The Edinburgh Marathon is set among beautiful scenery and the ancient Old Town and is a great run for setting your PB.
The 2024 route starts at Edinburgh University, and weaves its way through the New and Old Towns to the beautiful Holyrood Park and Arthur’s Seat before heading for the roads beside the sparkling waters of the River Forth for a long flat scenic run through East Lothian.
The Edinburgh Marathon Festival
The Edinburgh Marathon – as you might expect from Edinburgh – is called the Edinburgh Marathon Festival, shortened to EMF. As well as the marathon itself, it includes a series of races for just about everyone. They are:
EMF Edinburgh Marathon
EMF Marathon Team Relay
EMF Half-Marathon
EMF 10k
EMF 5k
EMF Junior 5k
EMF Junior 2k
EMF Junior 1.5k
EMF Kids’ Kilometre
The Edinburgh Marathon Route – Mile By Mile
The Edinburgh Marathon is flat, fast route, perfect if you’re looking to beat your PB.
Start
Start at Potterrow at Edinburgh University. You’ll gather in the square by the world’s oldest student union building and the McEwan Hall, the magnificent graduation hall of the University.
If you’re running the half-marathon, the route follows the full marathon course to just past mile marker 11, where it loops back to the finish line.
Mile 1
The first mile will disappear quickly as you head for the New Town along the 19th century George IV Bridge, down the hill of the Mound toward Princes Street, with Princes Street Gardens on either side. As you come round the top of the Mound, you will see an astonishing vista open up in front of you. In the foreground, Princes Street and its famous Gardens and, further in the distance the River Forth and the Kingdom of Fife. Be quick though – it won’t last for long as you race down the hill to ground level.
You’ll hit Princes Street and turn a quick right toward the Old Town with the 200ft (61m) Scott Monument on your right (second-tallest monument in the world to a writer). Another right to cross Waverley Bridge, with Waverley Station on your left and further to your left, the great North Bridge.
A left turn after passing the station, and you’re heading for one of the arches of the North Bridge, and that’s your first mile done!
Mile 2
Once under the bridge, you’ll swing right to hit Edinburgh’s historic Royal Mile where you’ll turn right to run down the Royal Mile itself (which is just amazing) heading for the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Holyrood Park, aka the Queen’s Park. As you turn at the bottom of the Royal Mile to go into the Queen’s Park itself, you’ll pass Holyrood Palace on your left and the amazing Scottish Parliament building on your right.
Once into the park, the route takes a right for a small detour up the hill of the Queen’s Drive for a few hundred yards before turning back on itself and back down the hill to run right through the park. And that’s mile 2 done.
Mile 3
Down the hill from the turn takes you on a long run through the park along the Queen’s Drive, passing a drinks station. On your right is the looming bulk of Arthur’s Seat, the old volcano that’s the highest point in Edinburgh at 820ft (250m) on your right.
But there’s no climbing the hill today. You will remain on the flat as you cruise through the park, waving at the swans and ducks as you pass St Margaret’s Loch and exit the park at mile marker 3.
Toilets here
Mile 4
Exiting the Queen’s Park you’ll be back on to the streets as you get some more downhill racing through some pretty Edinburgh suburbs as you head out for the coast. Look out for the sparkling waters of the Firth of Forth in the distance.
Mile 5
Heading for the coast road, you’ll pass the green expanse of Craigentinnny Golf Course and Seafield Park on your left for most of your way to the sea. Plenty of people in their gardens waving and clapping you on as you finally reach the coast road and turn east at the five mile marker.
Toilets here
Miles 6, 7 and 8
You’re at sea level now, so no more hills. The route runs flat alongside the Portobello beach, hugging the Firth of Forth. Grab plenty of fresh sea air as you head through the suburbs of Portobello and Joppa and into the small town of Fisherrow. You’ll run past the little harbour just before the 8 mile marker and just after the marker there’s a water station.
Mile 9
After the water station, the route turns inland through the ‘honest toun’ of Musselburgh. You’ll cross the River Esk near the end of its long journey to the River Forth.
The mouth of the Esk was where the great mussel beds were located that gave Musselburgh its name. It was also the place that the Romans set up camp when they invaded Scotland in 140AD (they didn’t get much further north – the Picts saw to that.)
Toilets here
Mile 10
As you run through the streets of the little town of Musselburgh you’ll pass the end of the race, around mile 9.5, appear on your right. Try to ignore it, is my advice! Press on to the mile marker past the famous Musselburgh Racecourse. This is also where you’ll finish the race as from here on out as you cross into East Lothian the route doubles back on itself to finish here.
Toilets here
Mile 11 & Return Mile 25
Running out of Musselburgh, you’ll come to a large roundabout, where the route takes a left to continue hugging the coast. To your left, the links stretch to the sea across Musselburgh Lagoons, which are actually coal ash deposits from the now closed Cockenzie Power Station. They’re now a roost for wading and sea birds.
Just past the 11 mile marker there’s a water station.
Half-marathon turn
If you’re running the half-marathon, the water station marks the turn. Grab a bottle, make the turn and hare back along the way you’ve come. It’s a wide road so there’s plenty of space for runners running both ways. You’re just under two miles for your big finish and the cheering crowds.
Miles 12 &13
After the water station, the route now enters the High Street of the little town of Prestonpans as you head for the town of Cockenzie and it’s now decommissioned Power Station on your right. All the way out to the turn, the sea will be on your left.
Mile 14
As you enter Cockenzie, the route takes a left to bring you closer to the sea and you’ll enter the old fishing village of Port Seton. As you clear Port Seton (it’s not very big) and head into open country, you’ll pass Seton Sands Holiday Park on your right.
Mile 15, 16 & 17
There’s a water station just past the mile marker as the route rejoins the main road. The village of Longniddry will be your next landmark although you’ll be passing the outskirts of the actual village itself. Of more interest is the beach on your left, called Longniddry Bents. The Bents are a series of beaches with great sand, wildlife and super views across the Firth of Forth.
You’ll pass the headland of Longniddry Bents as you continue toward the race turn. If it’s a clear day you’ll get some spectacular views across the sea to Fife.
By this point, the race turn will be in sight. In fact, it’s difficult to miss, as the race turn is the magnificent Gosford House, built in the last years of the 18th century and was of the last commissions of the great Scottish architect, Robert Adam, who was responsible for designing Charlotte Square in Edinburgh’s New Town.
The route continues to the left and along the coast. On your right you’ll see the road at the end of the loop of miles 18 & 19.
Miles 18 & 19
The long loop to turn you around and race back to the finish. As you leave Gosford House, you’ll be running on a loop through the fields before re-joining the road back along the coast.
This time as you run back to Musselburgh Racecourse and the finish line, the sea will be on your right. Look out for the great views of the three bridges that cross the Firth of Forth.
The Finishing Line
As you head for the Musselburgh Racecourse you left at Mile 9, the route takes a dog leg to the left to finish at Pinkie Playing Fields.
The EMF Hairy Haggis Team Relay Marathon
The team relay follows the above route and is open to relay teams of four runners. Each runner runs one quarter of the route, which follows the same route as the marathon.
Leg 1: 8.3 miles
If you like running through city streets, then take the first leg. Starting at Potterrow, the first leg runs for 8.3 miles to the changeover point in Musselburgh.
Leg 2: 5.5 miles
The next runner crosses the River Esk and past Musselburgh Racecourse. Heading into the small town of Prestonpans, you’ll pass the Prestongrange Mining Museum and the site of the 1745 Battle of Prestonpans. Leaving ‘the Pans’ the route goes through Cockenzie to Port Seton and the second relay changeover at Port Seton Links.
Leg 3: 8 miles
Leg 3 is the turnaround leg. Heading along the lovely East Lothian coastline, you’ll come to through the village of Longniddry to enter the grounds of Gosford House. Here, the route loops around to head back to Port Seton and the final relay changeover.
Leg 4: 4.4 miles
You’re in the home straight as you pass back through Port Seton, Cockenzie, Prestonpans and Musselburgh Links, ‘the oldest golf course in the world’. Now you’ll race down to the finish line and glory to join the exalted and exclusive Hairies!
EMF Half Marathon
The half marathon follows the same route as the full marathon, starting at Potterrow and heading towards the sea before turning east along the coast.
The route heads east, following the marathon’s mile markers until Mile 11, turning at the little town of Prestonpans before finishing at Pinkie Playing Fields.
The half starts at 8am, two hours ahead of the full marathon.
EMF 10k
The 10k race follows a completely different route to the marathon and half marathon. Whereas both marathon and half marathon follow a fast, flat route that hugs the coast, the 10k opts for the hilly route around Arthur’s Seat.
Starting on the Queen’s Drive, adjacent to Holyrood Palace, the route quickly climbs around the hill of the old volcano. Keep going, because at the 3km point you will be rewarded by the stunning view from the top of Duddingston Loch and the whole of the south side of Edinburgh stretching away to the Pentland Hills in the distance.
As you round the hill, the view changes to a panoramic view of the city as you descend and turn almost 180 degrees as you head for Duddingston Loch, the only remaining natural loch in the city.
Through Duddingston village, the route takes to the roadway for a short while then turns back to the park along the old Innocent Railway path and onto the Queen’s Drive for the race to the finish.
The last kilometre is mostly downhill, allowing a gloriously fast finish past the crowds to the finish line at Dynamic Earth.
EMF 5k and Junior 5k
The 5k race essentially follows half the route of the 10k, missing the turn to Duddingston village and instead carrying on around the Queen’s Drive and that fast finish to the finishing line.
EMF Junior 2k
A flat race along the Queen’s Drive to the little loch of St Margaret. Execute a tight turn and run back the way you’ve come to the finish line.
EMF Junior 1.5k
A flat race along the Queen’s Drive following the 2k route but not quite reaching St Margaret’s loch. Execute a tight turn and run back the way you’ve come to the finish line.
EMF Kids’ Kilometre
Following the 2k route, run a fast half kilometre along the Queen’s Drive before turning around and racing back to the finish line and the cheers from the crowd.