Edinburgh Half Marathon route map
13.1 miles from the Old Town, past the Castle, Holyrood and Arthur's Seat, down to the sea at Portobello and along the coast to Musselburgh. The course part by part, and your own race drawn with your chip time.
Edinburgh Half Marathon course at a glance
- Distance
- 13.1 miles (21.1 km)
- Start
- Potterrow, by McEwan Hall, in the Old Town
- Finish
- The playing fields of Pinkie School, Musselburgh
- Elevation
- A drop of almost 90 m to near sea level, then flat
- Time limit
- 3 hours 15 minutes
- Next race
- Sunday 30 May 2027
The map is plotted from the published route. Check the organiser's site for this year's exact course.
The Edinburgh Half Marathon route, part by part
- The Old TownFrom Potterrow past Greyfriars Kirkyard, across the Royal Mile and down the Mound to Princes Street Gardens and the Scott Monument.
- HolyroodBack up to the Royal Mile and down past the Scottish Parliament and Holyrood Palace, under Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crags.
- The seaDown to the promenade at Portobello, then east along the coast to Musselburgh, past the oldest golf course in the world.
- Out and backOn east towards Prestonpans, turn, and back to the finish in Musselburgh.
Where it hurts
The downhill start
Almost all the drop comes early. Easy to go off too fast.
The coast
Flat and open to the wind off the Firth of Forth.
Elevation
The organiser describes a descent of almost 90 m to near sea level, most of it in the first miles out of the Old Town. From Portobello on it is flat.
Your Edinburgh Half Marathon, with your chip time
Your own race drawn street by street from your watch, the landmarks named, and your chip time on a finisher's medal hung from the top of the print.
The print shown is the Rome Marathon. Yours is drawn from your own Edinburgh Half Marathon file.
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Good questions
Is the Edinburgh Half Marathon downhill?
At the start: almost 90 m of drop to near sea level, according to the organiser. After that it's flat along the coast.
Where does it start and finish?
It starts on Potterrow by McEwan Hall and finishes on the playing fields of Pinkie School in Musselburgh.
What's the time limit?
3 hours 15 minutes.
When is the next Edinburgh Half Marathon?
Sunday 30 May 2027, the same day as the Edinburgh Marathon.
Can I order a print before race day?
Yes. Order now, choose Send later, and send your file after you finish.
Course details from the organiser, checked September 2026. Custom Map Print is not connected to the race or its organisers. A runner in the 2011 Edinburgh Half Marathon: Ian Robertson, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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More half marathon route maps
- NYC Half route mapNext race Sunday 21 March 2027
- Great North Run route mapNext race Sunday 12 September 2027
- Big Half route mapNext race September 2027, date to be announced
- Manchester Half Marathon route mapNext race Sunday 3 October 2027
Half marathon route maps · Marathon route maps · Running prints
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