Running the Loch Ness Marathon: Destination Racing
Destination racing has risen in popularity over the years as the world has become more accessible and people from all different walks of life have taken to the sport of running, and the Loch Ness Marathon consistently ranks as one of the most scenic marathons in the world.
The route follows the southeastern shores of Loch Ness within the stunning Scottish Highlands into the quaint northern city of Inverness (Inbhir Nis). Just three years ago, the annual Festival of Running boasted that they had runners from 87 different countries coming to participate in the race since their induction, a true testament to how many travellers look to explore the world through sport.
Taking place every year on the first Sunday of October, here’s all you need to know if you’re currently training for Loch Ness or thinking about it for the future. For the adventure traveller looking for a different way to explore the world, travelling for races should definitely be considered.
Steve and I running the Loch Ness Marathon in 2021. Based on the views alone it’s no wonder it consistently ranks as one of the best in the world.
What’s in this post:
The Route
Where to Stay
How to get here
Costs
What to Expect
The Route
Taken from the Race Guide 2021. See a full Google Maps edition here
The run starts just outside of Fort Augustus on the southern tip of Loch Ness and continues up the south-eastern shore to end in the event village in Bught Park, Inverness. It’s incredibly scenic, with the route starting in moorlands and following the loch until you arrive in the city, where locals are lined up the streets to cheer you to the finish.
Loch Ness is a road race, so you’ll be running on pavement/ tarmac, although the road is closed to all forms of traffic (with the exception of emergency or event vehicles). The route starts on high ground, and although there are some parts that are undulating, it’s fairly level throughout. It’s considered a good route to do if you’re looking for a PB.
If you’re a trail runner/ used to the trails, make sure to implement road runs (preferably your weekly LR) leading up to the day as the entire race takes place on the pavement. Also be sure to pack gear you won’t mind getting wet - it’s guaranteed to rain at least once en route.
Where to Stay
Although the race technically starts between Fort Augustus and Foyers, most runners choose to stay within Inverness because of the accommodation options, facilities, and transport connections. Buses run the morning of the race to the start point from the events park in Inverness (and this fare is already included within your race cost), so no need to fret about making it to the starting line yourself (more on this below).
We recommend arranging where to stay as far in advance as you can as the available accommodation gets booked up very quickly. If you can, try and stay somewhere within walking distance to Bught Park to avoid having to commute into the city the morning of the race.
We recommend staying in Inverness, Scotland’s most northern city, to be close to the transport links, amenities, accomodation options and the marathon’s event village.
If you are staying out of the city centre, parking can be limited so check it out before the morning of the race if you’re self-driving (more on this below). If you’re relying on another form of transport, know that there are decent bus links around the greater Inverness area, check out the links on Stagecoach’s Inverness City Network here. You could also consider bringing along your bike to the area (bikes ride for free on UK trains, see more info about this here) and cycling into the city from your accomodation.
If you’re not staying within Inverness, you can get the bus pickup on the morning of from either Drumnadrochit or Fort Augustus, but pre-booking a few weeks before the race is essential. Get in touch with the race organisers for more information about this option.
How to get here
Getting to Inverness, also renowned as the gateway to the Highlands, is quite straightforward.
Before you get to the race starting line, you’ll have to find your way into the Highlands first.
By plane…
Inverness’ International Airport has decent connections within the UK and a few EU destinations although it’s comparatively quaint to Scotland’s other international airports, having more of a domestic vibe. It’s about 14km northeast of the city centre, and Stagecoach Inverness provides a direct connection, making the trip into the city every 30 minutes. If you’re coming from further afield and flights into Inverness are proving dearer than flying into the likes of London, Edinburgh or Glasgow, either rent a car, book the train or take another domestic up North once you’re within the UK.
By train...
Whenever we book trains within the UK, we use Trainline, which is a platform that shows all of the options for train providers throughout greater Western Europe. As anywhere, the fares will vary based on where you’re coming from and what time of year you’re travelling, but October is usually not overly expensive as it’s considered within a shoulder season.
By car….
If you’re self-driving, Inverness is a 3hr drive north from both Edinburgh and Glasgow along the A9, and just over 2hrs along the A96 from Aberdeen on the east coast. The event itself gives updated parking advice every year in your race guide, but typically it advises either walking to the park from your accommodation or from the city centre, or getting dropped off on Glenurquhart Road or Bught Drive. If you are staying in an accommodation that doesn’t offer parking or you’re staying outside of the city, consider using one of the car parks within the city centre (not around the actual Bught Park) such as the Old Town Rose Street Multi-Storey or Eastgate Centre.
Costs
Your race entry cost not only supports the dozens of people behind the scene who make the event happen, but also includes the transport from Inverness to the starting line, the pre-race pack (which has your number and info), and a post-race pack, which has your finishers medal and a tote of goodies from the race sponsors.
The race itself comes in at £62 for standard entry and usually closes 10 weeks out, although Scottish Athletics members (£60) and official charity places (£35) remain open to register (although if you do sign up through a charity, keep in mind that there is a fundraising minimum). Check up-to-date costs and available entries on their website here.
Travelling for races will be around the equivalent of what you’d typically pay for your standard holiday away (depending on the destination and where you’re coming from), but keep in mind that if you don’t plan ahead, you may be paying more for things like accommodation and travel - it’s no secret that demand always grows when a large event takes place, and the larger and more popular the race, the more local industries will capitalise from it (which is fair enough).
What to Expect
Check out the event village in Bught Park the day before the race. You’ll get to pick up your race pack, see where the buses leave in the AM and get a shot of the finish line minus the crowds.
The Weekend Of
Once you register to run the race, you’ll be notified to pick up your race pack the day before, typically the first Saturday of the month, at the Events Village at Bught Park where the race ends. Usually this goes on all day (from 10am- 6pm), but be sure to consult your race guide, which will be emailed to you before the race with the weekend timings. The events village is really lovely and hosts a variety of food trucks, music, a Sports Expo and even a comically giant inflatable Nessie all sitting on the banks of River Ness.
You’ll be able to pick up your race pack by your number, which will also be emailed to you before the race begins (usually in the same email as your race guide). Head to the administrative area of the Events Village and queue up based on this number.
The Day Of
Last year, we headed to the Inverness Ice Centre on Bught Drive (the southwest edge of Bught Park where the Event Village is) at 7- 7.30am. If you’re staying out of the city centre (aka not walking distance to the park), see our advice on self-driving and parking above.
When we got to the park, buses were lined up at the west end, with hundreds of people streaming in and loading on. There were portaloos at the park, which we recommend using before you load on the buses (most of which won’t have any facilities), knowing you’ll be driving for about an hour to get to the race start. The buses begin to leave around 7.30am- 7.50am.
Even with the rain, everyone was in really good spirits (it is Scotland after all). If you are running, know that Loch Ness runs a scheme in which any discarded clothing items on the side of the path will be donated to charity. This means that many people show up with lots of layers to combat the morning chill that’s usually present in the Highland air, but are able to shed these items as the race begins- knowing it’ll be donated. Aka pack that old jumper for the trip South!
The drive takes just over an hour to get to the high ground on the Fort Augustus road, taking the northwesterly road south from Inverness (drive down one way, run back up the other side). When we arrived in 2021, it was pouring down with rain, so some chose to stay on the buses until it passed, while others mulled about outside. There are portaloos there for use (although because of the queues, some people opted for the bush), and large trucks for collecting packs that would be delivered to the finish line for you (organised by your race number).
They organise the starting lines by how long you intend to complete the race in. The runners who have come to race typically go at the very start, with signage placed every km or so back from the starting line (3 hrs, 3.5hrs, 4 hrs, 4.5 hrs etc.). Find the card that is closest to what you intend to run the race in, and stand behind this. The marathon itself starts at 10am, ceremoniously sounded by bagpipes.
As a member of Scottish and UK Athletics, keep in mind that running with headphones/earphones are not permitted, so we definitely recommend training without them (There is an exception if you use earphones for bone conductor technology, read more here).
Loch Ness is a scenic, super friendly and local-orientated race and it’s no wonder that it consistently ranks as one of the best marathons in the world.
For more info on the marathon, their other races, or specifics based on the event/ year, check out their site here.
happy running,
Sam
Keen on getting outdoors in the Highlands?
Check out my feature in Outpost Magazine about Scottish Munro- Bagging (What it is, and why it should be on every trekker’s bucket list).
