Thousands run 'Britain's most beautiful' marathon at Kielder Water

There are tougher marathons and there are bigger ones, but few can match the setting of the Altra Kielder Marathon. Billed as Britain's most beautiful marathon, it follows a route around Kielder Water, the biggest man-made lake in Northern Europe, set within England's largest forest, and on 3 and 4 October 2026 thousands of runners from the region and as far afield as the USA and Australia came to take it on.

Founded in 2010 by Steve Cram, the event has grown into a two-day festival of running. It is organised by Events of the North with partners including Northumbrian Water, Forestry England, Northumberland County Council and Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and official charity partner 4Louis.

The weekend began on Saturday afternoon with the Kielder 10K and a gravel duathlon of run, bike, run, with nearly 900 participants finishing under sunny skies. Eddie Knight of Heaton Harriers won the 10K in 33:13, and Jessica Fox of Sunderland Harriers won the women's race. North East Mayor Kim McGuinness was among the field.

On Sunday, more than 2,000 runners tackled the marathon, half marathon and junior Falcon and Osprey races. The full marathon is a gruelling 26-mile on and off-road route through the forest, won this year by Joseph Vis of Kent AC in 2:52:53, with Nicola Reece of Wilmslow Running Club first woman home. Heaton Harriers clubmates Jacob Garthwaite and Charlotte Redhead won the half marathon. Ten ever-present runners who have completed every edition were on the start line again.

The event gives back in thoughtful ways. This year Northumberland County Council funded junior race places for young people in care through Hexham Youth Partnership, and headline sponsor Altra provided each child with running shoes. Event director Allison Curbishley said: "It's always great to see young people making the most of the occasion and enjoying their running."

Runners also raised funds for the Northumberland and Newcastle Society, which rescued Kielder Viaduct from demolition. Built in 1862 to carry the Border Counties Railway, the viaduct is a favourite flat stretch of the course. "Our runners love crossing Kielder Viaduct," said Cram.

Looking back on the weekend, he added: "It's been a brilliant Altra Kielder Marathon weekend and from the moment the first runners arrived, the atmosphere was brilliant." Entries for the 2027 races, on 2 and 3 October, are open on the Kielder Marathon website.