Castlewellan Forest Park is preparing for one final afternoon of mud, water and organised chaos as The Bog Run returns on Sunday October 11th for its tenth and final edition.
The untimed 5K has welcomed more than 3,000 participants since 2015 while raising money for Cancer Fund for Children. This year offers one last opportunity to crawl through the bushes, clamber over trees and wade into mud pits before the popular event bows out.
Entries remain open at the time of writing. Online registration closes at 3.00pm on Thursday October 8th, or earlier if the event reaches capacity, with no registration available on the day.
The Muddiest 5K Around
This is not the 5K for chasing a personal best or keeping a new pair of trainers clean.
The course moves on and off the forest paths at Castlewellan, sending participants through bushes, over trees and into mud pits that can reach neck height. Those taking on the senior course will also cross a small section of the lake where the water can rise to waist level.
It is untimed and billed as a run for fun, so walking and jogging are every bit as welcome as running. That does not make it easy. The organisers warn that the course is difficult, cold and extremely muddy, particularly for younger participants.
The stopwatch might be staying at home, but nobody should expect a gentle Sunday stroll around the lake. If your plan involves returning to the car with clean socks, you may want to reconsider it.
A Final Chapter After More Than a Decade
The first Bog Run took place in 2015 and the event has since become a memorable part of the autumn calendar in County Down.
Its appeal has always rested on simplicity. Participants get filthy, share a few laughs and raise money for families affected by childhood cancer. The announcement that this will be the final edition gives the 2026 event extra significance for previous participants and newcomers alike.
There will also be prizes for the best dressed participants and the biggest team, while face painting and extra activities will add to the atmosphere around the event area.
For those who have completed it before, this is the chance to return for one last trip through the mud. For everybody else, it is the last chance to find out what all the fuss has been about.
Junior and Senior Courses
The Junior Bog Run is open to children aged 8 to 14 taking part with an accompanying adult. A maximum of two children may participate with each adult.
The Senior Bog Run is open to anyone aged 12 or over, although participants aged 12 to 17 must take part with an adult. The junior course follows much of the same route but removes the lake section and several of the deeper mud pits.
Sign in opens at 9.30am. The junior event begins from 10.30am, followed by the senior event from 12.30pm. Groups of 60 will start every ten minutes, with participants able to select a wave during registration.
The staggered starts should prevent the forest obstacles from becoming too congested, although avoiding a queue at a neck deep mud pit might be the least of anyone's worries.
More Than a Mud Run
The Bog Run is organised to support Cancer Fund for Children, which provides emotional, social and therapeutic help to children and young people affected by cancer across the island of Ireland.
That support is provided in family homes, on hospital wards and through the charity's Daisy Lodge short break centre. Fundraising is therefore central to the event rather than an optional extra attached to the registration process.
Adult entry to the senior event costs £35 and carries a sponsorship target of £120 or €140. Entry for those aged 12 to 17 costs £30, with a target of £80 or €90. Junior packages begin at £35 for one adult and one child, with sponsorship targets depending on the number of people registered.
Senior teams of five or more can receive a 10 per cent reduction on registration by contacting the organisers for a team code.
What Happens After the Mud?
Changing tents, a bag drop and shower facilities will be available at Castlewellan Forest Park. The organisers have warned that queues for the showers should be expected, which will come as no surprise once a crowd of mud covered runners crosses the finish.
Every registered participant will receive an event shirt, medal and post race snacks. Parking is available at the forest park for £5 per car, with car sharing encouraged due to the number of people expected.
Participants should bring warm clothing and a complete change of clothes. This is one occasion when packing an old towel and several plastic bags is every bit as important as remembering the running kit.
Race Essentials
- Event: The Bog Run 2026
- Date: Sunday October 11th
- Location: Castlewellan Forest Park, Co. Down
- Distance: 5K
- Format: Untimed mud and obstacle fun run
- Sign in: From 9.30am
- Junior event: From 10.30am for children aged 8 to 14 with an adult
- Senior event: From 12.30pm for participants aged 12 and over
- Adult entry: £35 with a £120 or €140 sponsorship target
- Entry aged 12 to 17: £30 with an £80 or €90 sponsorship target
- Entry Link: Here
- Junior packages: From £35
- Entry deadline: 3.00pm on Thursday October 8th, or earlier if sold out
- Included: Event shirt, medal and post race snacks
- Facilities: Bag drop, changing tents and showers
- Parking: £5 per car
One Final Chance to Get Boggin'
The final Bog Run offers something increasingly rare on the race calendar. There is no pressure to hit a time, no concern about splits and very little chance of finishing in the same colour of clothing in which you started.
What matters is getting through the course, helping the people around you and raising money for a charity supporting families through an enormously difficult time.
After ten editions and more than 3,000 participants, Castlewellan is preparing to get boggin' one last time. Anyone tempted to join them has until Thursday October 8th to enter, provided the remaining spaces do not go first.
Image: Cancer Fund for Children
