Ultra-marathon champion David Parrish has died while running in the Highlands of Scotland on an unassisted record attempt for the Cape Wrath Trail.
The 35-year-old former Royal Marine was found in the remote mountainous region of Kintail in the north-west Highlands on Saturday, and police have confirmed there are ‘no suspicious circumstances’.
Parrish, a former winner of the Cape Wrath Trail in 2023 and the Dragon’s Back Race in 2025, was attempting the record as a fundraising effort for Scottish Mountain Rescue in honour of his close friend Luke Ireland, who died in 2014 while running in the mountains of Glen Clova.
One of the most challenging in the UK
The trail’s 376km route, running from Fort William to Cape Wrath, is well known for being one of the most challenging in the UK, covering Lochaber, Knoydart, Applecross and Torridon.
More than £14,000 has now been raised via his Just Giving page, with hundreds of donations being made in recent days, with a series of tributes left for the runner, who had only recently returned from his stag weekend and was due to get married.
His post on the Just Giving page reads: “In November 2014, my good friend Luke Ireland passed away from hypothermia when the weather changed very suddenly and drastically as he was out running in the mountains around Glen Clova. Alongside fellow Marines, volunteers from the Scottish Mountain Rescue deployed in large numbers to search tirelessly for Luke and, tragically, bring him off the hill.
“The Scottish Mountain Rescue is an institution very close to the hearts of many in the outdoors/hiking/hill running community. It is made up of highly trained volunteers who are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to respond to emergencies in the mountains and remote areas of Scotland, and it relies on donations in order to carry out its great work.
“The above is just one example of the hundreds of call-outs the Scottish Mountain Rescue responds to each year, a truly invaluable service made up completely of volunteers. For this reason, I will be attempting to run the Cape Wrath Trail (CWT) unsupported.”
‘The news destroyed me’
Fellow ultra-runner Pawel Cymbalista posted an emotional tribute on his Instagram page after hearing the devastating news: “As I was preparing for my daily training session this morning, the news destroyed me. It stopped me cold.
“The Cape Wrath Trail is one of the hardest lines in the UK, 234 miles of wild, remote terrain. Very few people ever take it on unsupported. It’s a commitment that demands everything.
“David had been in touch with me about his unsupported FKT attempt. He was meant to start a couple of weeks ago, but postponed because of Storm Dave. His final attempt came just days after his stag do; that’s how much he loved the mountains.
“I was meant to send him off on the day… but work got in the way. I didn’t get to wish him good luck… Today I honour David. His courage. His kindness. His willingness to take on something few would ever attempt. Run free, brother. Your energy stays on the trail. 🏔️🕊️”
‘A gifted endurance athlete’
In a tribute posted on the UK Climbing website, Shane Ohly, the organiser of both Cape Wrath and Dragon’s Back when Parrish won, said: “On behalf of everyone connected to the Dragon’s Back Race and Cape Wrath Ultra, particularly participants, the event team, and volunteers, I extend my heartfelt condolences to David’s family and friends, and to all those in the wider running and mountain community who knew and loved him.
“He was clearly a gifted endurance athlete, but never showy or attention-seeking. There was a humility about him that people noticed immediately and respected all the more for it. In my reflections on the 2025 Dragon’s Back Race, I described David as having led with ‘quiet determination and humility’, and I think that captures something essential about him.
“I’ve met many strong runners over the years, but only a smaller number leave a lasting impression, not because of how well they performed, but because of who they were. David was one of those people. He was an outstanding athlete, yes, but also a thoroughly decent man: modest, capable, generous, and full of quiet integrity. He won two of the hardest races in the world, yet he remained grounded and self-effacing throughout. That is rare, and it is why he will be remembered with such warmth and admiration.”
Leaving a lasting legacy
A spokesman for Scottish Mountain Rescue told the BBC: “David was a generous, warm-hearted and inspiring member of our community who had chosen to take on this challenge in memory of a close friend who lost their life while running in the hills,” they said.
“David’s dedication to honouring his friend’s memory, while raising funds to support our service, truly moved us all.
“His fundraising efforts will support our volunteer teams as they continue to respond to emergencies across Scotland’s mountains, leaving a lasting legacy to both friends and the Scottish outdoors.”
You can donate to David Parrish’s Just Giving page via this link, HERE.
