Maamturks Challenge 2026

Participants are required to complete a full traverse of the famous Maamturks mountain range, a notoriously barren and rocky terrain. With ridges, cliffs and numerous valleys, participants in the walk are generally some of the most experienced hillwalkers Ireland has to offer. Despite the challenge of the event, it is rare to only ever participate once. Many participants are drawn back each year as an annual pilgrimage to meet with friends from around the country.

There will be 250 places available for registration, released Wednesday 4th February at 19:00 on this page. The cost of entry will be €50 per person for 2026. A maximum of 3 tickets can be purchased at once. An online waiting list will be made available once all 250 tickets have been purchased and tickets will be released in order of joining the list. Each walker must be registered individually on the walking list as we will only be able to release one ticket at a time.

Tickets for bus transport will be made available at a later date. Transport for participants will be running from Leenane and Peacock's Hotel to the start at Corcóg in the morning, and a shuttle service will be running from the finish at Leenane to Maam in the afternoon.

All participants must agree in full to the Challenge Rules and should consult the registration and participant information before purchasing a ticket. Please note that the Challenge will start between 5am - 7am this year on Saturday 11th April. For further information, please consult the relevant information on our website or feel free to send us an email to maamturks@ugmc.ie. Registered walkers will be sent email updates in the lead up to the event.

Important Note - All participants MUST be competent in mountain navigation. Bad weather could make the walk even more difficult than it is already. Before you sign up, you should be confident you're prepared for any conditions.

"All participants, irrespective of whether they are a part of a group, are required to have their own maps and compass and optionally GPS, and must be proficient in self navigation in all conditions, particularly low visibility."