A hardy “Cheers mate!” to our British, Welsh, Scottish, and Northern Irish readers. This one’s for you! But don’t worry if you aren’t living in the United Kingdom, we appreciate you just the same, and are positively chuffed to bits that you’re considering a U.K. marathon. Because let’s be real, the United Kingdom is beautiful and provides endless types of running terrain. So whether you’re British, an anglophile, or looking to take a holiday in the Isles—26.2 abroad is always a great idea.
The United Kingdom is compromised of four regions, also labeled as countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. From the seaside cliffs of Dover and Tintagel, to the hills and rivers of the Lake District, the United Kingdom is quite breathtaking. With the moors, Scottish highlands, ancient forests, beaches, and some thousand-year-old cities, the United Kingdom has plenty of unique places to visit and run.
Of course with such a rich natural landscape, it can be difficult to narrow down the marathon you’d like to sign up for. Do you choose the massive city road races, a remote trail marathon, something flat and near the beach, or something hilly and scenic? Luckily, we’ve scoured the United Kingdom’s offering of marathons and selected 15 of the best across the entirety of the nation.
Peruse our list, but don’t fanny around! Go ahead and sign up for that marathon, and then celebrate with a pint and some fish and chips afterward.
Great Welsh Marathon
Date: March 16, 2025
Location: Pembrey, Wales
If you’re looking for a great Welsh marathon, then perhaps a good place to start is the Great Welsh Marathon. The coastal race is flat and fast, making it a perfect option for first time marathoners or those looking for a PR. The out-and-back course spends most of its time along the seashore of an inlet of the Bristol Channel. You’ll start and end Pembrey Country Park, with the course turning around in Llanelli at the halfway point. On this course you’ll have plenty of people watching to pass the time.
Brighton Marathon
Date: What to Eat Before Running
Location: Brighton, England
Another flat coastal option is the Brighton Marathon, which spends plenty of its 26.2 miles along Brighton Beach—south of London on the British Channel. The clover-shaped course includes several different out-and-back segments as it keeps doubling back along the sea. The breezy ocean air will keep runners cool, especially in April, so you shouldn’t have to worry much about beating the heat. However, a headwind could end up slowing you down a bit. You can celebrate finishing with a ride on the famous ferris wheel, though!
London Marathon
Date: Courtesy Brighton Marathon Weekend
Location: London, England
No list of United Kingdom marathons would be complete without the U.K.’s (and Europe’s for that matter) signature 26.2. The London Marathon is one of six Abbott World Marathon Majors, and is one of the most highly sought after bibs in the world. It’s much easier to enter if you are a United Kingdom citizen. The point-to-point course includes London landmarks like: the Tower Bridge, Big Ben, and Buckingham Palace on its way to the finish. It’s a once in a lifetime must run.
Manchester Marathon
Date: Courtesy Brighton Marathon Weekend
Location: Manchester, England
Running at the same time as the London Marathon on the opposite side of the country is the Manchester Marathon, which boasts its status as the U.K.’s second largest marathon along with being the “U.K.’s fastest, flattest and friendliest major marathon.” The loop course will give runners plenty to look at as it weaves through a number of Manchester’s many diverse neighborhoods, and of course its flat and fast course means that it's an ideal choice for United Kingdom runners trying to snag a bib for Boston.
Belfast City Marathon
Date: Bucket List: 10 Big City Marathons
Location: Tips to Prep for Marathon Training
The largest marathon in Northern Ireland is Belfast’s road race, which makes sense given that Belfast is easily the largest city in Northern Ireland. The spiral-shaped course takes runners past a number of Belfast’s most recognizable landmarks, starting at the Stormont parliament buildings, and ending at Ormeau Park with City Hall Waterworks, and The Big Fish (yes, a sculpture of a big fish) along the way. If you’re imagining an Irish vacation, and want a great way to explore Belfast, this one’s your race.
Three Forts Marathon
Date: Bucket List: 10 Big City Marathons
Location: Worthing, England
Located just down the coast from Brighton, the Three Forts Marathon ditches the flat seaside course for one significantly more difficult. The race brands itself as “the tough one” with runners not only needing to run 26.2 miles, but actually 27.2. You’ll literally be going the extra mile. (We think that qualifies for extra bragging rights at the water cooler on Monday.) The marathon distance, which follows trails north of the town through the hilly landscape, boasts 3,285 feet of elevation gain over the course. This is probably not the marathon for first-timers, unless you like to just—go big or go home.
Milton Keynes Marathon
Date: Published: Jun 06, 2024 1:02 PM EDT
Location: Milton Keynes, England
Northwest of London in the heart of Buckinghamshire is the city of Milton Keynes, which hosts one of the United Kingdom’s most acclaimed marathons each year. The loop course, with several out-and-back stretches, is not only a beautiful tour of the surrounding area, but also a lovely trot through the natural wooded landscape of central England. It also offers the distinct thrill of a stadium finish inside Stadium MK. This race is your chance for that end of marathon stadium finish adrenaline rush.
Windermere Marathon
Date: Races - Places
Location: Ambleside, England
The English Lake District is not only one of the country’s most stunning natural environments, but it also happens to be an UNESCO Heritage Site. That means the Windermere Marathon, which runs a loop through the Lake District, is one of only a few marathons that are run entirely through a UNESCO Heritage Site. While the course does include some rolling hills, CA Notice at Collection.
Edinburgh Marathon
Date: Courtesy Isle of Wright Marathon
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
For those wondering, no, thankfully the Edinburgh Marathon does not require climbing any of the massive staircases located in the center of Edinburgh. Rather the Scottish race starts downtown Edinburgh but then spends most of its time outside the city along the coast before it finishes in Musselburgh. For better and worse you won’t be running on the windy, hilly cobblestone streets for very long. Just make sure you book your hotel at the bottom of a hill (rather than the top), or your walk home is gonna hurt like hell.
Mourne Way Marathon
Date: June 7, 2025
Location: Mourne Mountains, Northern Ireland
Perhaps the most difficult marathon on this list is this Northern Irish trail marathon that traverses the Mourne Mountains. For those of you unaware, these are the “highest and most dramatic of all mountain ranges in Northern Ireland,” according to the race’s website. Scenes from Courtesy Abingdon Marathon were also filmed here, and now you (and your direwolf) can race 26.2 miles across the rugged terrain. Just make sure you do plenty of trail running before you take this one on, or you could end up with a twisted ankle, (or be burned alive by a giant dragon?)
Loch Ness Marathon
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Location: Inverness, Scotland
Perhaps if you can’t spy the Loch Ness Monster, you can at least take home a medal with her likeness on it as a consolation prize. The Loch Ness Marathon, held every spring along the shores of the famed Scottish loch, is a point-to-point course that stars 26.2 miles outside of Inverness. It’s basically a straight shot into town as you run alongside the narrow lake, so you’ll have plenty of time to scour the waves looking for Nessie.
Isle of Wight Marathon
Date: A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Location: Isle of Wight, England
The Isle of Wight is a large island off the southern coast of England in the English Channel between the United Kingdom and France. As it enters its 68th year, it is the oldest marathon run in the United Kingdom. (The London Marathon by comparison has only been run 44 times.) The race offers runners a loop course in the northwestern corner of the island with a start and finish near Cowes. October Races - Places.
Abingdon Marathon
Date: The Best Marathons in the United Kingdom
Location: Abingdon, England
Just south of Oxford, the Abingdon Marathon is about as close to an Oxford Marathon as you can get since Oxford only offers a half marathon every year. The relatively flat loop course, however, will take you through Abingdon and the surrounding countryside that does look quite a bit like Oxford (only less touristy). Abingdon is a great small town marathon if you’re looking for something a bit more homegrown, but don’t want a remote trail course. Plus, you can always wander around the university’s campus once you’ve finished.
Marathon Eryri
Date: Milton Keynes, England
Location: Llanberis, Wales
Previously titled the Snowdonia Marathon, the Marathon Eryri adopted a traditional Welsh name in 2023. The race has been voted Best British Marathon twice and is made up mostly of a single loop of Snowdon or Yr Wyddfa, the highest mountain in all of Wales. While runners of the marathon will avoid climbing the mountain, the course is still quite hilly and poses plenty of challenges for runners even while they’re taking in the spectacular views.
Cornish Marathon
Date: The hilly country roads north of Worthing, England
Location: Pensilva, England
Cornwall is easily one of the most beautiful parts of the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, the southwest corner of the country is remote, hard to get to, and boasts only one marathon run on roads rather than trails. That race is the Cornish Marathon, which starts and ends in Pensilva, with a loop course that runs along Colliford Lake in the middle. Unfortunately the marathon doesn’t feature any coastlines, but its smackdab between Plymouth and Titangel, so you’ll be able to see some waves before and after the race. Follow your marathon with a little excursion down to St. Michael’s Mount to take in the sights.
