Category Archives: Trail

Heat, Hills and Heroics as Newcastle AC Conquer Sea2Sky

Posted on by

The summer racing season always brings the annual local races into the spotlight, and with events taking place closer to home, athletes relish the opportunity to compete on familiar routes while representing their local clubs.

Mary Houston approaches the highest point of the race at the Boundary

Across the district, the red and yellow vests of both senior and junior members were a familiar sight, with Newcastle AC athletes enjoying a dominant presence on podiums throughout the region. In particular, the club’s junior squad made their mark in impressive fashion, claiming multiple victories and underlining the strength of the club’s emerging talent. Continue reading →

Slieve Martin Charity Race

Featured

Posted on by

Newcastle AC are pleased to announce that the Slieve Martin Race will return as a standalone event on Thursday 13 August 2026 at 7:30pm.

The race will be run over the Hill & Dale course, giving runners the chance to get their Hill & Dale fix during the summer months.

Entry will be free, with a voluntary collection on the night to raise funds for a defibrillator at the Oldtown Road Car Park, located at the start of the Carrick Little track leading to Slieve Binnian.

The car park has been used for Hill & Dale parking in recent years and was owned by James Doran, who sadly passed away last year. James was always incredibly supportive and could not do enough to help the running community. The defibrillator will be purchased in his memory, creating a lasting tribute that will mean a great deal to his family while also benefiting everyone who uses the area.

To take part in the race you must register on Webscorer here:

Click here to register

Hill & Dales 2026: Drinnahilly Report, Photos and Results

Posted on by

Drinnahilly Brings the Curtain Down on Another Memorable Hill & Dale Series

By The Not so Civil Servants

Alas, all good things must come to an end, and after ten weeks of climbing, descending, slipping, scrambling and occasionally running, the 2026 Hill & Dale Series came to a fitting conclusion at Drinnahilly.

Although Drinnahilly lacks the lofty summits of Binnian or Meelmore, it remains one of the quickest and most fiercely contested races of the series. The relentless climbs through Donard Forest and the flowing descents demanded one final effort from legs already weary after a spring spent battling the Mournes. Continue reading →

Northern Ireland’s Rising Fell-Running Stars Tested at Edale

Posted on by

The junior races took centre stage on a warm morning at the Edale Fell Race, with the Under-16 contest producing one of the most competitive and exciting races of the day.

The NI U16 Squad

As part of both the FRA Junior English Championships and the British Junior Inter-Counties Championships programme, the race attracted a high-quality field from clubs across the country, all eager to test themselves on the demanding Peak District terrain including a team of five Under 16s for Northern Ireland which was made up of three members from Newcastle AC, Donal McDaid, Mary Houston and Parisa Susay-Quinn.

All 3 members had rightly earned their spots in the squad after a tough qualifier in March in Newcastle and proudly pulled on their first international vests alongside Ruarrc Sheridan (North Belfast Harriers) and Coco Smith (North Down AC) 

Continue reading →

Hill & Dales 2026: Millstone Report, Photos and Results

Posted on by

Millstone Mountain: The Return of Order  

By The Overworked Chef  

Newcastle AC members pre-race in their club vests.

Newcastle AC members pre-race in their club vests.

After the organisational heroics at Luke’s, the Hill and Dale caravan arrived in Newcastle and Millstone Mountain on a blustery, rain-soaked June evening, where almost 300 runners gathered for one of the series’ sternest challenges. Continue reading →

Hill & Dales 2026: Tollymore Report, Results & Photos

Posted on by
Tollymore Two: Double the Hills, Double the Thrills!
The weather gods were smiling on us again! Tollymore Forest Park was looking its absolute best—sun beaming down at a crisp 12 degrees with the majestic Mourne Mountains standing tall in the background. A record-shattering 430 runners charged across the start line (though two “ghost runners” forgot to scan—seriously folks, don’t forget to get scanned!).