The official course for the 2026 Oysho Royal Parks Half Marathon starts in Hyde Park, passes through four Royal Parks and major London landmarks, and finishes in front of the Albert Memorial and Royal Albert Hall.
The Oysho Royal Parks half marathon began in 2008 as the first half marathon through central London.
This 13.1-mile course follows a loop on roads closed to traffic, starting in Hyde Park and finishing in Kensington Gardens.
It passes through four of London’s eight Royal Parks: Hyde Park, Green Park, St James’s Park and Kensington Gardens.
The course was redesigned for 2025, adding a section past Horse Guards Parade with views of the London Eye.
The route runs along The Mall twice and passes both Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace.
After the city-centre section, the route returns to the Royal Parks, where the Serpentine Road section has the loudest crowds.
The finish is in front of the Albert Memorial and the Royal Albert Hall.
Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament are also beside the course.
There are some gentle climbs and descents, but the course is generally flat and suitable for people running their first half marathon.
The race was created by the Royal Parks charity to raise funds for park conservation and has supported more than 1,900 UK charities to date.
It is not certified by UK Athletics, so its times are not listed on Power of 10.
