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PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONGB / RACE GUIDE

Loch Ness Marathon & Festival of Running

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Inverness
GB

Wikimedia Commons · © Copyright Craig Wallace and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence, CC BY-SA 2.0Wikimedia Commons · © Copyright Craig Wallace and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence, CC BY-SA 2.0Wikimedia Commons · Craig Wallace, CC BY-SA 2.0Wikimedia Commons · Craig Wallace, CC BY-SA 2.0Wikimedia CommonsWikimedia CommonsWikimedia Commons

Race date in 355 days: Sep 26, 2027 Sun
City · Distance: Inverness · 800M · 42.195km · 10km +1 more events
Entry fee: Fee TBDVaries by event and entry period
Status: OpenSee how to enter ↗

2027Date Sep 26, 2027 · Open

2026Date Sep 27, 2026 · Entry fee £30 · Start 10:00

Official website ↗

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D-day as of Oct 6, 2026

About the race Runner stories How to enter Course Race Prep Travel

Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

The start line Marathon is inaccessible to spectators and vehicles.

Runners take a coach bus from Inverness to the start line on the south shore of Loch Ness, between Whitebridge and Fort Augustus.

Course follows the loch into central Inverness and finishes at Bught Park.

A 10K, 5K and children's races are also held over race weekend.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

Stories from those who ran it first.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

Race reports: 3

Peter KallaiRan in 2025 · Finish time 3:50:02

“This was my favorite marathon so far, and the course is a big reason why.”

Peter Kallai completed the 2025 Loch Ness Marathon in 3:50:02, a personal best. He said he controlled his pace through the early downhill, got over the climb at mile 19, and finished strong amid the cheers along the final stretch into Inverness.

Read the original on Run Peter Run

Lindsay BRan in 2024 · Finish time 5:06:42

“This was the perfect race to run my first marathon.”

The runner held back on the steep early descents and ran over the 19-mile hill. The lakeside scenery and the spectators’ support at the finish gave the runner the strength to complete their first marathon.

Read the original on Running with Lindz

Iona MackayRan in 2013 · Finish time 4 hours 16 minutes 17 seconds

“I had completed my first marathon!”

Iona Mackay completed her first Loch Ness Marathon in 2013 in 4:16:17. Leg pain after mile 16.5 cost her her target time, but she kept running to the finish with support from fellow runners and spectators, crossing the line with a smile.

Read the original on Iona Running Blog

We translated a short line from each public race report and summarized the experience. Finish times are as stated by the author, and past editions may differ from this year's weather and operations.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

I Run/Walked Loch Ness Marathon And This Is Why

The Running Channel

View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

From the 2026 edition

charity participation

The 2026 general entry is sold out, but you can choose an official charity partner and apply for an entry through that organization's website.

Official race website Entry options

From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

The 800M I'll run

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

From the 2026 edition

Runners start · local timeFrom 10:00

Time limitFull marathon 7 hours

The start time and cut-off follow the official announcement (checked 2026-08) — re-check on the official page before entering.

Event	Gather	Start	Time limit
Marathon42.195km	Arrival at Inverness Ice Centre 07:00–07:30, coach to the start 07:30–07:50	10:00	7h 00m
10K10km	—	10:30	—
5K5km	—	09:30	—

START

Between Whitebridge and Fort Augustus on the south side of Loch Ness

there is no spectator or vehicle access to the marathon start

Start · Google Maps

FINISH

Event Village, Bught Park, Inverness

Finish · Google Maps

Cut-off
roads along the final 3 miles in Inverness start to re-open from 16.30 and the finish line and Event Village start to be dismantled from 17.00

Original course map · strava.com

Runners start · local time — The Baxters Loch Ness Marathon starts at 10:00 am on 27 September 2026 between Whitebridge and Fort Augustus on the south side of Loch Ness.

The start is on the southern shore of Loch Ness, between Whitebridge and Fort Augustus.

Spectators and private vehicles cannot access the area, so participants must use the coach buses operating from Inverness.

Course follows the southern shore of the loch.

It passes Foyers, Inverfarigaig and Dores before entering Inverness.

In the city centre, runners cross the River Ness on Ness Bridge and finish at the event village in Bught Park.

Race weekend also includes full marathon, the River Ness 10K, the River Ness 5K and the Wee Nessie children’s race.

More than 8,000 runners take part across all events.

In 2010, Thomas Abiy won in 2:20:50 and Dinknesh Mekash Tefera won the women’s race in 2:46:37.

The women’s time was then a course record.

Macmillan Cancer Support has been the principal charity partner since 2013 and has been involved with the event since 2009.

Typical race-season temperature: around 11°C (51°F): Short sleeves or light long sleeves + arm warmers

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

From the most recent edition

Bag drop 2026

10K · Marathon

Finisher medal 2026

Marathon · Kids 800m

Timing chip 2026

Marathon

Finisher T-shirt 2026

Marathon

Aid stations 2026

Marathon

Start shuttle 2026

Marathon

Event T-shirt 2026

Kids 800m

Finisher certificate 2026

10K · Marathon

Medical support 2026

Marathon

Water stations 2026

10K · Marathon

Changing rooms 2026

Marathon

Restrooms 2026

Marathon

This may change for the next edition.

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

From the 2026 edition

Pick up your bib at the expo

Marathon participants must bring photo ID and collect bib on the Saturday before the race; race-day pickup is not available.
If you cannot attend, someone else may collect it on your behalf by presenting a signed authorization letter (or email) from you and their own ID.
9/26 (Sat) 10:00–18:00 (mandatory for all marathon participants) / 5K participants: 9/26 (Sat) 10:00–18:00 or 9/27 (Sun) 07:30–09:00

Event Village, Bught Park, Inverness IV3 5SQ

Google Maps

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Stations & transport near the venue

Tap a foreign-issued contactless Visa/Mastercard/Maestro card (or Apple Pay/Google Pay — not American Express) directly on Stagecoach Highlands buses; there is no metro/tram, buses are the only public transit.

Getting to the start

No station — the start is on a rural road between Whitebridge and Fort Augustus, reachable ONLY by the organizer's coach

All marathon runners must take the official coach from Inverness Ice Centre, Bught Drive, Inverness (a 10-minute walk from the Event Village).

Arrive between 07:00 and 07:30;

coaches depart between 07:30 and 07:50;

the journey takes approximately 1 hour.

No pre-booking is needed.

Pre-bookable pickup points (by 20 September) are also available along the loch, but these are one-way only, with NO return transport.

The FAQ explicitly states that spectators and vehicles cannot access the start.

Getting to the finish

Bught Park Event Village, Inverness — a 10–15-minute walk from Inverness city centre and railway station

The finish is inside Inverness itself, so no return shuttle is needed — walk or take a taxi back into town.

Disabled parking is 200 m from the Event Village.

Road closures

Coach bus service to the marathon starting point;

Infirmary Bridge is closed to pedestrians and bicycles from 08:30 to 17:00.

More details

Mandatory official start-line coach shuttle from Inverness Ice Centre (included, no pre-booking);

optional pre-bookable one-way pickups from villages around the loch (deadline: 20 September, no return leg).

Inverness is reachable by train and air, making the logistics straightforward apart from the strict start-coach requirement.

IC card

StagecoachSmart (national Stagecoach reloadable card, not practical for short visits — ordered and posted by mail)

Works directly at the gates

Alternative: DayRider (Inverness)

More details

As of March 2026, Transport Scotland's pilot caps most single Stagecoach fares in the Highlands & Moray at £2, which likely makes single contactless taps cheaper than any day pass for a runner making just a few trips.

American Express is NOT accepted.

As of 27 April 2025, StagecoachSmart is no longer sold on board buses in Scotland.

Stations & transport near the venue

Take the coach bus from Inverness Ice Center until start line.

Source · checked Aug 22, 2026 Source · checked Aug 17, 2026

READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

The 2026 race starts at 10:00 am on 27 September.

The time limit is 7 hours, with the cut-off at 5:00 pm.

Participants travel by coach from Inverness Ice Centre to start line.

Arrive between 7:00 am and 7:30 am;

buses depart between 7:30 am and 7:50 am.

The journey takes approximately one hour.

Roads along the final 3 miles in central Inverness reopen progressively from 4:30 pm, while finish and the Event Village begin to be dismantled from 5:00 pm.

In September, average temperatures in Inverness range from a high of 16.5°C to a low of 9.1°C.

Monthly rainfall averages 62.8mm.

Entry fee includes a finisher medal, a technical finisher's shirt, a goody bag, electronic timing for full marathon and the 10km,

a download of finisher certificate, post-race food, transport to start line (full marathon), and the finish-area festival.

General entry for the 2026 full marathon and River Ness 10km is closed.

Times are local to Inverness. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

Hotels that make race morning easy

7 places

Distances are straight-line from the start/finish area.
Check real travel times and booking terms with each hotel.

The start and finish are in the same place
We picked stays around that one spot.

Lochardil House Hotel

Hotel · 712m

8.5/10(1807)

View on Booking.com

Culduthel Cottage

Apartment · 1.2km

9.5/10(75)

View on Booking.com

Eden House

Accommodation · 923m

9.5/10(22)

View on Booking.com

Royal Apartment

Accommodation · 962m

9.4/10(50)

View on Booking.com

Rossie Lodge

Accommodation · 463m

9.3/10(24)

View on Booking.com

Cavell House

GuestHouse · 1.0km

9.2/10(395)

View on Booking.com

Glenmoriston Town House Apartments

Apartment · 1.2km

9.1/10(83)

View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

View on map →

Time for you, before and after the finish

27 experiences

Rest a little, wander a little.
Pick what suits you and whoever you're with.

SIT-DOWN TOURS6CARB LOADING1LOCAL TRANSIT3FAMILY PASS7TRAIL & OUTDOOR2CITY TOURS7EASY WALKING1

Half-Day Loch Ness Cruise from Inverness

₩64,384

Loch Ness Marathon & Festival of Running

About Loch Ness Marathon & Festival of Running — what makes it special

A day you'll remember,long past the finish line.

The road to your own record

When the city cheers

The trip that follows the run