Prokletije Trail

Runners choose between two courses, both ITRA-listed. The RED 50K measures 49.15 kilometres with 2,784 metres of climbing — a full mountain challenge in a range whose serrated limestone walls live up to their ominous name — while the BLUE 29K rewards experienced trail runners without demanding an ultra.

The September date is part of the appeal. By mid-month the summer heat has broken, the crowds have gone, and the Prokletije valleys around Plav and its glacial lake are at their quietest — race weekend doubles easily as an autumn mountain holiday in one of the least-visited corners of the Balkans.

Plav makes a fitting base: a lakeside town with the peaks filling the southern horizon, guesthouses accustomed to muddy shoes, and easy walking for supporters around the lake while the racers are out on the mountain. September light on the range is famously clear — bring a camera for the finish, because the range rarely looks better than it does under early-autumn skies.

The races start from the Plav side of Prokletije National Park, and entry fees apply per distance. For anyone who has raced Montenegro's better-known Durmitor and Bjelasica events, Prokletije Trail is the wilder next step.