Keeping Cape Wrath and the Dragon on solid ground: changes to frequency and pricing
By Shane Ohly, Event Director, Ourea Events
For 2027, we plan to make changes to both the frequency and pricing of the Cape Wrath Ultra and the Dragon’s Back Race to ensure they remain on a sound commercial footing into the medium-term future. The Cape Wrath Ultra will move back to a biennial format (it will run every two years) and both events will see a modest increase in entry fee.
We appreciate that this will be disappointing news for some people, but it’s the responsible decision if we want these races to remain true to their nature as complex, bucket list, world-class expedition-style mountain journeys.
Why we’re making these changes
Both events are exceptionally complex to deliver safely and professionally.
As many other businesses will be able to relate, since COVID we’ve seen sustained inflation across the entire supply chain that sits behind these events: staffing, transport, infrastructure, accommodation, fuel, venue and facilities costs, equipment, compliance, and the sheer volume of planning time required. Our planning cycle starts more than a year out; budgets get built early and costs often land later - and for too long we’ve been chasing the entry fee to catch up with reality. That approach has become unsustainable.
The Cape Wrath Ultra is built around the spirit of the Cape Wrath Trail: remote terrain, long days and a genuine feeling of journey through the Highlands. Doing the Cape Wrath Trail independently takes huge amounts of time, planning and logistics, and it inevitably costs money. One reason the Cape Wrath Ultra has been popular is that, as an event, we solve the logistics, create a moving camp, build the safety framework, and add the big-event experience and camaraderie.
But the brutal truth is this: despite everyone’s admiration for the Cape Wrath Ultra and the glowing reviews we receive year-on-year that solidify this event as our favourite to deliver, the last three editions of the Cape Wrath Ultra haven’t generated any profit. The 2026 edition is currently tracking the same way. If an event isn’t commercially viable, it eventually becomes a risk to everything else we do - including the ability to keep these races at the standard they deserve.
What’s changing for the Cape Wrath Ultra
From 2027 onward, the Cape Wrath Ultra will move to a biennial schedule. In practical terms, that means there will be no Cape Wrath Ultra in 2028.
You can still enter the 2026 event. We also plan to run the event in 2027, and we intend to open entries for 2027 in May 2026. The 2027 entry fee will increase for all the reasons noted above – we expect in the region of 25%+.
Whether there is a 2029 Cape Wrath Ultra will depend on demand. Moving to every two years should help concentrate demand into each edition and reduce the financial fragility that comes from trying to deliver an event of this complexity annually on thin margins.
As briefly referenced above, this is sad news for our core team, and for the wider Ourea Events family who love Cape Wrath! It’s almost universally everyone’s favourite event to work on, which only strengthens our belief in its future and its unique standout place in the market.
What’s changing for the Dragon’s Back Race
The Dragon’s Back Race, with its well-established and legendary reputation, remains consistently more popular than Cape Wrath. However, entries can still fluctuate significantly from year to year, creating financial uncertainty for an event with a long lead time and substantial fixed costs. For the 2027 edition, we expect the Dragon’s Back Race entry fee to increase in the same vein as Cape Wrath. The reason we’re doing it is simple: we need to price the event in a way that reflects the true cost of delivering it safely and professionally, without relying on unpredictable late changes in demand.
A frank note on price versus value
Yes - these are expensive events.
But we also hear, again and again, from people who have taken part that they are brilliant value for money once you’ve experienced what goes into them and what you get back: the catering provision, the logistics, the safety systems, the staff, the medical provision, the route work, and the experience of moving through serious landscapes with an incredible group of people.
We’re not trying to turn either race into something predictable or ordinary. These events are meant to offer real challenge, adventure and a level of commitment that sets them apart in the trail-running world. The landscapes we traverse come with genuine risk - not recklessness, but reality - and we take pride in managing that responsibly while preserving the character and spirit that make these journeys truly meaningful.
At the same time, we want to be open about one important truth: to deliver these experiences safely and professionally, the events need to be priced in a way that reflects their true cost. If that isn’t possible, we may need to pause and reconsider. That’s not a negotiation; it’s the only way to honour our team, our suppliers, and the long-term future of these extraordinary races.
Price comparison
This decision hasn’t been made lightly. When we compared the price of the Dragon’s Back Race and Cape Wrath Ultra to other multi-day running events - both internationally and domestic equivalents - it became clear that our races have often been significantly underpriced - especially considering the scale, complexity, and care required to deliver them safely and professionally.
If you’re thinking about entering
If Cape Wrath has been on your “one day” list, the short version is this: 2026 is still an option, 2027 is coming, and 2028 won’t happen. If the Dragon has been calling you, the event remains what it has always been - a once-in-a-lifetime journey that challenges you deeply and rewards you in equal measure.
We’ll share more detail as we confirm exact pricing and entry timelines, and we’ll do our best to answer questions openly. We understand if you’re disappointed and we welcome your thoughts if you feel we’re making the wrong call. But if we’re going to continue delivering these races at the standard they deserve, this is the path we feel need to take.
Charity places
We’re also exploring the possibility of partnering with a charity provider to offer an alternative route of entry for those who may be interested in supporting a good cause alongside taking part. This would create another way to access the event, while helping to raise meaningful funds through participation. We’re currently reviewing options and will share more details as soon as we’re able.
Join the Ourea Event Team!
Our volunteer programme remains another valuable pathway into these races. Our Event Team volunteers receive credits that can be used across any of our events, meaning that many are able to return the following year to participate by paying only the deposit fee. Each year, we see a wonderful number of runners move from volunteering into racing, often arriving on the start line with a ready-made group of friends they met while supporting the event the year before. It’s a brilliant cycle that strengthens the community around the races, and one we’realways keen to encourage.
Deferred entries
Please get in touch with us about deferred entries. The key point is that the entry will need to be topped up to match the new price.
Images: ©No Limits Photography | Film: ©JHP Visuals ©Steve Ashworth Media
