Koning van Spanje Trail 2026

Koning van Spanje Trail is a three-day trail running weekend based in Gulpen, in the South Limburg hills, with routes that also cross into Belgium. The start and finish sit by the Koning van Spanje climb, which gives the race its name; the hill’s name refers to Spanish occupation during campaigns in the Netherlands. Runners can choose anything from short kids’ trails of a few hundred meters to regular trail distances, an evening run, long GPS-guided routes, and the ULTIMATE: 100 km across the weekend with about 3,000 meters of climbing. The event usually runs from Friday through Sunday, so people travelling from farther parts of the Netherlands can turn it into a full weekend rather than a single race morning. The routes use the kind of terrain the Netherlands does not offer very often: long climbs, hollow roads, singletrack, constant ups and downs, and sections through land managed by Staatsbosbeheer and Natuurmonumenten. Longer Saturday distances rely on GPS navigation, and the organization even offers a GPS clinic for runners who want practice before race weekend. The field ranges from children and hikers to experienced trail runners, with Dutch trail names such as Tim Pleijte linked to the race’s competitive side. The weekend also has a small festival feel, with catering, stands, a finish-line piece of Limburg vlaai, and a special beer in trail-running style. Runners bring their own cups, sweepers follow the field, and the organization asks everyone to leave the course clean.