Baxters Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running returns to the Scottish Highlands this September for the 22nd instalment of the world famous event.
The longstanding race continues to be a highlight of the Autumn running calendar, known as one of the most beautiful races in the world, boasting spectacular scenery, fantastic atmosphere and a truly memorable experience.Â
This year’s main event will take place on Sunday 29th September 2024 in the capital of the Highlands, Inverness and has various race distances to cater for all runners.
The Festival of Running kicks off on Saturday the 28th, with BBC’s Bryan Burnett hosting the Runners Café and Sports Expo, free for all visitors.
The Sunday will host The Loch Ness Marathon. 26.2 miles of a spectacular point-to-point route alongside world famous Loch Ness, starting in the atmospheric high ground near Fort Augustus and continuing through stunning Highland scenery, taking you along the southeastern shore of Loch Ness, heading north east towards Dores, finishing in Inverness.
While the star of the show is the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon, the event offers a distance to suit all runners with the Baxters River Ness 10K, Baxters River Ness 5K and even a Wee Nessie kids race.
The Baxters River Ness 10K and Corporate Challenge will also be taking place on Sunday.
Known for bringing out the best in runners with many achieving a PB along the flat course through the historic city of Inverness and along the banks of the picturesque River Ness.
If you fancy the corporate challenge then the event will bring together teams of 4 to 6 colleagues joining forces for a good cause in stunning scenery.
There is also the Baxters River Ness 5K for those wanting a slightly shorter distance without missing out on the scenery.
Open to runners of all ages and abilities, the 5K follows a flat route along the scenic River Ness to finish alongside other races at Bught Park, Inverness.
Finally, the Wee Nessie race, open to children aged 5 and under, follows a short circular route in the enclosed Bught Park.
In 2023, the event achieved over 8,600 runners being cheered through the finish gantry and looks to be continuing its popularity for this year.
With participants from over 45 countries, it’s becoming a global attraction, and with stunning scenery, a wide range of race distances, and of course, Nessie, it’s easy to see why this event is at the top of so many bucket lists. Â
For those interested in registering you can find out more here
