Brandon hill Half (Kilkenny)
| Author | Date | Message |
|---|---|---|
| Deirdre Galvin | Feb 17 2025, 7:07pm | GPX file is on the way! But, here is the route description for 2025. 21.17km. 921 metres Brandon Hill is the little lump that keeps on giving! Don't be fooled into thinking that a race around Kilkenny's highest point is anything less than challenging. And, boy do we know this mountain well, and we have planned a route that will put it up to even the hardiest of mountain goats. This year's race will see competitors summit Brandon Hill twice, from opposite sides. Your first summit is very early on in the race, and is followed by a flowy, fast descent. Fortunately, your final summit of the hill is also your last climb of the race, so grind out those gears knowing that the sweet relief of a fast 3km descent awaits. In between these summit efforts, you will be faced with rolling trail, epic views, and a brand new climb through the forestry, which tops out with a 30% incline! This new climb is deserving of its local status as the Leg Destroyer. You have been warned!! And this gnarly climb comes smack bang, halfway through the race, and isn't even one of your summit efforts! You won't need to be told when you hit it. Just look up through the tree line, and watch all light (and hope!) disappear for the next 15 minutes of steep uphill. Grunting, cursing and questioning of life choices are absolutely encouraged! Brandon Hill is a happy hunting ground for Strava Segment enthusiasts, and we will put signs up at the start and end of the more popular ones. You know, just to take your mind off things! And, to finish things off in fine fashion, local runner and burger meister extraordinaire, Dara O'Brien will be cooking up a feast at the finish line. This race got super feedback in 2024, and we are confident that the route for 2025 is going to blow your minds (and maybe your glutes, but in a good way!). |
| Lonan O Farrell | Feb 17 2025, 7:14pm | https://strava.app.link/fs9fIvpi4Qb |
| Gavan Doherty | Feb 17 2025, 10:02pm | Might be of interest to those contemplating doing Brandon Hill (this year or in the future). Limited run of EastWest A3 maps of the hill (not waterproof, but the price seems really good): https://eastwestmapping.ie/brandon-hill-map/ |
