east cornwall harriers
Cornish Marathon
- 1st November, 2026
The Cornish Marathon is Cornwall’s only all-road marathon.
Our next Cornish Marathon will be on the 1st of November 2026.
The race is now sold out.
history
It began in 1984 and originally started out from Saltash following the A38 and A390 to Lostwithiel. It started out as a wager between two organisers John Foster and Stephen Henderson that one could run faster than the other. Despite being run for charity, only 27 runners took the plunge, the winner managing 2.29 minutes and 15 secs, something to make all race winners this millenium envious. 78 runners turned out the next year and in 1987 it was handed over to East Cornwall Harriers.
Relocating to Rilla Mill in 1994, taking in much of the present route, it presented competitors with 3 miles of steady climbing from the gun. Finally changing to Pensilva, it starts from Millenium
House, a much gentler introduction to the scenic circular out and back route which takes runners along the Draynes Valley, through the ‘Poldark’ country of Bodmin Moor, past King Arthur’s legendary Dozmary Pool, Du Maurier’s Jamaica Inn at Bolventor and back along the Fowey Valley, taking in a climb to Foredown between miles 24 and 25, which most runners will remember for a long time, and not just for the fabulous views !
Event Info
The date of the next Cornish Marathon is November 1st 2026.
Results for the 2025 event can be found here.
Here is the general info about our event.
- Registration opens on the day at 7:00am.
- The race starts at 9:00am with the race briefing at 8:50am.
- In 2026 we will again be implementing a cut-off for the race. The cut-off will be 6.5 hours and we will be setting cut-off points around the course with required times to be met.
- See below for the route and course elevation.
If you have a question relating to the Cornish Marathon you can contact the race director via email here
Cornish marathon sponsorship
As the Cornish Marathon has grown in popularity, we are now giving businesses the chance to sponsor this iconic Cornish race, which also supports local charities and community groups.
If you’re interested in becoming a sponsor, or for more information, please email us here.
Thank you to our 2026 Sponsors
Parkes and Pearn provide an unparalleled customer service whilst understanding that every home and clients’ circumstances are individual. Their team provide a custom marketing package for your home whilst taking a long-term view, earning respect within the local communities. Visit their website
Lang Llewellyn & Co are proud to support The Cornish Marathon, one of Cornwall’s most iconic sporting events. They are a locally based estate and letting agency, passionate about supporting the communities they serve and helping local events continue to thrive. Their experienced team provides trusted advice across sales, lettings and property management, combining professional expertise with a personal approach and a commitment to outstanding customer service. Visit their website
Structural Engineering and Surveying Consultancy based in Cornwall, with many years of experience in all aspects of construction and ability to offer a multitude of services, from Structural Design to Party Wall Surveying and Contract Administration. Visit their website
Established in 2012, Blee’s Garage have been repairing vehicles in Liskeard and the surrounding area for 14 years and have 5* reviews. Visit their website
Firebrand Brewing Co are an independent Cornish brewery crafting high-quality, gluten-free beers since 2012. Now based in their purpose-built brewery in Launceston, they create beers to suit every taste – from crisp, sessionable lager and fruity, hoppy pale ales to award-winning alcohol-free options. Using the finest ingredients and a dedication to quality, they brew flavour-packed, approachable beers. “Go Beyond The Usual” is at the heart of what they do, encouraging people to explore new flavours and discover something different with every sip. Visit their website
KV Accounting Solutions Ltd are a family firm based in Pensilva, priding themselves on full dedication to their clients and fixed-fee accountancy. With a like-minded support team, KV Accounting Solutions ensures that clients receive a professional service with attention to detail at all times. Visit their website
Westcountry Bakery are traditional bakers of quality baked goods made from local ingredients. As well as offering delicious Cornish pasties, which are being supplied for the Cornish Marathon this year, they also produce a range of fresh breads made using leavens and sourdoughs. Visit their website
Over 36 years ago, Proper Cornish started hand-crafting exceptional authentic Cornish pasties using quality local ingredients. Today, still based in Bodmin, Cornwall, they hand-crimp as many as 76,000 pasties a day. Over the years, they’ve extended their range of delicious pasties to include new and exciting flavours, as well as a range of sausage rolls, slices and turnovers to delight the tastebuds of meat lovers, vegetarians and vegans alike. Visit their website
A muscle and joint healthcare clinic providing osteopathy, gait analysis, and customized orthotics. We help people with pain, aches and muscle tension. We assess, diagnose, treat, and prescribe rehabilitation for: back/joint pain, sciatica, arthritis, sports injuries, chronic pain, headaches and migraine prevention. Visit their website
Purely Cornish are the local hamper people based in Looe since 2006. They stock local produce, supporting Cornish businesses and the Cornish community. They also supply some of our Cornish Marathon category prizes! Visit their website
Front line agencies refer people in crisis to the foodbank, which supports them by supplying a minimum of three days of food. It also helps with toiletries and pet food when possible and tries to signpost people to other agencies for help with their crisis. Visit their website
Route MAP
ROUTE DETAILS
Here are a few route details.
- Cornish marathon begins at Millenium House, Pensilva. After two circuits round Pensilva, the route takes a small climb up to Foredown, crossing the B3254 at Foredown, before plummetting down into Crows Nest. A short drag up to Darite is followed by a reasonably flat section which turns from Darite past the St Cleer junction, past Donierts Stone – a 9th-century ‘Celtic’ cross, commemorating Dumgarth, British King of Dumnonia, who drowned in c. AD 875. The route descends through Redgate before turning right up to Golitha, past the carpark for the rapids. The route takes a decidely more arduous turn, with a couple of steep hills through the hamlet of Draynes and Trenant. From the old chapel at the base of Trenant there starts an almost continuous climb of two miles up past Wenmouth Cross. The climb only really flattens out at Berry Down, after you’ve gained nearly 100m in altitude from Trenant. From then on its undulations all the way past Colliford Lake and Dozmary (scarcely visible from the road), taking in spectacular views of the moors up until Bolventor. Turning right at Jamaica Inn, there is a half a mile drop into the flattest section of the course in Draynes Valley. Many a runner has been lulled into a false sense of security, by the 5 level miles, and powered towards the 20 mile marker, when really, this section is about conserving energy for the final tribulations. Over a small hump back to Golitha at 21 miles, you rejoin the route you went out on, the Redgate hill being extremely testing. The route climbs up until the 23 mile marker on the edge of Upper Tremarcombe, before diving down into Crows Nest. The hill between 24 miles from Crows Nest up to Foredown is what most people remember, and not the slight downhill gradient all the way to the finish.
- The Plot a Route website has a good profile and stats on the route. This was mapped by a runner in 2019 so is not an official mapping.
- Plot a Route also has file formats you can download including a GPX file.
- The elevation is approx 2200ft.
- Water stations are at 3, 6, 9, 14 (new location for 2025), 17, 21 and 24 miles. Special drinks are available at mile 14 and 21.
- The course measurement was renewed in 2023 and details can be found here – Course Measurement 23/349