New Edinburgh Marathon route will take race through Old Town

Scotland’s largest running event has unveiled a new route which will see it go through the capital’s Old Town for the first time.

The Edinburgh Marathon - taking place on Sunday, May 27 - will take in sights such as the Scott Monument, Princes Street Gardens and the Scottish Parliament.

Starting in Potterrow, it will pass through the Old Town for the first time in the event’s history, before finishing in Musselburgh.

Neil Kilgour, Edinburgh Marathon Festival director, said: “We are delighted to announce the new Edinburgh Marathon route to the world and and believe we have a route which showcases the incredible and stunning city of Edinburgh to it’s very best.”

“The key for us was creating a route which not only let our participants see more of Edinburgh, but also stays true to its worldwide reputation as one of the fastest marathon routes approved by an International Association of Athletics Federation label - not an easy thing to achieve in this small but fine city.”

The event attracts more than 30,000 runners each year, with an economic impact of more than £40 million for the capital.

Second only to London in terms of size in the UK, the festival has nine races, ranging in suitability for the seasoned runner to charity fundraisers and beginners.

After passing through the Old Town, the event will head over the High Street and down The Mound.

Participants will then run past the Scottish National Gallery, with Edinburgh Castle as their backdrop.

The route continues on to take in the Scott Monument, before heading down the Royal Mile and towards Holyrood Park, The Scottish Parliament and Royal Palace before going east towards the coast.

It finishes in Pinkie Playing fields, Musselburgh. Both the Half Marathon and Team Relay routes have had similar changes.

This is the first time organisers have changed the route of the event, which has been running annually since 2003, in five years.

Entries are open for the festival on May 26 and 27, 2018. More information is available via the website at edinburghmarathon.com