Day of the Dead illustration of runners on a trail below a Scottish castle, framed by marigolds and sugar skulls

Kelburn Castle, Ayrshire · Sun 22 Nov · 9:30am

No clocks. No pressure. Just a brilliant social run.

Run of
the Dead.

4.3km loop · up to 3 laps · Kelburn Castle · Ayrshire

A 4.3km trail loop through the glen, waterfalls and woodland of Kelburn Castle. Run one, two or three laps, with 450ft of climb in every lap. This is not a race and it is not timed: it is a social, organised run with a cool medal, mud and a proper party at the finish line hosted by DJ Lu in the pavilion. Come as you are, or dress up if you fancy.

BOOK NOW - £32 →LIMITED SPACES - OUR LAST RUN SOLD OUT IN 4 DAYS - BOOK NOW

Distance

4.3km per lap

Date

Sun 22 Nov

Start

9:30am

Entry

£32

The series · Three dates

Run of the Dead runs three times.

Sunday 22 November 2026

Entries open

Sunday 14 March 2027

Date confirmed

Sunday 19 September 2027

Date confirmed

The music · The soundtrack

DJ Lu brings
the party to the pavilion.

The finish line is only half the fun. Once you have your medal, DJ Lu takes over the pavilion at Kelburn, spinning feel-good tunes while you stretch, swap stories and compare mud levels.

She has soundtracked our runs before and knows exactly how to close out a November morning: warm, loud enough to dance to and impossible to stand still through. Bring the family & stay as long as you like.

DJ Lu in the pavilionFrom 11:45 at the finish

DJ Lu playing tunes at a Dirt & Distance run — DJ LU, DOING WHAT SHE DOES BEST

The course

One heck of a climb.
One heck of a downhill.

A 4.3km loop round Kelburn Estate. 450ft of climb a lap. Up through the glen past the waterfalls, out with Arran on your shoulder, then a fast, rooty descent back to the castle.

One lap, two or three. Decide on the day. Forest path, estate track, a proper climb and some wet singletrack, so bring trail shoes with real lugs. Fully marshalled, no clocks, no results. A cracking first taste of trail running.

4.3km loop · up to 3 laps
450ft of elevation per lap
Not timed · not a race · a social organised run
Sugar-skull finisher medal for everyone
KELBURN CHARGES £5 PARKING PER CAR WHICH INCLUDES FULL ACCESS TO THE ESTATE FOR THE DAY: THE CASTLE, CAFE, SECRET FOREST, ANIMALS AND MORE (CAR SHARE WHERE YOU CAN)

Timings

08:30Registration and number pick-upKelburn courtyard
09:15Group photo and run brief
09:30Off we goMass start from the courtyard
10:15First finishers expected
11:30Post-run celebrations
11:45DJ Lu in the pavilionTunes and post-run chat

DJ Lu spinning tunes at a Dirt & Distance run — DJ Lu in the pavilion at the finish

The route · In pictures

Waterfalls, woodland trails views of the Firth of Clyde.

A waterfall dropping through the mossy glen at Kelburn — UP THROUGH THE GLEN, PAST THE WATERFALLS

A runner climbing the wooden steps up through the woods at Kelburn — THE CLIMB: 450FT IN EVERY LAP

The view over the Firth of Clyde from the estate tracks above Kelburn — ESTATE TRACKS WITH THE FIRTH OF CLYDE AND ARRAN ON YOUR SHOULDER

A mossy, leafy singletrack stream path in the woods at Kelburn — SCENIC WATERFALLS & LEAFY SINGLETRACK THROUGHOUT THE COURSE

A runner cruising a forest trail through the trees at Kelburn — FLOWING TRAIL THROUGH THE WOODS

Carved wooden faces peeking out of the ferns along the trail at Kelburn — KEEP AN EYE ON THE FERNS: YOU ARE NOT ALONE OUT THERE

A mossy stream winding through ferns and autumn leaves in the woods at Kelburn — MOSSY STREAMS ALL THE WAY DOWN THE GLEN

A wooden signpost pointing along the South Glen Path at Kelburn — FOLLOW THE SIGNS. WE WILL MARK THE REST

The venue

Kelburn Castle
and Estate.

Kelburn Castle, South Offices, Largs, Ayrshire, KA29 0BE. Thirty minutes from Glasgow by car, and about a mile from Fairlie train station (a 15 to 20 minute walk).

Parking is £5 per car, paid to Kelburn on the day, so please car share where you can. That £5 gets you full access to the estate for the rest of the day: the castle, the cafe, the secret forest, the animals, and more. Soft play on site (has a charge) for any little runners. Toilets and showers are available from the estate's camping area, and there is DJ Lu in the pavilion at the finish.

Kelburn Castle is a 12th-century historic house near Fairlie, North Ayrshire, famous for its unique Brazilian graffiti artwork painted across its stone walls.

The estate has been in the same family for 800 years and has a glen full of waterfalls. Painted skulls, wild colour, deep woods: there is no better place in Scotland for a Day of the Dead run.

Visit kelburnestate.com →

Entry

Grab your place.

Our last run sold out in 4 days · Limited places

£32 covers your entry, a sugar-skull finisher medal and DJ Lu in the pavilion after you finish. Tickets can be transferred to a friend up to 7 days before the event - just let us know the name change.

Entry to the 4.3km loop, run one, two or three laps
A sugar-skull finisher medal
DJ Lu in the pavilion after you finish
Full estate access for the day with £5 parking

Run of the Dead · Sun 22 Nov · Kelburn Castle

£32

I agree to the terms. By registering for this event, you acknowledge that you take part at your own risk. The organisers accept no liability for any injury, loss, or damage sustained before, during, or after the run.

Payment is processed securely. You'll get a confirmation email with your entry details within minutes.

FAQ

Common questions

Do I have to dress up?: No, but we would love you to. Skeletons, flowers, anything colourful - just make sure you can run in it.
How hard is the course?: It is a proper trail route with two solid climbs and some wet woodland underfoot. It is not a walk, but it is a great intro to trail running for first-timers - there is no tight cut-off.
Is it timed?: No. This is not a race and there is no clock: it is a social, organised run. Run one lap or three, at whatever pace you like, and enjoy the finish party.
Is there parking?: Yes, parking on the estate is £5 per car, paid to Kelburn on the day. Please car share where you can. That £5 also gets you full access to Kelburn for the day, including the castle, cafe, secret forest and animals. Start and finish are both at the castle courtyard, so no shuttles.
Are there toilets and showers?: Yes, toilets and showers are available from the estate's camping area.
Can I transfer my entry?: Yes, to a friend up to 7 days before the event. Just let us know about the name change 7 days before.
Can I bring family along?: Please do. The estate, glen and cafe are all open, DJ Lu plays the pavilion at the finish, and the finish area is a good spot to watch from.

Run ofthe Dead.