Orkney set to host UK’s most northerly marathon

The UK’s most northerly marathon is set to get underway tomorrow morning, with 132 runners — local and non-local — due to toe the start line of the inaugural St Magnus Marathon.

The runners are due to begin the 26.2-mile course at 10am, starting from the St Magnus Cathedral. Following a route through the streets of Kirkwall, the competitors will run along the town’s harbour front before heading up Hatston Brae, turning left onto Sunnybank Road.

From there, they will take a right onto the Old Finstown Road, taking on the first of many undulating hills that pepper the route. The runners will continue through Finstown, turning right towards Rendall and Evie, going through Costa and Swannay towards Birsay village. They will eventually finish the course at the Birsay Community Centre after following the route through the village and back to the centre.

There will also be a 5K Fun Run on the day in Birsay, scheduled to start at 11.30am. Race registration is being taken on the day between 10.30am-11am.

Chair of the St Magnus Marathon sub-committee David Atkinson said the organisers were delighted with the number of entrants.

“This is a great beginning, with support from both local folk and runners coming from south, many of them never having visited Orkney before. It should be quite something to see, when they all set off together from the cathedral on Sunday.”