Compiled and fact-checked by Tommo, Verus founder · Last verified August 2026 · Spot an error?

Running · Ultra Marathons

Seven Sisters Skyline 2026

Race day
Saturday, 19 September 2026
Location
Dunlewy, Co. Donegal, Ireland, Ireland
Distance
34.2 mi / 55.0 km

Seven Sisters Skyline: 19 September 2026, 34.2 miles, from Dunlewy, Derryveagh Mountains. Entry, route, a pace chart and the race-day forecast.

9Days

Seven Sisters Skyline Race Timeline

Training Phase Build Phase Taper Race Week Race Day Race Completed

9 days to go

Volume comes down hard across these final three-plus weeks. At ultra distance the taper is not about sharpening — it is about arriving with your legs, your feet and your gut fully recovered from the biggest training block of the year.

Generated mark — no elevation published for this course

Seven Sisters Skyline 2026: quick answers

When is Seven Sisters Skyline 2026?

Seven Sisters Skyline 2026 takes place on Saturday, 19 September 2026.

Where does Seven Sisters Skyline start?

Seven Sisters Skyline starts at Dunlewy, Derryveagh Mountains. The organiser hasn't published a finish location.

How many miles is Seven Sisters Skyline?

Seven Sisters Skyline is 34.2 miles (55km).

How much does Seven Sisters Skyline cost to enter?

Part of the Skyrunner UK & Ireland Series; 16K/30K/55K options

Key Race Metrics & Overview

Date
Saturday, 19 September 2026
Distance
34.2 miles / 55.0km
Location
Dunlewy, Co. Donegal, Ireland, Ireland
Start Point
Dunlewy, Derryveagh Mountains
Surface
Trail/Mountain

Not published by the organiser at the time of writing: finish point, start time, cut-off time, age requirement, tracking app. Verus records these as unconfirmed rather than estimating them — check the official race website closer to race day.

Direct Entry Summary

Part of the Skyrunner UK & Ireland Series; 16K/30K/55K options

Ballot Policy

No ballot — entry is direct through Excel Sports.

Seven Sisters Skyline Race Day Weather

Fetching today's forecast for race day…

Seven Sisters Skyline Route Map & Elevation Profile

Starting at Dunlewy, Derryveagh Mountains. The organiser hasn't published a finish location. Total elevation gain is not published for this event, and Verus does not estimate one.

Is Seven Sisters Skyline flat?

No official elevation figure is published for this course, so Verus doesn't state one. The organiser describes the going as: trail/mountain.

Seven Sisters Skyline Course Profile

Elevation change not published for this event.

Startmi 17.134.2mi

Tap a point on the course for details.

mi 0.0

Dunlewy, Derryveagh Mountains

Start line.

Where Seven Sisters Skyline starts and finishes

Seven Sisters Skyline starts at Dunlewy, Derryveagh Mountains. We haven't been able to place those on a map accurately enough to show one — a pin in the wrong place is worse than no pin.

These are the start and finish points, not the route. Verus doesn't hold course files for this race, and drawing a line between two pins would be a guess you might end up training on.

Full Seven Sisters Skyline Route Breakdown

Billed as Ireland's largest and toughest mountain running event; the 55km Skyline ultra runs the ridge of the Seven Sisters peaks from Errigal to Muckish with 4,000m of ascent.

Seven Sisters Skyline Pace Calculator & Splits

Seven Sisters Skyline Pace Calculator

Enter a target finish time to see your pace and projected splits.

hrs
min
sec
target time

Average pace / mile

7:01

Average pace / km

4:22

5K21:48
10K43:36
Half Marathon1:32:00
30K2:10:49
Finish4:00:00

Seven Sisters Skyline Pace Chart

Split markers calculated for standard checkpoints — no official pacers are confirmed for this event.

Target Pace /mi Pace /km 5K10KHalf Marathon30KFinish
3:00 5:16 3:16 16:2132:421:09:001:38:073:00:00
3:15 5:42 3:33 17:4335:261:14:451:46:173:15:00
3:30 6:08 3:49 19:0538:091:20:301:54:283:30:00
3:45 6:35 4:05 20:2640:531:26:152:02:383:45:00
4:00 7:01 4:22 21:4843:361:32:002:10:494:00:00
4:15 7:27 4:38 23:1046:201:37:452:18:594:15:00
4:30 7:54 4:54 24:3249:031:43:302:27:104:30:00
4:45 8:20 5:11 25:5351:471:49:152:35:214:45:00
5:00 8:46 5:27 27:1554:301:55:002:43:315:00:00
5:30 9:39 6:00 29:5959:572:06:302:59:525:30:00
6:00 10:32 6:32 32:421:05:242:18:003:16:136:00:00
6:30 11:24 7:05 35:261:10:512:29:303:32:346:30:00
7:00 12:17 7:38 38:091:16:192:41:003:48:567:00:00

Seven Sisters Skyline Finish Time Estimator

Enter a recent 5K, 10K or Half Marathon time to estimate your Seven Sisters Skyline finish time.

Your 5K time

hrs
min
sec

Estimated Seven Sisters Skyline finish

5:17:48

An estimate only, based on Pete Riegel's race-time prediction formula. Real marathon performance depends on endurance, training specificity, pacing and race-day conditions — not just your speed over a shorter distance.

Training for a different distance? Try the full pace calculator, race time predictor or pace chart.

Got your target time? Save it to your profile.

Tag Seven Sisters Skyline, set your goal pace, and let Verus track your countdown, training and fundraising in one place.

Start Your Verus Journey

Seven Sisters Skyline Race Day Checklist

Tap items to mark off your race-day readiness.

0/4
  • Race number attached, and any timing chip fitted per your race pack instructions
  • Weather-appropriate kit, plus something warm and disposable to discard before the start
  • A plan for reaching Dunlewy, Derryveagh Mountains
  • A meeting point agreed with family and friends for after the race

Training Strategy for Seven Sisters Skyline

Standard Training Window

20-24 weeks is the realistic window for a first 34.2-mile ultra, assuming you already have a marathon's worth of base behind you. The block that matters is back-to-back long weekends — a long run on Saturday followed by a second, slower one on Sunday — which builds time on feet and teaches you to run on tired legs without the recovery cost of one enormous day. Practise your race-day nutrition on every one of them; at this distance the stomach fails before the legs do.

Terrain Specificity

This is a largely flat course, so most of your long runs can mirror that — flat and steady, building time on feet rather than hill strength.

The Taper Phase

Drop volume hard across the final three to four weeks — further out and steeper than a marathon taper, because a 30-mile training day costs weeks of recovery, not days. Keep some easy running and a little terrain-specific work in, but the goal is to reach Dunlewy, Derryveagh Mountains with fresh feet and a rested gut rather than one more long run in the bank.

Pacing Execution

Lock in your target pace using the interactive splits calculator below — no official pacers are confirmed for this event, so a pace band on your watch is the more reliable option.

Fuel & Hydration Prep

Test your race-day fuel and hydration plan on your long training runs, not for the first time on race day — check the Race Day Checklist below for what's actually on this course.

34.2-Mile Ultra Nutrition & Fueling Plan

2-3 Days Prior

A deliberate increase in carbohydrate over the two to three days before the race is the well-established approach at marathon distance.

Race Morning

Eat a carbohydrate-focused breakfast two to three hours before the start, and stick to something you've already tested in training rather than trying anything new.

On-Course Fueling

Most runners take on carbohydrate every 30 to 45 minutes from about an hour in, alongside fluid at the on-course stations.

Post-Race Recovery

A mix of carbohydrate and protein in the hour or so after finishing supports recovery.

Seven Sisters Skyline Charity Places 2026

No formal charity-place scheme published — runners commonly fundraise for a charity of their own choosing.

Impactful Storytelling

Lead with your personal story — explain why the charity matters to you. Personal connection generates 3x more support than a generic link broadcast.

Social Campaign Milestones

Share key training milestones on Instagram (first 10-miler, peak week, race week) with your fundraising link in bio. Publicly thanking donors prompts secondary gifts!

Running Seven Sisters Skyline for charity?

Link your JustGiving page to Verus and show up right here alongside other Seven Sisters Skyline fundraisers — goal, progress and story, all in one place.

Add Your Fundraiser to Verus

Travel & Logistics

Road closures

No road closures — the Seven Sisters Skyline is run off-road (Trail/Mountain), so local traffic is unaffected.

Seven Sisters Skyline Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know for race weekend.

Race details independently compiled and fact-checked by Tommo against the official Seven Sisters Skyline site , last verified August 2026. Always confirm official timings and policies directly prior to race day.