Event overview
Every year this festival weekend raises millions of pounds for a wide range of charities. The 5K is one of the first events of this exciting weekend of running and many runners will be running for charity with a 'charity place'.
Scotland's biggest running festival
The Edinburgh 5K follows a picturseque route around Holyrood Park with stunning views of the city and Edinburgh Castle.
Run for charity
Every year this festival weekend raises millions of pounds for a wide variety of charities. You too can get a guaranteed place in the event and make a positive difference at the same time by running for charity. Whether it's your first or fiftieth 5K event, you can use your miles for good.
What are charity places?
Charities buy places in this event, then give them to runners who agree to raise money for the charity – these are called charity places. Charity places are a great way to support a cause you're passionate about and use your miles for good.
Benefits of running for charity
Committing to raising money for charity gives you motivation to get outside and run, plus many extras which will elevate your event experience - see the Fundraising section for more details.
5K runs and charity fundraising go hand-in-hand - which of these charities will you run for?
Event photos
Event video
- All fitness levels
- Event village
- Families
- Fancy dress
- Newcomers
- Spectators
- Teams
- Wheelchair users
Timetable
Saturday
Sunday
- Bag storage
- Cafe
- Changing facilities
- Coast
- Park
- Rural
- Showers
- Toilets
- Urban
Event HQ
Dynamic Earth
Holyrood Road
Edinburgh
Edinburgh
EH8 8AS
UK
The Scottish capital is renowned for its heritage and culture, with medieval architecture and cobbled streets helping to create a spellbinding atmosphere. It's the perfect setting for an active festival of running, with each route taking full advantage of its stunning location.
The Edinburgh Marathon Festival offers an ideal opportunity to explore the historic streets on closed roads and enjoy a Bank Holiday weekend in the Scottish capital.
- Cut off time
- Distance markers
- First aid
- Marshals
- Out and back
- Sweeper
- Toilets
- Traffic free
- Undulating
- Water stations
- Wave start
- Way markers
- GPX available
GPX route
The route is displayed on the map above.
Route highlights
- Starting from Dynamic Earth, at the edge of Holyrood Park
- Stunning views of Edinburgh Castle
- Panoramic views of the city
- Pass St Margaret's Loch
- Start the ascent around the east side of Arthur's Seat
- Pass the tranquil Dunsapie Loch
- Spectacular views over Duddingston Loch below
- Towards the Pentland Hills
- Continue down the west side of the famous old volcano
- It's all flat and downhill to the raucous finish line!
Map
Route description
Starting and finishing near EMF Hub at Dynamic Earth, this beautiful scenic route takes you around Holyrood Park in the heart of Edinburgh.
The route offers stunning views of Edinburgh Castle and panoramic views of the city. Runners start on Queens Drive and after 0.5km the route passes St. Margaret’s Loch before starting the ascent around the east side of Arthur’s Seat before you pass Dunsapie Loch at around 2k.
On the far side of Arthur’s seat and approaching the halfway point, runners can enjoy spectacular views of Duddingston Loch below and across the southside of Edinburgh and beyond towards the Pentland Hills with the knowledge that the rest of the route is flat and downhill!
As the route continues down the West Side of this famous old volcano you can enjoy the views of the steep slopes on your right and in the distance the cheering masses at the final turn.
The last 250m section runs back through the Start Line and then turns left onto Holyrood Gait and the Finish Line.
Cut off
45 mins.
The cut off time for the 5K is 45 minutes (from when the back of the race crosses the start line).
- Public transport links
- Recycling
- Sustainability policy
Sustainability overview
This event is committed to minimising the impact it has on the local environment, implemented in the following ways:
- Online entries rather than paper forms
- Marketing material online rather than flyers and posters
- Runner information online rather than printed
- Public transport encouraged
- Communication with residents and business regarding road closures, to reduce traffic congestion
- Reduce noise pollution
- All waste collected and recycled/repurposed wherever possible
- Unused food donated to food bank
- Chip timing
- Medal
- Technical t-shirt
Included
- Wicking finisher's t-shirt
- Finisher's medal and distance keyring
- Finisher's pack
- Personalised event number with accurate timing chip
- Event baggage facilities
- Hydration on route
- Hydration and nutrition at the finish
- Results posted in your account within 48 hours
- Fantastic running experience
How to fundraise
Wondering whether to run for charity but unsure how to fundraise? Charities are experts in this topic and will provide the reassurance you need but here are some tips get you started:
Start fundraising early
Starting your fundraising early gives you the best chance of smashing your sponsorship goal.
Make it known
Keep talking about your fundraising target to your friends, family, colleagues, social media followers - everyone!
Have some fun
Seize the chance to make it your own: sell unwanted clothing online, hold an afternoon tea, host a ticketed dinner party, wash some cars, shave your beard; be inspired by the many ideas at our fingertips!
... I really enjoyed the event. It was well organised and I liked the course which started up by the university and then had a 5 mile downhill run through the city to the coast, followed by an out and back coastal section which was pretty flat.
Really enjoyed this run. Beautiful settings and a fantastic atmosphere.
It's true that this is a perfect race for chasing PBs - I got one today and I hadn't trained as much as I should have.
Couldn’t have picked a better location for my first marathon! Amazing atmosphere with super helpful marshals and wonderful support from spectators especially the welcoming locals who utterly emmersed themselves in the event and were out in their hundreds. Topped off by lovely finish crew who didn’t mind being hugged and sobbed over ecstatically!! and the most beautiful medal and lovely (perfectly fitted) finishers shirt!
The route itself took you through lovely historical parts of the city and then out across the gorgeous coast before returning to the city for a rapturous welcome (despite the crazy headwind along the final four miles!). Terrific choice of route and I bet an experienced marathoner could get quite a pace as it’s relatively flat. A most excellent event and definitely one to recommend!
Reviews thanks to RaceCheck
- Age 11 & over
- Entries open
- to 21/05/2026
- Charity places
- Enter online
- Event merch available
- Race pack by post
