Black Beacon Checkpoint Guide 2025
This blog provides details of the checkpoint locations, supplies, cut-off times and supporter / crew guidance for the Black Beacon Races 2025.

There are 13 manned checkpoints for the BB 100 mile race, 6 checkpoints for the BB 50 mile race, 3 checkpoints for the BB ultra bach 50km, and 3 for the BB trail race.
Checkpoints provide a mixture of sweet and savoury snacks and hot and cold drinks as listed below. Each event distance (100 miles, 50 miles, 50km and trail race) has a separate list so please scroll down to find your specific race distance checkpoint guide. There is also some additional information to read for all checkpoints at the bottom of the blog.
Black Beacon 100 mile race checkpoints
Start - Hay-on-Wye
CP1- Gospel Pass
- 6miles / 600m
- Car Park/Layby
- Fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash, high five.
- No toilets
- No cut-off
CP2 Dinas Castle Inn
- 12.5miles / 950m
- Dinas Castle Inn and Bunkhouse
- Hot drinks, fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash, high five.
- Toilets inside checkpoint
- Cut-off on Fri at 2230 (4.5hrs / 2.75mph)
CP3- Llangynidir (Access to drop Bag A)
- 20.5 miles / 1500m
- Llangynidir Village hall
- Access to Drop Bag A
- Meat or veg stew, hot drinks, fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash
- Toilets inside checkpoint
- Cut-off on Sat at 0130 (7.5hrs / 2.75mph)
CP4- Talybont Reservoir
- 28.5 miles / 2200m
- Marquee in car park
- Hot drinks, noodles, fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash.
- No toilets
- Cut-off on Sat at 0400 (10hrs / 2.85mph)
CP5- A470
- 37 miles / 3200m
- Large marquee in layby/car park
– Hot drinks, fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash.
- Nearest toilets are at National Trust Car Park near checkpoint
- Sat 0900 (15hrs / 2.5mph)
CP6- Ystradfellte
- 45 miles / 3650m
- Ystradfellte Village Hall
– Toast, hot drinks, fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash.
- Toilets inside checkpoint
- Cut-off on Sat at 1100 (17hrs / 2.7mph)
CP7- Pontneddfechen (Access to drop bag B)
- 50.5miles / 3900m
- Pontneddfechan Village Hall
– Hot dogs, hot drinks, fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash.
- Access to Drop bag B
- Toilets inside checkpoint
- Cut-off on Sat at 1300 (19hrs / 2.7mph)
CP8 - Ystradfellte
- 55.5 miles / 4300m
- Ystradfellte Village Hall
– Toast, hot drinks, fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash.
- Toilets inside checkpoint
- Cut-off on Sat at 1530 (21hrs / 2.7mph)
CP9- A470
- 63.5 miles / 4950m
- Large marquee in layby/car park
– Hot drinks, fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash.
- Nearest toilets are at National Trust Car Park near checkpoint
- Sat 1800 (24hrs / 2.6mph)
CP10- Talybont Reservoir
- 73 miles / 5900m
- Marquee in car park
- Hot drinks, noodles, fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash.
- No toilets
- Cut-off on Sat at 2300 (29hrs / 2.5mph)
CP11- Llangynidir (Access to drop bag A)
- 80 miles / 6300m
- Llangynidir Village hall
- Access to Drop Bag A
- Meat or veg stew, hot drinks, fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash
- Toilets inside checkpoint
- Cut-off on Sun at 0200 (32hrs / 2.5mph)
CP12- Castle Dinas Inn
- 88miles / 6950m
- Dinas Castle Inn and Bunkhouse
- Hot drinks, fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash, high five.
- Toilets inside checkpoint
- Cut-off on Sun at 0500 (35hrs / 2.5mph)
CP13 - Gospel Pass
- 94.5miles / 7650m
- Car Park/Layby
- Fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash, high five.
- No toilets
- Cut-off on Sun at 0800 (38hrs / 2.5mph)
Finish
- Hay-on-wye - Village Hall
- 101miles / 7800m
- Cut-off on Sun at 1000 (40hrs / 2.5mph)

Black Beacon 50 mile race checkpoints
Start- Pontneddfechen Village Hall
- Pontneddfechan Village Hall
- Toilets inside
CP1 - Ystradfellte
- 5.5 miles / 400m
- Ystradfellte Village Hall
– Toast, hot drinks, fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash.
- Toilets inside checkpoint
- No cut-off
CP2- A470
- 13.5 miles / 1050m
- Large marquee in layby/car park
– Hot drinks, fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash.
- Nearest toilets are at National Trust Car Park near checkpoint
- Sat 1330 (5.5hrs / 2.45mph)
CP3- Talybont Reservoir
- 20 miles / 2000m
- Marquee in car park
- Hot drinks, noodles, fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash.
- No toilets
- Cut-off on Sat at 1900 (11hrs / 1.8mph)
CP4- Llangynidir (Access to drop bag)
- 30 miles / 2400m
- Llangynidir Village hall
- Access to Drop Bag
- Meat or veg stew, hot drinks, fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash
- Toilets inside checkpoint
- Cut-off on Sun at 2300 (15hrs / 2mph)
CP5- Castle Dinas Inn
- 37.5miles / 3050m
- Dinas Castle Inn and Bunkhouse
- Hot drinks, fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash, high five.
- Toilets inside checkpoint
- Cut-off on Sun at 0400 (20hrs / 1.9mph)
CP6 - Gospel Pass
- 44miles / 3650m
- Car Park/Layby
- Fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash, high five.
- No toilets
- Cut-off on Sun at 0700 (23hrs / 1.9mph)
Finish - Hay-on-wye - Village Hall
- 50.5miles / 3850m
- Cut-off on Sun at 1000 (26hrs / 1.9mph)

Black Beacon Ultra Bach 50k race checkpoints
Start- Pontneddfechen Village Hall
- Pontneddfechan Village Hall
- Toilets inside
CP1 - Ystradfellte
- 5.5 miles / 400m
- Ystradfellte Village Hall
– Toast, hot drinks, fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash.
- Toilets inside checkpoint
- No cut-off
CP2- A470
- 13.5 miles / 1050m
- Large marquee in layby/car park
– Hot drinks, fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash.
- Nearest toilets are at National Trust Car Park near checkpoint
- Sat 1300 (5.5hrs / 2.45 mph)
CP3- Talybont Reservoir
- 20 miles / 2000m
- Marquee in car park
- Hot drinks, noodles, fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash.
- No toilets
- Cut-off on Sat at 1900 (11hrs / 1.8mph)
Finish - Llangynidir
- 30 miles / 2400m
- Llangynidir Village hall
- Toilets inside
- Cut-off on Sun at 2300 (15hrs / 2mph)
Black Beacon Trail race checkpoints
Start Llangynidir Village Hall
CP1 - Crockett Hill
- 6.5miles / 450m
- Sweets, biscuits, crisps, water, squash, high five
CP2- Castle Dinas Inn
- 8.5miles / 900m
- Dinas Castle Inn and Bunkhouse
- Hot drinks, fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash, high five.
- Toilets inside checkpoint
- Cut-off at 1530 (5hr / 1.7mph)
CP3 - Gospel Pass
- 15miles / 1300m
- Car Park/Layby
- Fruit, sweets, biscuits, crisps, crackers, sandwiches, water, squash, high five.
- No toilets
- Cut-off on Sat at 2030 (8hrs / 1.9mph)
Finish - Hay-on-wye - Village Hall
- 21miles / 1400m
- Cut-off on Sat at 2230 (10hrs / 2mph)
*Note: distances are approximate and rounded. It is your responsibility to stay ahead of the cut offs. We strongly advise you stay well ahead of the cut offs and minimum pace.
Additional Information for All Races
General Notes
Fruit is a combination of oranges, bananas, melon or watermelon. Sweets are jelly beans, wine gums or similar. Biscuits are Jaffa cakes, chocolate digestives or Oreos. Crisps are frazzles, salt and vinegar sticks, or potato chips. Sandwiches are jam, chocolate spread, cheese or marmite. Squash is orange and blackcurrant/summer fruits.
Most checkpoints will have some spare supplies of other stuff so if you fancy anything different or have special dietary requirements please ask the CP manager as we may have it put to the side! If you require anything further or have specific dietary requirements you should bring it with you. Please ensure you have adequate 'hill food'. Checkpoints in car parks/laybys will be in robust army tents or gazebos to provide shelter if needed.
You may purchase additional items from any shops, cafes or kiosks along the route.
Please remember the race is cupless - therefore please ensure you bring a reusable plastic cup with you. For the safety of our marshals and runners, hot drinks will only be served into solid non-collapsible plastic cups with a handle. For the avoidance of doubt, if your cup bends, folds or collapses in any way it is not a solid non-collapsible cup.
**What’s Vegan at checkpoints?
1. Veg stew
2. Bread, jam, peanut butter
3. Salt and vinegar / ready salted crisps (Not other flavours)
4. Fruit is vegan
5. Oreos biscuits
Drop Bags for the Black Beacon 100 and 50 mile
Black Beacon 100mile drop bag
For the Black Beacon 100 mile ultra you have access to 2 drop bags available at 3 checkpoints.
-Drop bag A will be available at checkpoint 3 and 11 which is at the Llangynidir Village Hall CP on the way out and way back.
-Drop bag B will be available at the turn around point at CP7 in Pontneddfechen village hall.
Drop bags are provided for you and can be collected at the race registration. These will be collected at the start. Once the checkpoints have closed these will be taken to the race finish.
Black Beacon 50mile drop bag
For the Black Beacon 50 mile ultra one drop bag will be taken to Llangynidir Village Hall (CP4).
The drop bags are provided and will allow you to fit a spare set of trainers, some running kit (spare base layer (etc) and some energy food. These will be collected at the race start.
The drop bags are pictured below and are the same standard issue drop bags that we have used at other events this year including the Brecon to Cardiff, Rasus Y Bannau, PCP and Dragon. You can re-use bags from previous races if it helps you to pack them before the event - just remember to clearly label them with your race number and drop bag number for the current race!
Drop bags will be handed to the race team at the respective race starts after the race registration closes.
All drop bags will be returned to the event HQ in Hay-on-wye once the Lllangynidir checkpoint has closed. You may collect your drop bag direct from Llangynidir if you finish early, but you should ring the race directors before heading off in case the drop bag is in transition.
The images below show a fully packed drop bag (left picture) with the kit that was packed into it (right picture). The spare kit includes some size 9.5 HOKA Stinson trainers, a spare winter mid-layer, spare running leggings, spare t-shirt, spare socks, K-tape, lip balm, s-caps (electrolytes), body glide (lube), blister plasters, and some additional energy gels, drink powders and wine gums for the next section of the race. Of course it is up to you to decide what to pack in your drop bag.
For all races you can have a finish line bag which can be left and stored at the finish line and near the coach collection points.


Support Crews
Support Crews (teams) are acceptable - these are people who can meet you on the route with extra provisions / kit - YOU MUST CARRY THE COMPULSORY KIT AT ALL TIMES.
A support runner or pacer is someone who runs the course alongside you.
Support runners are not allowed on the Trail race, 50km ultra bach or 50mile race.
100mile support runners
100mile support runners (pacers) are ONLY allowed at the following times:
- From CP3 Llangynidir to CP6 Ystradfellte (through Friday night)
- From 1800 on Saturday evening until the race finish (through Saturday night)
Any runner running with a support runner outside the above times will automatically be disqualified. The support runner can help with verbal encouragement and navigation, but is strictly not allowed to carry any food, water or equipment for the 100mile racer - THE RUNNER MUST CARRY THE COMPULSORY KIT AT ALL TIMES.