Trail das Bestas

The Trail das Bestas takes place every November in Muras, a small rural municipality in the north of the province of Lugo, Galicia, right in the Serra do Xistral. Organised by the Concello de Muras with support from the Deputación de Lugo, it has quickly earned a firm place on the Galician calendar: the Galician Athletics Federation recognised its environmental management in 2024, and in 2025 it was named best trail in Galicia. It belongs to the federation's Serie Ouro, whose races carry a points multiplier in the regional individual and club rankings.

Start and finish are at the A Veiga recreation area on the edge of the village, with five formats sent off one after another during the morning. The Maratón leaves at 8:30 am for 43 km and 2,100 m of climbing, the flagship distance, with runners carrying the organisers' GPS tracker. The Trail Classic starts at 10:00 am for 27 km and 1,400 m of ascent, also GPS-tracked. The Trail Curto sets off at 10:30 am for 14 km and 700 m of climbing, and the Mini Trail at 11:00 am for 8 km and 350 m. A non-competitive 8 km walk, the andaina, brings up the rear at 11:10 am.

This is Atlantic mountain terrain: tracks and paths across gorse moorland, rocky sections, boggy ground and wind-exposed ridges, often in thick fog. The Xistral gets a lot of rain and conditions can change quickly, so the organisers reserve the right to alter the route or add to the kit list. The race name refers to the horses that roam these uplands in semi-freedom, the bestas, a familiar sight in the Galician hills.

The marathon and Trail Classic are open to over-18s only and call for genuine mountain experience: one litre of water, a survival blanket and a mobile phone are mandatory, as they are for the Trail Curto with half a litre. The Mini Trail, open from age 14, is a good introduction to trail running, while the andaina welcomes walkers and accompanied minors. Overall entry is capped at 600 participants.

Muras is no tourist resort: it is a landscape of scattered hamlets, pastures and wind turbines, where people come for wide-open horizons rather than long-established waymarked routes. Runners will find an organisation that pays close attention to safety and to respect for the environment, the livestock and the private land the course crosses.

Bibs are collected on race day only, at the race office, which opens at 7:30 am; the call room closes five minutes before each start. Entry includes timing, insurance, medical cover, aid stations and a runner's bag. Official GPX tracks are only released once the routes have been validated. Muras is roughly an hour's drive from both Lugo and A Coruña.