MACHLUD
CILCAIN SUNSET TRAIL RACE
(HALF MARATHON)
Saturday 12th September 2026 – 3pm onwards
SUNSET TRAIL RACE IN THE BEAUTIFUL CLWYDIAN HILLS
Ysgol y Foel PTA proudly returns with the Machlud trail race in 2026 following the success of the first race. Skirting the beautiful Clwydian Hills, the route meanders above the Vale of Clwyd before runners start to climb up onto the Offa’s Dyke footpath which brings them finally to the summit of Moel Famau. Covering a full half marathon distance of 13.1 miles / 21.1 km the route includes 2500ft/750m of ascent.
The race will start and finish in the village school with runners setting off with staggered start times with the idea being that all runners will be on the slopes of Moel Famau at sunset – note: sunset not guaranteed – we are in Wales after all… in September!
With snack and drink stations along the route and hot soup/stew & crusty bread at the end, forget the Mass Start races – come join the only trail race with a planned Mass Finish…. and a lovely community finish in the school hall.
Raising funds for the Ysgol y Foel – Primary School in Cilcain.
RUN TOGETHER
Run with your mates, on your own or with a furry friend.
Another difference with Machlud is that we think that the folks who share the journey are an essential element of the experience so if you want to run with a mate or in a group of friends we will even give you an entry discount (and promise to cheer louder at finish). As some folks prefer a more solitary life, solo runners will find easy-running beautiful stretches to allow you to lose yourself in the environment if that is your thing or just space to make new friends along the way.
Not having a mass start means we can accept Canicross entries to join in the fun. The majority of the route is on good quality tracks & paths with ample passing space (or space to jog along with a friend!)
RUN, JOG, HOBBLE
Race Route
95% of the course is run on good quality tracks & paths with the only tarmac being marshalled quiet sections leaving & re-entering the village. Waymarked throughout the course offers some good running with stunning views but don’t relax too much as the second half the route contains most of the height gain – one short section in particular will bring most to a walk. Obviously with a sunset target on Moel Famau mandatory kit will include a headtorch to get off the hills safely with the last section marked with reflective arrows.
For Canicrossers: There are a few climb over stiles on route which you will need to navigate with the dog – a couple have dog doors – a couple are old skool. There are a couple early on in the fields leaving the village then a few at half distance. Other than that all crossings are kissing or vehicle gates. Remember it is up as owner to you to determine if the event is suitable for your dog – the race is just over a full half marathon distance or 21.4km with 750m ascent.
ONLINE ENTRY
Early Worm – Early Bird Entry Discounts
There are good discounts available for early sign-up.
- Early Worm – until end of Apr – £20
- Early Bird – until end of June – £24
- Standard – July-Sept – £28
Add the early sign-up discounts to a group discounts for a real bargain.
We are using Fabian-4 for online entries & timing system on the day. No entries on day.
- Race limit 150.
- Age 17 and over.
- Start times from 3pm for the slowest runners until 6pm for the fastest runners.
- Canicross entries allowed (dogs on leads at all times included start/finish area).
Please ensure you read the full Terms & Conditions prior to entry.
Entries will open as soon as good-ahead given!
CAN YOU BEAT THE SUNSET?
On the entry form you will be asked for your approximate run times for your previous (recent) trail runs, road runs. I am not just being nosey – I will use these to help calculate your start time/wave. The deal is if you are honest & run true to form and my calculations are somewhere near then you should be running on the slopes of Foel Fenlli & Moel Famau during the golden hour of sunset. In 2025 the majority of runners were within a 30 minute window. Of course sunset cannot be guaranteed but a warm welcome back to the school with hot soup & a beer/tea/coffee at the finish is!
Facebook Posts
About us
The race delivery team are a group of parents, volunteers from the local area and running clubs & of course the children from the school helping to raise funds.
Ysgol y Foel is a wonderful warm friendly learning environment for early years learners & explorers. If your child is struggling in the bigger local schools then please consider Ysgol y Foel to enjoy one of the lowest pupil/teacher ratios in the area.
Limited edition tech t-shirts
Available when you sign-up – Custom Tech-T’s made from recycled bottles. 2026 will be based on the same awesome design as the eyecatching 2025 beauty.
WHY MACHLUD?
Machlud translates as ‘to set, go down (of sun)’.
Is there anything better than running in the golden hour before sunset? Well apart from running against a cold wind whilst being peltered with rain maybe….. but golden hour running is at least the next best thing! So what a better thing to do than a race on the hills at that special time with friends old & new.
FROM THE BLOG
Latest News
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2025 Results
Read more: 2025 ResultsThanks for turning out to support the school. Hope you all had a good run out and some yummy soup & cakes at the finish. Gaps Chart – 1st 10 runners only Archie Peffs hung on well to…
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Machlud 2025 Photos
Read more: Machlud 2025 PhotosA huge thank you to all the runners and volunteers for such an amazing event. Some photos of the day below. More on our Machlud Facebook page, be sure to follow us there for news about next year’s…
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T-Shirts have landed!
Read more: T-Shirts have landed!If I do say so myself – they look fine & dandy. If anyone missed the boat on the original order and fancies one then drop us a note. Need a minimum of 10 to re-order. Made from…