Seven Hills of Edinburgh The Challenge

Urban navigation challenge covering at least 14.3 miles across Edinburgh's seven hills, combining road running, trails, hill running and orienteering.

Date Sunday 5th July, 2026
Distance 14.3M
LocationCalton Hill
Town/CityEdinburgh
AreaEdinburgh & The Lothians
Start postcodeEH7 5AA
Start time9:45am
OrganiserAlan Lawson
WebsiteVisit website

View all races for Jul 2026

The Seven Hills of Edinburgh: The Challenge is an inclusive navigation event for runners who want to experience one of Scotland's most distinctive endurance challenges at their own pace. Starting and finishing on Calton Hill, participants follow an unmarked route across Edinburgh's seven famous hills, combining road running, trail running, hill running and urban navigation.

The course covers at least 14.3 miles with approximately 2,200 feet of ascent, requiring competitors to visit six checkpoints in a set order before returning to the finish. With no marked route, participants choose their own lines between checkpoints, creating a unique challenge that rewards navigation, route choice and endurance as much as running ability.

The Challenge starts before the competitive race and is intended for runners who prefer to complete the course within the generous four hour time limit. Its combination of historic landmarks, varied terrain and self navigation has made the Seven Hills of Edinburgh: The Challenge one of the UK's most distinctive urban running events.

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