Altra Kielder Marathon Weekend 2026

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From Events of the North

  • Date Sat 3rd October 2026 - Sun 4th October 2026
  • Location Hexham, Northumberland
  • Price £8.00 - £70.00
  • Races 7 races
  • Distances 10km, Half Marathon, Marathon, Super Sprint, Sprint

Event summary

Get ready for an unforgettable weekend at the Altra Kielder Marathon Weekend 2026! Organized by Events of the North, this exciting event takes place from Saturday, October 3rd to Sunday, October 4th, 2026, in the picturesque setting of Hexham, Northumberland. Celebrating its 16th edition, the highlight of the weekend is the Altra Kielder Marathon, renowned as Britain’s Most Beautiful Marathon, which features a stunning off-road route around Kielder Water, northern Europe’s largest man-made lake.

The marathon weekend is packed with action, starting with the exhilarating Altra Kielder 10k and Gravel Duathlon, followed by the Altra Kielder Half Marathon and engaging Junior races. With such a variety of events, there's something for everyone, making it the perfect opportunity to create lasting memories with friends and family. Don’t miss out on this vibrant celebration of running amid the breathtaking Northumberland countryside, and consider extending your stay to explore the beauty of the Kielder Water area!

Altra Kielder Marathon Weekend 2026

Sat 3rd October 2026 - Sun 4th October 2026

Two women in athletic gear hold hands and raise them victoriously as they cross a race finish line. Both are smiling and appear happy. They are wearing white shirts with bib numbers 3501 and 3502. Spectators and colorful flags are visible in the background. A large group of runners gathers at a starting line for a race, beneath a banner reading "START." Spectators cheer from the sides, and officials in colorful jackets prepare to begin the event. The background features open countryside and parked cars. A group of young runners dressed in colorful athletic wear are starting a race on a road marked with the word "SLOW." Spectators and participants in yellow shirts stand in the background, and trees line the course on a clear day. Two cyclists ride along a forest trail with greenery and trees surrounding them. One cyclist leads in the foreground wearing a helmet and sunglasses, while the other follows in the distance. The path is dirt, and signs can be seen along the sides of the trail. Three men celebrate at a race finish line. The man in the center triumphantly holds a bicycle over his head while wearing cycling gear. The other two men stand on either side, smiling and wearing athletic apparel. A "FINISH" sign is visible in the background. A large group of runners on a paved path participating in a marathon near a scenic lake surrounded by greenery and rolling hills under a cloudy sky. The runners are dressed in colorful athletic gear. A group of runners are participating in a race on a paved road through a forested area. The runners are wearing different athletic outfits and bib numbers. A banner reading "Northumbrian Water living water" is displayed on the left. A "Start" banner is visible in the background. A woman is running outdoors wearing a bright pink tank top and a race bib number 3606. She is smiling and appears to be in mid-stride. Behind her is a grassy area, a low stone wall, and distant hills under a cloudy sky.

Organiser's Description

The 16th edition of the Altra Kielder Marathon route follows an almost entirely off-road course around northern Europe’s largest man-made lake, Kielder Water, in Northumberland.

Britain’s Most Beautiful Marathon is the finale to a weekend of events, starting with the Altra Kielder 10k & Gravel Duathlon followed by the Altra Kielder Half Marathon and Junior races. It all adds up to an electric atmosphere and a fabulous weekend in this beautiful part of the country.

Why not make a short break of it and bring your friends and family along? There is plenty to do in and around Kielder Water and the wider Northumberland countryside!

Races

  • Kielder 10K

    Saturday 3rd October

    £24.00

    Athletics Northern Ireland save £2.00

    England Athletics save £2.00

    Welsh Athletics save £2.00

    Scottish Athletics (SA) save £2.00

    Booking for more than 1?
  • Kielder Half Marathon

    Sunday 4th October

    £34.00

    Athletics Northern Ireland save £2.00

    England Athletics save £2.00

    Welsh Athletics save £2.00

    Scottish Athletics (SA) save £2.00

    Booking for more than 1?
  • Kielder Marathon

    Sunday 4th October

    £40.00

    Athletics Northern Ireland save £2.00

    England Athletics save £2.00

    Welsh Athletics save £2.00

    Scottish Athletics (SA) save £2.00

    Booking for more than 1?
  • Kielder Junior Run - Osprey U11 (1.5k)

    Sunday 4th October

    £8.00

    CLOSED
  • Kielder Junior Run - Falcon U15 (2.5k)

    Sunday 4th October

    £8.00

    CLOSED
  • Kielder Gravel Duathlon - Individual

    Saturday 3rd October

    £53.00

    Booking for more than 1?
  • Kielder Gravel Duathlon - Team

    Saturday 3rd October

    £70.00 per team

    Team 2-3

Event Video

Reviews

  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1

3.7

3 reviews

CI
Carol

·a year ago

I did the 10k race and found it well organised so everything went smoothly from the parking to the run, getting a medal and goodie bag at the end and everything in between. Beautiful setting and a great route. There’s a big hill at the start and the rest is undulating. We had perfect running conditions for it which helped.
Sue avatar
Sue

·2 years ago

Fantastic event, beautiful route, well organised, brilliant marshalls, fab goody bag and medal. Will be back again next year. Thankyou :)
KG
Kieran

·3 years ago

The route was good and despite the rain I enjoyed the run. At the start we were circled too early into the pens (30mins before is too much). Worse though there were a number of very annoying problems and poor organization at the finish. 1. It was cold at the start line so I kept a fleece on until starting and left it at the start line intending to pick it up at the end. When I finished I found it had “been cleared”. Others had done the same and everything was gone. No one could tell me where to or how I could get it back. I ended up wandering around for 20 minutes, soaked through and freezing cold, looking for lost property which none of the staff or volunteers could direct me to (“white tents” but which white tents?) I lost my fleece which was super annoying! 2. At the end the last 200m was barriered and a nightmare to cross. Security Staff blocking the crossing points were people lacking any common sense. They were told a certain gap was required to let runners cross but that meant I waited (twice) for at least 5 minutes. I and many other runners were left cold and shivering in the rain (staff had warm coats on). When asking politely to cross with reasonable gaps we got patronizing, unhelpful and dismissive responses. Doubly annoying is that the route did not need to cross itself - there was space “above” the route for the big tents etc. at the end making this a problem which didn’t need to happen. Volunteers were kind but overall my interaction with paid staff was not good and ruined the day for me. Good I’m irritated just writing this out!

Location

Kielder, Hexham NE48 1ER, UK

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