The route doesn't just pass through Galloway. It depends on it.

The forest tracks, the moorland climbs, the remote gravel roads that carve through the Southern Uplands: none of this exists in isolation from the land that holds it. The terrain is not a backdrop for The Gralloch. It is the event.

That relationship carries responsibility. This year, Red On Sports has been formally recognised for taking that responsibility seriously. The Gralloch has been awarded the Sustainable Event Charter by the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere, renewing a commitment that sits at the heart of how this event is planned, operated, and delivered.

About the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere

Scotland's first UNESCO Biosphere, the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire designation covers almost 9,800 km² of southwest Scotland, following the rivers that flow out of the Galloway Hills through forests, farmland, historic villages and towns, all the way to a ruggedly scenic coast. The largest Biosphere in the UK, it includes wildlife and natural habitats of international importance, as well as communities with distinct cultural identities and historic landmarks that need to be protected for future generations. 

The Gralloch takes place within this designation. Every metre of the course crosses land that is globally recognised for its ecological and cultural significance. The Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership is a registered charity working across the UNESCO region, facilitating projects that support conservation, education, climate resilience, and a sustainable local economy. Earning the Sustainable Event Charter from that organisation requires more than good intentions.

What the Sustainable Event Charter Means

The Charter is awarded to events that demonstrate genuine commitment to the Biosphere's values: centering the natural environment and local communities in planning and operations, minimising impact, and delivering tangible benefit to the place that hosts them. It is not a formality. It requires evidence.

For The Gralloch, that evidence is built into the fabric of how the event operates, from route planning and waste management to the partnerships we build and the organisations we work alongside.

Partners Who Share the Commitment

Trash Free Trails exists to protect our trails and wild places, starting with litter. Since its founding, the organisation has engaged thousands of volunteers and surveyed hundreds of thousands of items of discarded waste on UK trails. Their presence within The Gralloch reflects a shared belief: riders and events have a responsibility to the places they ride, not just to the miles they cover.

OGT, One Good Thing, The Gralloch's nutrition partner, were built on a premise that sits squarely within this landscape. Founder Mike Bedford, a keen cyclist, was struck by the volume of plastic wrapper waste accumulating in the British countryside. His response, developed with his son Daniel, was the world's first wrapper-free oat bar: a 100% natural, edible beeswax-based coating that works exactly as a traditional plastic wrapper would, protecting the bar inside and keeping it fresh, without producing any waste. Out on 320km of remote Galloway gravel, that matters. There is no support vehicle to take your empty wrappers. There is no bin at the top of the climb. OGT's bars go straight from pocket to mouth, with nothing left behind.

On the ground, returning bike cleaning partner Fenwicks provides practical expression of those values. Their concentrated bike cleaner is biodegradable and uses no solvents or acids. Their spray bottles are designed to be refilled again and again, and their brushes are made from 80% recycled plastic. Keeping bikes clean after a day on the Galloway gravel doesn't have to come at a cost to the landscape that dirtied them.

Growing Into the Region

In 2026, The Genesis Gralloch Ultra presented by Maxxis pushes deeper into the UNESCO Biosphere than ever before. The 320km self-supported route, starting 16 May, carries riders through the Ayrshire landscapes that form part of the designation, placing a well-earned spotlight on terrain that sits beyond Galloway's better-known heart. The Ultra is not a race. It is an extended encounter with remote, protected land. That demands a particular kind of respect.

Jake McLaughlan, Business Development Officer at the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere, said:

"We are absolutely thrilled that The Gralloch will be carrying our Sustainable Event Charter logo again in 2026. This incredible festival of adventure is the peak of what a sustainable event represents: one in which the natural environment and local communities are centred in engagement, planning and operations, bringing tangible positive impacts for people and place. We're especially excited this year that even more of the UNESCO Biosphere region is being brought into the event through the amazing new Ultra route which will put a much-deserved spotlight on Ayrshire's stunning landscapes. Our congratulations to organisers, Red On Sports, on their well-deserved Charter award."

Maximilian Wussler, Co-founder of The Gralloch and Red On Sports, added:

"For three days each May, we bring thousands of riders into one of the most significant protected landscapes in the UK. That's a privilege, not a given. The Sustainable Event Charter holds us to the standard this place deserves, and renewing it in 2026 reflects the work of everyone involved in delivering the event: our team, our partners, and the Biosphere itself. If you're riding here, the land is doing something for you. We want to make sure we're doing something for it in return."

The Sustainable Event Charter is the Biosphere's confirmation that The Gralloch meets that standard. The terrain demands commitment from every rider who crosses it. The responsibility to protect it runs the same way.

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