A keepsake from the pages of RUN Magazine, the Spring 2025. Step into a world straight out of Middle earth with the Merrell Hobbit Trail Runs, a series of nine races hosted in the Tolkien esque mountain village of Hogsback. Nestled within the mystical Amathole Mountains, these trails weave through thick indigenous forests, past countless rushing waterfalls, and over spectacular peaks where gnome eyes seem to peer out from behind giant ferns.

Whether you are looking for a family friendly 5km fun run or the notoriously difficult 90km Nonstop ultra, this event is designed to challenge both the seasoned pro and the nervous beginner. Expect 800 year old yellowwood trees, muddy Tarzan moves, and technical sections that demand enough light for the next step. It is a weekend shaped by camaraderie and community, where finishers of the flagship races are rewarded with tree saplings to help conserve the local mistbelt forest.

Are you ready to find your happy under a limitless sky and tackle a trail that is as rugged and ruthless as it is magical.

“It was great to see the love and goodness of the race organisers trickle through to the heart of every athlete. It is good to know that despite an ever-changing sporting landscape, once a year the Amatholes are blanketed in the true spirit of the trail, and that here at the Hobbit, being good is what really matters.”

A Hobbit feature written for RUN magazine by Journey winner Estee Cockcroft

“My very earliest pre-school report states that “Kim is somewhat over-confident” and then a little later it adds: “and she is a very efficient eater.”  (…) Anyway, the point is that every time I have ever approached a race in over confident mode, things have gone badly wrong.”

Kim van Kets has done A LOT of cool stuff. She reminisces on her Journey experiences on her website.

42km Mountain Marathon record holder Jarryd Dunn writes a race report on his sponsor’s website, Vivo Barefoot:

“I found the relatively laid-back and chilled vibe of the races made it more about experiencing the mountains and enjoying them with others rather than out-and-out racing.”

“They call it a journey, and that it most certainly is. It is one peppered with more twists and turns, ducks, dives, leaps, bum-slides and face plants than your average trail run.”

Two time Journey winner Karoline Hanks muses on her Blog

‘‘Not all who wander are lost’’ but elite trail runner and habitual smasher of records Rory Scheffer was lost.“

This article, written by one of your organisers, appeared in Modern Athlete magazine and gives an account of the Hobbit Journey.

“OK so you need a bit of a sense of humour to deal with the overnight stop at Cata hut but looking back on it now it was pretty cool. There was a great sense of comradery shared by the runners. Note to self: next time heed the race organisers’ advice and take ear plugs.”

Colin Chapman posted his account of a Journey run to Tripoto