Valverde prepares three routes for its major trail race

Plan your race pace

On Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, Valverde will be the finish point for a trail-running day that begins at several locations across El Hierro. The event’s seventh edition offers three races — Bimbache Trail, Media Bimbache Trail and Mini Bimbache Trail — starting in Las Playas, La Llanía and San Andrés, respectively. The scheduled start times are 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 11:45 a.m., with a shared finish in the island’s capital. The longest route covers 32 kilometres; according to the published race information, the other two are 21 and 12 kilometres.

The schedule also includes bib pickup on Friday, buses from Valverde station to the start areas, cutoff times and post-race services. Organizers warn that rain could leave mud on some sections, particularly along the Ruta del Agua, potentially affecting runners’ pace. The listed times, equipment guidance and services reflect the available programme; organizers reserve the right to make changes and announce them on social media.

A mountain race with three start points

The race layout requires runners to look beyond the finish line: each distance starts in a different place and follows its own route before reaching Valverde. The long race begins in Las Playas, near the Parador de Turismo; the middle distance starts in La Llanía, and the short route leaves from San Andrés, beside the vehicle inspection station. All three routes combine dirt roads, forest tracks and mountain trails, according to the published description.

The announced distances are 32, 21 and 12 kilometres, with approximate positive elevation gains of 2,000, 700 and 400 metres, respectively. These are published figures that help convey the effort involved, not a complete elevation profile. The long race, in particular, packs substantial climbing into its distance: mountain terrain and uphill sections can make a runner’s time considerably longer than on an equivalent road course.

All three distances finish in Valverde, around La Constitución street, according to the available route information. That layout brings runners with different paces and starting points together around one central location for post-race services. The town therefore serves as both the finish and the logistical hub, although runners should not mistake it for the start of their race.

Bib pickup and the start of race weekend

Bib pickup is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 13, from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Casino de Valverde. The venue is at 8 San Francisco Street, on the corner with Jesús Nazareno Street, above the Valverde pharmacy. The programme says organizers will wait for runners arriving by boat, a useful detail on an island where ferry connections may affect travel for participants and supporters. Bib pickup takes place during a single four-and-a-half-hour window, at the same venue where Saturday’s meal will be served.

For anyone travelling from another island or mainland Spain, Friday’s appointment is a practical part of the schedule, not a minor formality: reaching Valverde, finding the Casino and collecting a bib before closing can reduce uncertainty on race morning. The available information does not list entry fees or a separate deadline for each distance. It also does not explain whether someone else may collect a bib on a runner’s behalf, so those conditions should be checked in the organizers’ latest updates.

The day before the race is also a chance to check the equipment guidance. The programme distinguishes between mandatory and recommended gear, but the supplied information does not list specific items. It is unwise to infer the required kit from general practice: requirements may vary by distance and expected conditions. The safest reference is the current race rules, along with any updates issued by organizers.

Start times and buses from Valverde

On Saturday, the first buses are scheduled to leave Valverde bus station at 8 a.m. for Las Playas, where the long race starts at 9:30 a.m. The bus to La Llanía is scheduled for 10 a.m., one hour before the middle distance begins. For San Andrés, the bus departs at 11 a.m.; the short race starts at 11:45 a.m. beside the vehicle inspection station. All listed transfers leave from Valverde station, not from the bib-pickup venue.

The gap between each bus departure and race start allows time to reach the relevant location, although the programme does not specify travel times or vehicle capacity. The supplied extract also does not say whether transport is included in the entry fee or requires advance booking. To avoid confusion, each participant should identify the bus time for their distance and confirm the final arrangements, especially if travelling with supporters or carrying luggage.

The staggered schedule spreads starts throughout the morning and takes runners from the capital to three parts of the island. For a race with separate start and finish points, the bus service is central: it means participants do not each have to arrange their own transport to the start. Valverde bus station is therefore the main logistical reference before the race; getting there on time is more useful than heading straight to the finish area.

Routes and elevation shape the effort

The 32-kilometre long race begins in Las Playas and has a published positive elevation gain of about 2,000 metres. The 21-kilometre middle distance, with around 700 metres of climbing, starts in La Llanía. The Mini Bimbache Trail covers 12 kilometres, with roughly 400 metres of positive elevation, and leaves from San Andrés. The difference is not just the number of kilometres: mountain profiles change the demands of each option, and a shorter route is not automatically an easy one.

The programme identifies the Ruta del Agua as one of the sections that could become muddy if it rains. On descents, the ground can become slippery and require more careful foot placement; on climbs, wet conditions can make progress more laborious. The available information does not provide every route waypoint or a complete elevation profile, so the overall figures cannot replace an official map. Weather and surface conditions can change the practical demands of the same route, even when its distance remains unchanged.

The description of dirt roads, forest tracks and trails conveys the race’s character, but it cannot predict every surface type or exposure to wind and rain. El Hierro has varied landscapes and elevations over relatively short distances; that variety is part of the appeal and the challenge. To assess which distance fits their experience, runners should consider kilometres, elevation and mountain conditions together, rather than relying on one number.

Cutoff times and aid stations

The programme lists three cutoff references for the race distances: La Llanía at 12:30 p.m., San Andrés at 2 p.m. and the finish at 3:30 p.m. These limits shape the day and matter to runners moving at a more relaxed pace, particularly on the long distance. A cutoff time is different from a start time: it marks the deadline for passing certain points or reaching the finish, according to the published information.

Aid-station arrangements vary by distance. For the long race, the programme lists liquid and solid refreshments at Las Casas, around kilometre 3.5; La Llanía, at kilometre 9.3; and San Andrés, at kilometre 20.5. The Ruta del Agua appears around kilometre 26 with liquids, while the finish includes liquids, food and solid refreshments. The distance between stations makes it important to know the route and not assume every race distance has the same support.

For the middle distance, the table lists aid stations around kilometres 10.7 and 15.7: the first with liquids and solid food, the second with liquids; the finish includes food and liquids. The short race lists a liquid station near kilometre 5.5 and liquids, solid food and a meal at the finish. The original information appears in a table whose alignment is not entirely clear, so these details should be treated as a guide to the programme, not a replacement for current official instructions or course markings.

Equipment and mountain conditions

Organizers remind runners that some equipment is mandatory and other items are recommended, but the supplied extract does not specify what belongs in either category. That omission matters: a waterproof layer, hydration container or safety device may appear in race rules, but should not be presented as a requirement for this event without confirmation. The official kit list determines what each runner must carry, and it may differ by distance.

The warning about rain and mud is explicit, with particular attention to descents on the Ruta del Agua. Mud changes grip and may call for a slower pace, firmer foot placement and avoiding sudden braking. This is not a weather forecast for Nov. 14, but a possibility the programme asks participants to consider. Preparation should account for variable terrain, without treating possible rain as certain or ignoring the actual conditions in the days before the race.

Elevation adds another challenge. On the long course, the published figure of nearly 2,000 metres of climbing means a significant load on the legs, especially if technical descents or wet surfaces are involved. The shorter distances also include climbs and uneven ground, though the figures are lower. Footwear and clothing should match the profile and the rules rather than a universal formula: mountain running rewards adaptability but can punish both improvisation and unnecessary gear.

Services at the Valverde finish

A bag-drop service is planned at the start of each distance. A vehicle will collect personal belongings and take them to the finish, where they will be returned from the same vehicle. This allows runners to leave a change of clothes or other items without carrying them on the course, although the available information does not specify size limits, labeling instructions or prohibited items. The service is planned for all three distances, with collection at each start and delivery in Valverde.

Physiotherapy is also scheduled from noon to 4 p.m. beside the medical service, and showers will be available at the Valverde Sports Centre on Camino Los Cantos, next to the football field. Shower access is planned during the same hours, with support from El Hierro’s island council. These are post-race services: their hours overlap with participants’ gradual arrival, but waiting times and the precise scope of physiotherapy are not specified. The medical and physiotherapy services are located close to each other, making them easier to find near the finish.

Participant meals are scheduled from 12:30 to 4 p.m. at the Casino de Valverde, at 8 San Francisco Street, the same building used for bib pickup. The meal is listed as pasta with a choice of sauces. Medals and trophies are due to be presented at the end of the race, at around 5 p.m., on San Francisco Street, at the stage in front of the Casino. The day continues beyond the final stretch: food, showers, care and the awards ceremony are part of the arrangements for runners finishing at different times.

Reading the schedule while allowing for changes

The published times help with planning, but they do not rule out adjustments. The programme expressly says organizers may change it and will announce updates on social media. At an outdoor event, ground conditions, weather or operational needs can affect transfers, service points or ceremonies. The latest version of the schedule should take precedence over any timetable checked earlier.

Some details are clearly stated — the date, three start times, planned buses, bib pickup and several services — while others are absent from the supplied material, including the entry fee, official website, exact mandatory kit and bus journey times. Leaving these gaps unfilled is important for sound planning: an unpublished figure can mislead, particularly when it affects cost, safety or transport.

The event involves logistics spread across different parts of El Hierro and a shared finish in Valverde. Understanding that setup helps runners anticipate the day: bib pickup in the capital on Friday, an early transfer to the relevant start and a return to the finish for post-race services. The map and timetable matter as much as distance, because each race starts somewhere different and the island shapes the day’s pace.

A race connecting El Hierro’s trails

The three distances offer different ways to experience the island’s landscape: from a long course with nearly 2,000 metres of positive elevation to a 12-kilometre option, with a 21-kilometre middle distance between them. That range brings together runners with different profiles, although all routes share mountain terrain and a finish in Valverde. The race’s character comes from its mix of trails, elevation and separate starting villages, rather than from one large shared starting line.

The schedule is also split across two days: bib pickup on Friday, Nov. 13, and races on Saturday, Nov. 14. For visitors, that structure means coordinating travel to the island, accommodation and local transport, while bearing in mind that the programme accounts for people arriving by boat. Bus times link Valverde station to the starts, while bag drop and finish services address some needs after the race. Logistical planning is part of the experience as much as the route.

With possible rain, muddy sections and set cutoff times, the 2026 edition is a day when understanding conditions matters as much as training for the chosen distance. The key measure is not only how many kilometres separate start and finish, but how elevation, terrain and cutoff times combine. Valverde will once again be where these routes converge, and updated information will remain the reference as race day approaches.