2026 New Forest Marathon - Sep 13 Countdown

Q: What is the New Forest Marathon route like?

The New Forest Marathon starts and finishes at New Park Showground near Brockenhurst, in the heart of the New Forest National Park in southern Hampshire. It is a scenic multi-terrain route that blends compact gravel forest inclosures, a stretch of old railway line and sections of open tarmac road, with far-reaching heathland views and a good chance of spotting the famous free-roaming New Forest ponies. The organizers call it one of the most scenic marathons in the country.

Q: Is the New Forest Marathon flat? How hard is it?

It is fast and largely flat for a forest race, which makes it one of the gentler scenic marathons in the UK. The course becomes more undulating in the second half but has no single big climb - only around 150m of total ascent. With fresh legs it is a realistic PB-friendly multi-terrain marathon, just slightly slower than a pure road race. Plan your effort with our pace calculator and preview the rolling second half with our elevation profile tool.

Q: What surface is the New Forest Marathon and what shoes should I wear?

It is a multi-terrain course - roughly half compact gravel forest tracks, plus an old railway line and sections of tarmac road, rather than mud or technical trail. The organizers explicitly recommend road shoes, because the surfaces are predominantly structured gravel and forest roads. Cushioned road trainers are the popular choice; only in a very wet year would light trail shoes give meaningfully more grip. Note that dogs and child buggies are not allowed on the course.

Q: How do I enter the New Forest Marathon 2026?

Entry is open to the public online via the official site (newforestmarathon.co.uk), with no ballot. The full marathon is capped at around 750 places and tends to sell out, so book ahead. Fees are around 69 GBP for unaffiliated runners and 67 GBP for UK Athletics affiliated club runners, plus a small booking fee. The wider race weekend also includes a half marathon, 10K, 5K and junior races.

Q: What time does the New Forest Marathon start and what is the cut-off?

The full marathon starts at 10:00 on Sunday 13 September 2026 from New Park Showground. The marathon course closes 6 hours after the start (about 16:00), after which a sweep bus collects any remaining runners and returns them to the finish. That gives a comfortable limit for first-timers walking part of the route.

Q: Is the New Forest Marathon a Boston Qualifier?

No. Although the route is measured by Ordnance Survey, the New Forest Marathon is a multi-terrain course that is not UK Athletics road-certified - results do not even count toward the Power of 10 - so a finish here is not valid for Boston qualifying (BQ) or a London Good For Age (GFA) place. Come for the scenery, the ponies and a friendly atmosphere rather than an official qualifying time. If a qualifier is your goal, check the standards with our Good For Age tool and choose a certified road race.

Q: How do I get to the New Forest Marathon, and where do I stay?

The race is based at New Park Showground just outside Brockenhurst, which is well connected - Brockenhurst railway station sits on the main London Waterloo to Bournemouth line, around two hours from London, with the showground a short drive or shuttle away. Most overseas runners drive or use the train plus a local taxi. Brockenhurst, Lyndhurst and Lymington offer hotels, inns and B&Bs across the New Forest; book early, as the area is a popular weekend destination in September.

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Race Information

Race	2026 New Forest Marathon - Sep 13
City	Brockenhurst
Date	2026-09-13 at 10:00
Field Size	~750 runners
Time Limit	6 hours
Cutoff pace	8:32/km
Timezone	Europe/London
Official Site	ORA Events
Registration	Register · 69 GBP

Race Day Weather

Average Temperature	15.2°C / 59°F
Humidity	81%
Wind	22.2 km/h
Rain Chance	33%
Typical Conditions	Mild, often damp early-autumn morning in the New Forest National Park, southern Hampshire. Expect around 14-15C (58F) at the 10:00 start, climbing toward 18-19C (64F) by early afternoon, with high humidity near 80% and a moderate chance of showers rolling in off the south coast. Mornings can start misty under the trees before the sun breaks through.

What to Prepare: Dress for mid-teens Celsius and warming - a singlet or light tee is usually right, with a thin layer for the start. Showers are common, so a packable waterproof is worth carrying. The organizers advise road shoes: the course is mostly compact gravel forest tracks and tarmac rather than mud, so cushioned trainers work well. Watch your footing on loose gravel and stay alert near the ponies.

Based on historical averages for race week. Use our Weather Score Calculator and What to Wear Guide for personalized advice.

Wind Impact on Race Day

Wind at 22.2 km/h can affect your marathon pace by 5-15 seconds per kilometer. Headwinds slow you down exponentially — a 20 km/h wind costs more than twice a 10 km/h wind.

Calculate your wind-adjusted pace →

Race-Week Climate

Based on 20 years of race-week weather (2005-2024), MERRA-2 reanalysis

	Cooler	Typical	Warmer
Temperature	12.5°C	15.2°C	18.1°C
Dew point	8.2°C	11.5°C	15.2°C

Wet-day chance: 33% Runnability: 72/100

Data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis), NASA Langley Research Center

Course Profile

Course Type	Largely flat multi-terrain route from New Park Showground, Brockenhurst
Elevation Gain	150m
Terrain	Mixed
Profile	Fast and largely flat for a forest marathon, becoming more undulating in the second half. The route mixes compact gravel forest inclosures, an old railway line and sections of open tarmac road, with no single big climb - roughly 150m of gentle total ascent. With good legs it is a realistic PB-friendly multi-terrain course, slightly slower than a pure road race.

Prepare for 2026 New Forest Marathon - Sep 13

Use our free training tools to get race-ready:

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Dew Point Running Calculator — Pace Adjustment Chart

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Grade Adjusted Pace (GAP) Calculator — Hills & Strava

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Featured In

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the New Forest Marathon route like?

The New Forest Marathon starts and finishes at New Park Showground near Brockenhurst, in the heart of the New Forest National Park in southern Hampshire. It is a scenic multi-terrain route that blends compact gravel forest inclosures, a stretch of old railway line and sections of open tarmac road, with far-reaching heathland views and a good chance of spotting the famous free-roaming New Forest ponies. The organizers call it one of the most scenic marathons in the country.

Is the New Forest Marathon flat? How hard is it?

It is fast and largely flat for a forest race, which makes it one of the gentler scenic marathons in the UK. The course becomes more undulating in the second half but has no single big climb - only around 150m of total ascent. With fresh legs it is a realistic PB-friendly multi-terrain marathon, just slightly slower than a pure road race. Plan your effort with our pace calculator and preview the rolling second half with our elevation profile tool.

What surface is the New Forest Marathon and what shoes should I wear?

It is a multi-terrain course - roughly half compact gravel forest tracks, plus an old railway line and sections of tarmac road, rather than mud or technical trail. The organizers explicitly recommend road shoes, because the surfaces are predominantly structured gravel and forest roads. Cushioned road trainers are the popular choice; only in a very wet year would light trail shoes give meaningfully more grip. Note that dogs and child buggies are not allowed on the course.

How do I enter the New Forest Marathon 2026?

Entry is open to the public online via the official site (newforestmarathon.co.uk), with no ballot. The full marathon is capped at around 750 places and tends to sell out, so book ahead. Fees are around 69 GBP for unaffiliated runners and 67 GBP for UK Athletics affiliated club runners, plus a small booking fee. The wider race weekend also includes a half marathon, 10K, 5K and junior races.

What time does the New Forest Marathon start and what is the cut-off?

The full marathon starts at 10:00 on Sunday 13 September 2026 from New Park Showground. The marathon course closes 6 hours after the start (about 16:00), after which a sweep bus collects any remaining runners and returns them to the finish. That gives a comfortable limit for first-timers walking part of the route.

Is the New Forest Marathon a Boston Qualifier?

No. Although the route is measured by Ordnance Survey, the New Forest Marathon is a multi-terrain course that is not UK Athletics road-certified - results do not even count toward the Power of 10 - so a finish here is not valid for Boston qualifying (BQ) or a London Good For Age (GFA) place. Come for the scenery, the ponies and a friendly atmosphere rather than an official qualifying time. If a qualifier is your goal, check the standards with our Good For Age tool and choose a certified road race.

How do I get to the New Forest Marathon, and where do I stay?

The race is based at New Park Showground just outside Brockenhurst, which is well connected - Brockenhurst railway station sits on the main London Waterloo to Bournemouth line, around two hours from London, with the showground a short drive or shuttle away. Most overseas runners drive or use the train plus a local taxi. Brockenhurst, Lyndhurst and Lymington offer hotels, inns and B&Bs across the New Forest; book early, as the area is a popular weekend destination in September.