Great North Run route map
13.1 miles from the middle of Newcastle, over the Tyne Bridge and through Gateshead to the seafront at South Shields. The course mile by mile, the climbs people don't expect, and your own race drawn with your chip time.
Great North Run course at a glance
- Distance
- 13.1 miles (21.1 km)
- Start
- The central motorway, Newcastle city centre
- Finish
- The seafront at South Shields
- Crossing
- The Tyne Bridge, Newcastle to Gateshead, just before mile 2
- Next race
- Sunday 12 September 2027
The map is plotted from the published route. Check the organiser's site for this year's exact course.
The Great North Run route, mile by mile
- Miles 1 and 2Down the central motorway and through the road tunnels, where the Oggy Oggy Oggy chants echo, then out onto the Tyne Bridge and into Gateshead.
- Miles 3 to 5Along the A184 past Gateshead International Stadium at about mile 3, on a steady climb.
- Miles 5 to 8Mostly downhill, a chance to recover, onto the A194 and past the Tyne Tunnel turn-off around mile 8.
- Miles 8 to 12The hardest part: long straight roads, mostly uphill, towards South Shields on the A1300.
- Mile 12 to the finishThe first sight of the sea at mile 12, a sharp drop to the coast, and the last mile along the South Shields seafront.
Where it hurts
Miles 3 to 5
A climb nobody mentions, straight after the high of the Tyne Bridge.
Miles 8 to 12
Uphill, open and long. This is where the race is won or lost.
The drop to the sea
Steep after twelve miles of running. Easy on the quads.
The seafront
The finish is in sight for what feels like far longer than a mile.
Elevation
More up and down than people expect: a climb from mile 3 to 5, downhill to mile 8, mostly uphill to mile 12, then a sharp drop to the sea for the last mile.
Your Great North Run, 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 Great North Run file.
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Good questions
How long is the Great North Run?
13.1 miles, or 21.1 km, a half marathon from Newcastle to South Shields.
Where does the Great North Run start and finish?
It starts on the central motorway in Newcastle city centre and finishes on the seafront at South Shields.
Is the Great North Run hilly?
Hillier than it looks. There's a climb from mile 3 to 5 and a long, mostly uphill stretch from mile 8 to 12, then a steep drop to the finish.
When is the next Great North Run?
Sunday 12 September 2027, according to the organiser.
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. The Great North Run field in 2011: Chris Denny, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
More half marathon route maps
- Big Half route mapNext race September 2027, date to be announced
- Manchester Half Marathon route mapNext race Sunday 3 October 2027
- Edinburgh Half Marathon route mapNext race Sunday 30 May 2027
- NYC Half route mapNext race Sunday 21 March 2027
Half marathon route maps · Marathon route maps · Running prints
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