AT 400km through rugged terrain, it's no walk in the park.

But around 100 endurance athletes are battling it out as one of Scotland's toughest races returns.

It'll take them eight days to complete the Cape Wrath Ultra, camping along the route as they move towards the most north-westerly point.

The pack left Fort William today – a whole 15 months later than planned.

The event was supposed to run in May 2020 but was postponed twice due to the pandemic.

Before the starting gun was fired, race founder Shane Ohly said: "We are relieved to be finally here in Fort William and ready to go. It is literally the culmination of years of work as we have prepared for this event and had two postponements so it is great to be finally here."

Day one of the challenge starts competitors off with a relatively easy 37km stretch to Glenfinnan.

The only reason that's relatively easy is that things just get tougher from there, with the day six run from Inverbroom to Inchnadamph spanning a leg-busting 72km.

The feat is so gruelling that some of the contestants, all experienced runners, may be unable to finish.

Entrant Bea Leask, 38, said she was "petrified" at the thought of what she was about to do. The Glasgow woman told organisers: “I am terrified and overwhelmed. I don’t know why I am here but it will be good.

She went on: “I haven’t done anything like this before and I have done what I could in training with lots of hills locally and also Munro bagging. It’s just the unknown. I am worried I won’t be fit enough and I am not prepared.

“But I am also looking forward to the adventure and to seeing some spectacular parts of Scotland."