24k Run Brig o'Turk: The Mell Circuit Scenic Challenge

Route Overview & Local Insights

This 23.7km circuit is a true Highland adventure starting from the quiet hamlet of Brig o'Turk. As a "SL" (Short Long) category hill run, it demands respect; you'll tackle a significant 679m of ascent across a mix of gravel forest tracks and rugged, grassy upland paths. The highlight is the steady climb through Glen Meann to reach The Mell, a high pass sitting at 600m that offers sweeping, panoramic views of the Trossachs. Runners should prepare for a remote experience where the terrain transitions from the sheltered shores of Glen Finglas Reservoir to exposed mountain ridges where the Scottish weather can shift in an instant.

Steeped in folklore and natural beauty, Brig o'Turk serves as the gateway to the Great Trossachs Forest, one of the UK’s largest nature restoration projects. This area was once a favorite haunt of Victorian artists and writers, including John Ruskin and the Pre-Raphaelites, who were drawn to the dramatic landscape of Glen Finglas. The reservoir itself, which you'll track during the early and late stages of your run, was created in the 1960s to supply water to Glasgow, but the surrounding hills remain much as they were centuries ago when cattle drovers used these glens as vital thoroughfares through the Stirling highlands.