the event and can be picked up there. It may be Saturday evening before they are returned. Anything not recovered by Sunday afternoon, will be dumped.
Do not leave valuables in the drop bags. Kerry Way Ultra is not responsible for lost or damaged drop bags and their contents. Your Drop Bags are essential – help us help you by following the instructions above.
Registration – There will only be registration on Thursday evening at The Killarney Racecourse. This will be Registration, Mandatory Gear Check and allocation of trackers and race numbers. Due to the large number of entrants and that each entrant needs to have a tracker securely attached, there will be a very strict Registration process. It will be in alphabetical order (surnames) and you have to be there at your allocated time. If you miss your allotted time, there may be a delay of at least 1 hour before you can be registered, gear checked and tracker fitted. You can also pick up your tee shirt, if you ordered one. Your number must be worn on your front and must be visible at all times. Please bring your rucksack to Registration.
Registration Times are A to C – 5pm to 5.30pm, D to H – 5.30pm to 6pm, I to L – 6pm to 6.30pm, M to O – 6.30pm to 7pm and P to W – 7pm to 7.30pm. NO EXCEPTIONS!
Mandatory Gear List – The Mandatory Gear list is detailed below. Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI) paper maps (laminated photocopies are fine) are essential, Nos. 78, 83 & 84 cover the Ultra route.
Walking poles are your own choice but poles are not accepted in the Drop Bags. Your gear will be checked at Registration and then randomly checked anywhere along the route. All marshals have the authority to check this. First, second and third female and male competitors will have their bag checked at the Finish line. If you do not, or will not, show any item asked for, you will be disqualified. A working mobile phone is also mandatory and if you have gone astray, and are rang by any of the ‘dot-watchers’ and you do not answer, also disqualification. The trackers are essential and need to be attached to your rucksack, and kept away from mobile phones and emergency foil blankets.
Registration – There will only be registration on Thursday evening at The Killarney Racecourse. This will be Registration, Mandatory Gear Check and allocation of trackers and race numbers. Due to the large number of entrants and that each entrant needs to have a tracker securely attached, there will be a very strict Registration process. It will be in alphabetical order (surnames) and you have to be there at your allocated time. If you miss your allotted time, there may be a delay of at least 1 hour before you can be registered, gear checked and tracker fitted. You can also pick up your tee shirt, if you ordered one. Your number must be worn on your front and must be visible at all times. Please bring your rucksack to Registration.
Registration Times are A to C – 5pm to 5.30pm, D to H – 5.30pm to 6pm, I to L – 6pm to 6.30pm, M to O – 6.30pm to 7pm and P to W – 7pm to 7.30pm. NO EXCEPTIONS!
Mandatory Gear List – The Mandatory Gear list is detailed below. Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI) paper maps (laminated photocopies are fine) are essential, Nos. 78, 83 & 84 cover the Ultra route.
Walking poles are your own choice but poles are not accepted in the Drop Bags. Your gear will be checked at Registration and then randomly checked anywhere along the route. All marshals have the authority to check this. First, second and third female and male competitors will have their bag checked at the Finish line. If you do not, or will not, show any item asked for, you will be disqualified. A working mobile phone is also mandatory and if you have gone astray, and are rang by any of the ‘dot-watchers’ and you do not answer, also disqualification. The trackers are essential and need to be attached to your rucksack, and kept away from mobile phones and emergency foil blankets.
Route Profile
Mandatory Gear List
- Full waterproof jacket and trousers
- Head Torch with minimum 200 lumens and spare batteries
- Paper route map
- Fully charged mobile phone
- Survival (bivy, foil) bag/blanket
- Whistle
- First Aid Kit (plasters, bandages, sterile dressing, laces etc.)
- Gloves, Hat
- Water and spare food
- Green ribbon for 10am Start or Blue ribbon for 6am Start
Safety equipment mandatory with gear check at Registration and spot checks along the route. Personal assistance along the route is forbidden other than at Crew Stops.
Support
Self-sufficient with Support Crews allowed at:
- The Climbers Inn, Glencar
- Sheahans Supermarket, Glenbeigh
- Gortmore/Foilmore Community Centre
- Waterville Community Centre
- Caherdaniel Community Centre
- Sneem Community Centre
- Templenoe Graveyard Car Park
- St. John’s National School, Kenmare
There will be a Bag Drop at Lord Brandon’s Cottage, Black Valley which will be the responsibility of The Kerry Way Ultra Committee. No Support Crew vehicles allowed off The Ring of Kerry road, except to The Climbers Inn, Glencar.
Distances between Crew Stops (approx)
- Killarney to Lord Brandon’s Cottage: 24km
- Lord Brandon’s Cottage to Glencar; 22km
- Glencar to Glenbeigh: 14km
- Glenbeigh to Gortmore: 16km
- Gortmore to Waterville: 24km
- Waterville to Caherdaniel: 15km
- Caherdaniel to Sneem: 18km
- Sneem to Templenoe: 22km
- Templenoe to Kenmare: 15km
- Kenmare to Killarney: 25km
Friday & Saturday
Start – There may be parking inside the entrance gate of the racecourse, this is not guaranteed. If you do get parking here, there is no charge. Please park responsibly, you will be towed if you are blocking anyone.
6am & 10am – START
When leaving the N71 and entering Killarney National Park, you must follow The Kerry Way route. When finishing, you can take any path through the National Park, from the foot of Torc Waterfall.
Crew Stops and Crew – If you have a crew, please ensure that they are watching your ‘dot’ so they will know if you have left the route and need to be re-directed. Please email info@kerrywayultra.com a mobile number for your crew. If you do not have a crew, please have someone watch you as we will be watching the Ultra, the UltraRelay, the UltraNite and the UltraLite so it may take a while for us to spot you wandering.
There will be emergency water at the Crew Stops – there is a tap at Lord Brandon’s Cottage, The Climbers Inn in Glencar may be open, there is a supermarket and an outdoor tap at Glenbeigh, Gortmore/Foilmore Commuity Centre has a tap, Waterville Community Centre has a tap and pubs and supermarkets, Caherdaniel Community Centre has a tap, the bridge on Sneem has a Water Dispenser, there is a tap in the graveyard at Templenoe. Check out the refill Tap Map app! There will be rubbish bags and recycling bags at each stop, please use them.
No pacers are allowed but you may have family or friends run the last section from Torc Waterfall in through the Killarney National Park with you.
Finish – Killarney Racecourse. The entrance into the racecourse is just after the bridge over the River Flesk, turn left into the Maurice O’Donoghue Park, there is a barrier at this entrance. This path runs alongside the river and then brings you into the racecourse.
Entrants to the UltraRelay/UltraNite/UltraLite have been asked, as a courtesy to the Ultra athletes, to attach a ribbon, cord, string onto their rucksack. This is to signify that they are an UltraRelay/UltraNite/UltraLite competitor. They have also been asked to give way at stiles to all Ultra competitors.
Check yourself for ticks when you are finished running.
Taxis – There are very few taxis available around the Ring of Kerry, the closest road to The Kerry Way. If you have to DNF, we will try to get you home, a marshal, a volunteer, someone’s crew but it will only be when they have finished their crewing duties. Kenmare is probably the closest town to get a taxi to Killarney and you will have to pay for this yourself.
Sunday
UltraBrunch and Prizegiving – The UltraBrunch will be in the Panorama Restaurant at The Killarney Racecourse at 11am on Sunday. There will be a list at the entrance to the restaurant and, if you have paid for the UltraBrunch, your name will be on this list! If you are a prizewinner, and your name isn’t on this list, the awarding of prizes will be from 12.15/12.30pm onwards. There is a café, IGUANAS, underneath the Panorama Restaurant.
Brian Byrne Award for The Best Crew – The Brian Byrne Award for the Best Crew of KWU. This will be voted on by all assistant race directors, marshals and volunteers who will have been out along the route Friday and Saturday and will have seen which crew have really excelled! Tell your crew about this.
