About the Race

Starting and Finishing on Madeira Drive on Brighton seafront you cannot escape that you are by the seaside, whatever the weather!

The course route has changed slightly over the years but we promise it will remain like this for the foreseeable future!

Starting halfway along Madeira Drive the course heads in a westerly direction to the Aquarium roundabout which is level with the Brighton Pier before heading north. Here it will head on to the Old Steine where runners will pass by the front of one of Brighton most recognisable landmarks, the Royal Pavilion. The course continues in a northerly direction from here along Marlborough Place and Gloucester Place before taking a left turn at Trafalgar Street and in to the North Laine area of Brighton.

You then take another left turn into Sydney Street, complete with its bohemian shops and café’s before working down to Jubilee Street and New Road. Here is the Theatre Royal, home to many stage shows before they head to the West End will be passed before heading onto the main shopping street of North Road. All traffic will be held back on this normally busy thoroughfare as the runners leave the North Laine area.

The world famous Brighton Lanes are the next point of interest to be taken in. A left turn off North Street into Ship Street and then into Black Lion Street help takes the runners out of the town centre and back towards the seafront. Full of fantastic restaurants, bars and cafes it is an area to be enjoyed before, during and after the event.

The first two miles of the event provide several spots where spectators can see the runners pass by at least twice with very little effort.

Back on to the seafront now the runners will turn in a direction crossing the Kings Road and onto the Upper Promenade. This section will give outstanding views along the Sussex coast to Worthing as they run past the remains of the grade 2 listed West Pier for the first time.  Past the West Pier and the magnificent Hove Lawns awaits for the runners. Lined by stunning Regency Buildings on your right you will head west until you reach the Courtenay Gate building where you turn left onto the seafront and the main promenade of Hove.

A short turnaround section next to the Medina Gardens is as far west as the runners will head before turning east and starting a five mile stretch towards Rottingdean. On route they will be passing the colourful beach huts of Hove Promenade and onto the lower promenade past the newly reopened Bandstand, West Pier once again, and the popular café’s and restaurants of Brighton seafront. Onwards pass the Brighton Pier and across the aquarium roundabout again and up on to Marine Parade where there will be views of Brighton Marina and the white cliffs that lead onto Eastbourne as far as the eye can see.

After a short zig-zag down Dukes Mound onto Madeira Drive the runners will then head back onto the cliff tops behind Brighton Marina all the way to Rottingdean. Along the cliff tops runners will be passing the world famous Roedean Girls School and the St Dunstan’s Centre for blind ex service men and women, one of the partner charities for the race.

Once into Rottingdean the course heads behind the White Horse pub down the slope and onto the Undercliff Walk. A short distance continuing east on the Undercliff and around what used to be the site of an old outdoor swimming pool the runners will then turn and make their way back home to Madeira Drive and the finishing line.

Following the Undercliff footpath until they reach Brighton Marina the runners will then head into the Ovett mile, in homage to the great mile runner from Brighton, Steve Ovett. Out of the marina and it is back on to Madeira Drive for the final 500m and the finish line where runners can then say that they have completed the Sussex Beacon Half Marathon.

PLEASE NOTE The route has now changed and a new description will be added shortly. To view the new route please download the map below.

» Download a PDF of the route here.