The 40th Anniversary Isle of Skye Half Marathon and 10K 2024

SATURDAY, 8 JUNE 2024, 10:30

Experience the peace and tranquillity of the beautiful, remote Isle of Skye, the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides, and home to some of Scotland’s most iconic landscapes. We're renowned for our strong community, friendly welcome, and a race run on closed roads. Skye, from the Norse meaning Misty Isle, will enchant you with its dramatic mountain ranges dominated by the rocky slopes of the Cuilin, miles of spectacular coastline from the Atlantic to the West and North Sea to the East, and its complex and captivating history featuring the Clans of MacDonald and MacLeod, its castles, churches and Brochs. Join us on Saturday 8th June 2024 for a race to remember.

The Skye Half Marathon is a chip timed loop with a course that climbs gradually away from Portree to Drumuie and then a fast downhill 2 miles to the Kensaleyre turn. The route then follows a single-track road through spectacular countryside at times beside Skye’s longest River, the River Snizort, famed for its salmon and sea trout and fished by fishermen from across the globe.

Your entry fee includes a unique commemorative 40th anniversary Skye Half Marathon Medal - the choice of a commemorative 40th anniversary technical t-shirt or special anniversary gift, an etched Glencairn Whisky Glass, event give-aways, electronic timing, free downloadable photography [individual images not guaranteed] & water stations along the course.  

We are LGBT friendly. We are non-binary friendly. You can enter our race as female, male or non-binary. All event portaloos and some shower facilities where available are gender neutral.  If you are competing as non-binary,  only male and female categories will be captured in results for ranking purposes.  However, prizes will be awarded in all categories

Isle of Skye 10k

For the second year, Skye Events are staging a 10k run under a Scottish Athletics Permit.  As with the Skye Half Marathon, this will be a chip timed run starting from the 11k Half Marathon marker and following a single-track closed road through brooding, dramatic but spectacular countryside. Runners will be bussed to the start-line and the run will commence, on a gun start, to coincide with the start of the Half Marathon.  There will be prize winners across categories. 

Your Isle of Skye 10K entry fee includes a unique commemorative Skye 10K Medal - event give-aways, electronic timing & water stations along the course.  The run is open to all abilities, and runners must be 16 years or over to take part. We extend the warmest of Highland welcomes and hope you’ll join us on what is sure to be an excellent day.

Isle of Skye Fun Run

Join our day of running, and help celebrate our 40th anniversary of the Half Marathon by entering our Fun Run.  Do it just because you can, bring along family and friends, dress up if you want to, raise money for your own charity.  Our chip timed 1.6 mile Fun Run is for aged 5 years and upwards [under 8s must be accompanied by an entered adult].  All participants will finish through the Half Marathon arch-way, receive a finishers medal and goodies. There will be age group category prizes as well as spot prizes.  This race is literally for everyone. 

For the little runners on the day [under 5s], we'll also host a Toddler Dash which is always a real hoot and gets those tiddlers very excited and in the running groove.  They can be accompanied by whoever they want to run with them. Donations on the day.

Isle of Skye Half Marathon Virtual Run

This year once again we’re offering a Skye Half Marathon Virtual Run. We’d love runners from across the globe to run at 10.30am on Saturday 8th June, Monday 10th June or Noon on Saturday 15th June 2024. All joiners will receive a medal in the post, a virtual certificate, and results will be published by 12 noon on 17th June. Race time results must be submitted by midnight on Monday 11th June. We’d love to know where you’re from and be delighted for you to send us a selfie as you finish the 13.1miles for us to share with our running community.

The Isle of Skye Half Marathon is the premier race in the Scottish Hebrides and gives runners an opportunity to be part of the Heb 3/5 series. Skye is easy to get to via a toll free bridge, so no worries about missing ferries or bad weather!

Sustainable Skye Half Marathon

The 2024 Skye Half Marathon continues to champion the environment and to reduce the damaging impact a 1000 ticket race can have on our native landscape. We hope you’ll support and embrace our initiatives and encourage participants to take steps to help with this including Lift Sharing and Buying a Tree to offset your carbon footprint. Find out more about our Sustainability Initiatives.

Finally, Skye Events is a charity with the single aim of bringing people together by delivering sustainable events to promote physical activity and benefit the community.  By signing up to run the Skye Half Marathon, you will be given the option to donate to our charitable partners including:-

Skye and Lochalsh Mental Health Association is an independent local charity helping those suffering with mental ill health. Poor mental health is debilitating, devastating and often lonely. It’s even harder in a remote, rural area like Skye where the closest NHS Psychiatric Hospital is 120 miles away. Their amazing staff literally provide life-line support and a safe place to feel included and accepted. You can find out more about them here: https://www.slmha.co.uk/aboutus.html. Skye and Lochalsh Mental Health Association is a registered Scottish Charity: SC021154.

Skye & Lochalsh Young Carers aim to make a positive difference to the lives and futures of young carers.  They provide a safe place where young people can feel at home with others in the same situation, a place they can be themselves without question, where they can get much needed respite, where they can feel less alone, and have one to one help as well as bereavement support when needed.  You can find out more about them here: https://slyc.org.uk/

Skye & Lochalsh Young Carers is registered under Scottish Charity Number: SCO27909

Charitable grants and donations support the vital work of both these organisations and if you’d like to help them please think about donating today. 

Recipients from 2023 included Skye & Lochalsh Cancer Care, Skye & Lochalsh Citizens Advice Bureau, Skye & Lochalsh Mental Health Association, Portree Youth Club, Skye Dance, Skye Sailing Club, NW Skye FC, Skye Pipe Band, Skye Radio, Dunvegan Hall, Portree & Braes Community Trust, Helping Hands, Ionaid Throndais, Broadford & Strath Community Trust, with particular thanks to The Brownies and The Guides. 

By joining us, you will not only have an amazing day, you will also be making a difference to our island community. 

Photo credit for banner image: Alligin Photography.