Feature

2024 Manchester Marathon guide – start times, route, road closures and everything else you need to know

All of the important info ahead of the big day.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 10th April 2024

The adidas Manchester Marathon is back for 2024 and the region is already getting set for thousands of Mancs to take on the annual challenge.

Not only the second-largest race of its kind in the UK but the fourth most popular in all of Europe, the Manchester Marathon welcomes more than 30,000 runners every year and even more spectators from all over the continent. We’re talking around 125,000 people lining the 26.2-mile route. Yowza.

With an unprecedented demand for places at this year’s event, which has been running rather unbelievably since 1908 (no pun intended), this year’s Manchester Marathon on Sunday, 14 April 2024 is genuinely set to be the biggest yet.

So if you’re taking part or just cheering the competitors on from the sidelines, here’s everything you need to know about the 2024 adidas Manchester Marathon.

Manchester Marathon Route, waves and timings

manchester marathon route 2024
The 2024 Manchester Marathon map.
manchester marathon start line 2024
The start line.
Along the way, runners can expect to take in some of Manc’s most iconic landmarks, from
Bridgewater Hall and the Beetham Tower to the Theatre of Dreams itself and many more

As with previous years, the route will start and end over in Trafford. Participants will set off underneath Trafford Arch at White City Circle, making their way past Old Trafford before
heading back towards the city centre via Chorlton and Hulme.

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After reaching the city centre, runners will then head towards Stretford, passing through Sale
before turning off as they approach Timperley and eventually reach Altrincham around the 16-mile mark.

The final leg of the route will take runners through Chorlton-Cum-Hardy, with Talbot Road leading you back to the finish line. For those feeling any nerves (like the runner currently writing this), you’ll be glad to know the Manchester Marathon is one of the flattest in the country.

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You can see the full breakdown of timings and coloured waves down below. You can also watch the full virtual run-through of the running route HERE.

manchester marathon start times 2024
You can view the full participant guide HERE.

Event Village – entry points, bag drop, toilets and more

Event Village will once again be based around the Emirates Old Trafford, home of Lancashire County Cricket Club, where participants will also be able to find entry points to the start line.

Info points, bag drops and toilet facilities will also be available around the pre and post-race complex, along with first aid tents and dedicated access routes from nearby parking spots and local transport.

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Event Village will be strictly open to runners between 7:30–10:30am, operating on a one-way system, before being opened up to the thousands of supporters expected to line the streets.

You can see a full map of the area down below, including where to drop your bags and nip to the loo before you set off on your race – and don’t worry, there will be places to stop for the toilet along the route if nature is annoying enough to calls.

where is event village manchester marathon?
To help you familiarise yourself with your surroundings.

Road closures for the Manchester Marathon

The road closures for this year’s marathon include the A56 (Northbound and Southbound), with the officials set to start closing roads at 3am and begin re-opening roads from 2pm onwards after the course begins to clear.

The last closed road is expected to re-open around 8pm through Chorlton and Old Trafford towards the end of the course.

You can find further details on road closure and what other parts of Greater Manchester are set to be impacted HERE.

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Travel advice

As mentioned, road closure will obviously impact people coming in and out of the city as well as to various spots along the marathon route, so whether you’re a local or travelling in from elsewhere, it’s worth knowing where to be and where’s best to avoid too.

Travel warnings and advice have now been issued by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), which you can see in full here.

In a nutshell, it’s expected that public transport will be very busy before, during and after the race, but the Metrolink trams still remain the best way to get around. Bus routes will be being diverted.

People have been asked to leave their cars at home or use park and rides where possible due to all the road closures, displaced traffic and expected congestion.

It goes without saying that there will also be a significant number of road closures throughout Sunday as well. However, once again, the wonderful organisers have you covered; you can see the full list of closures HERE and they have even put together an interactive map for you to check what’s shut when:

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Public transport

People are also being advised to leave their cars at home where possible to avoid the busy roads, or to at least use the free park-and-ride services on the way into Manchester and travel to their destinations via our city’s wonderful tram network.

Metrolink will be operating a six-minute frequency on the Altrincham line with more double trams and increased capacity along various other lines too. That being said, services are expected to be extremely busy throughout the day, so if you can travel flexibly, the predicted quietest time to travel is around 4pm.

Once you’ve tapped on and tapped off, most fan corners, cheer zones and regular spots for supporters to gather together should only be a short walk away from your chosen tram stop.

New mascots, event shirts and the 2024 finisher’s medals picked by the public

This year, the adidas Manchester Marathon also welcomes on board a brand new mascot, Chester the Bee, who will join the event’s much-loved existing mascot, Manny the Bee to help bring extra cheer to the festivities on the day.

As we all know and love, Manchester has a vibrant LGBTQIA+ community and, as the organisers said in a press release, “introducing mascots that celebrate this diversity allows the marathon to reflect these identities within Greater Manchester. It’s a way to honour the unique contributions and experiences of LGBTQIA+ individuals and showcase their pride within the larger community.”

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Better still, the organisers donate £1 for every participant taking on the marathon straight to the Trafford Active Fund, which offers local groups the chance to receive a special allocation of funding to build a long-lasting sport and physical activity legacy in Greater Manchester. Money from the marathon also goes towards planting trees across the region through the Green Runner scheme.

You can also see what this year’s general public selected as the design for this year’s Manchester Marathon finisher’s medal design down below. It’s a pretty one.

Read more:

With a record 32,000+ runners set to hit the streets of 0161 this year, we cannot wait for people all over the ten boroughs to get soaked up in the spirit of the day.

It’s genuinely one of the most wholesome dates on the calendar and we’re just praying for a sunny day to make it perfect.

It’s also estimated that the event will raise around £3.5 million for hundreds of charities,
with nearly 2,000 places allocated to representatives from Alzheimer’s Society, Cancer
Research UK, British Heart Foundation and The Christie. You absolutely love to see it.

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Good luck to everyone taking part on the day — you’re all going to absolutely smash it.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — adidas Manchester Marathon

Feature

First look at Albert Square as Manchester Christmas Markets return to their spiritual home

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Manchester Christmas Markets are back and all our Christmas wishes have come true, as its spiritual home Albert Square joins in on the festivities for the first time in six years.

Grab a mulled wine, toast yourself a marshmallow and take a seat, because we’re going to take you on a quick tour of this brand-new offering.

Manchester Christmas Markets are back and they’ve returned to their spiritual home right here on Albert Square.

You’ll be able to tick off your Christmas Markets wish list in one place, as Manchester has got all your usual favourites and so much more taking place right here outside of its iconic Town Hall.

As soon as you walk in you’re greeted by a huge sign spelling out the city’s iconic abbreviation ‘MCR’, just in case you forgot where you were, that also doubles as a nice photo opportunity.

Albert Square in Manchester city centre is getting into the Christmas spirit for the first time in six years / Credit: The Manc Group
Albert Square in Manchester city centre is getting into the Christmas spirit for the first time in six years / Credit: The Manc Group
Albert Square in Manchester city centre is getting into the Christmas spirit for the first time in six years / Credit: The Manc Group

As you walk into Albert Square there’s a mix of nostalgic wooden huts and brightly coloured modern street food vendor stations waiting to tempt you with all their tasty treats.

There’s no messing around at this Christmas hotspot because not even 10 feet after you enter, you can warm up with a glühwein and bratwurst, yes please.

Think you’re done sampling some festive feasts? Think again as there’s a marshmallow toasting station, a roasted chestnut cart and lots of huts are offering their own hot chocolate creations.

Local street food vendor Rita’s Reign has made her mark in Albert Square too, serving up her foodie feasts with a seasonal spin such as the ‘Festive Feast’ and ‘Christmas Crunch’ combo boxes.

Rita's Reign is just one of many food vendors at Manchester Christmas Markets / Credit: The Manc Group
Rita's Reign is just one of many food vendors at Manchester Christmas Markets / Credit: The Manc Group
Rita’s Reign is just one of many food vendors at Manchester Christmas Markets / Credit: The Manc Group

As you keep making your way round there’s some lovely gifts and trinkets to browse including tree decorations, ornaments and some vibrant pieces of art.

There’s plenty of ways to keep the kids (and big kids) entertained with some carnival-themed games and stalls as well as a vintage carousel, if that doesn’t get you in the Christmas spirit what else will?

Of course, there’s even more food to mention like mini dutch pancakes, toasted sandwiches, French toast, the list is endless (Much like many of our Christmas lists).

And we couldn’t finish our visit without acknowledging the elephant in the room, also known as The Manchester Big Wheel, which is the perfect people-watching spot, but maybe hop on this ride before you try all the tasty treats mentioned above.

Read more:

Featured Images – The Manc Group

Feature

The tiny Lake District village that’s home to FOUR Michelin Stars – one of which is surprisingly affordable

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Rogan & Co in Cartmel

Cartmel has long made a place for itself on the map with its food scene, which spans everything from its world-famous Sticky Toffee Pudding shop, all the way up to its three-Michelin star restaurant L’Enclume, widely considered to be the best restaurant in the UK.

For such a tiny dot on the map, just on the edges of the Lake District, they cram in an awful lot of gastronomy, and boast four Michelin Stars on a single street.

This is the home of some of the best produce – whether that’s a mallard or a marrow – on the planet, and a lot of that reputation is thanks to chef Simon Rogan’s enterprise.

The Cartmel Valley is the home of Our Farm, where produce for his group of restaurants is carefully grown and harvested before being prepared and served to diners. The level of care that is taken at every single step of the process is outstanding.

And while L’Enclume is many people’s first thought when they hear ‘Michelin’, especially here up north, there’s a more modest and accessible little sister restaurant just next door, which acts as an incubator for all those shiny accolades.

Rogan & Co has a Michelin star of its own making, and chefs who have passed through its doors include Tom Barnes, who is now chef patron of Skof, his very own Michelin star restaurant in Manchester city centre.

The village of Cartmel
The village of Cartmel
The village of Cartmel
The village of Cartmel. Credit: The Manc Group

One of the best things about Rogan & Co is that it acts as a gateway introduction for the magic of L’Enclume (which is a big treat for most people at £265 per person for the tasting menu).

You’re still eating the same great produce, and experiencing the same level of service, just in a more laid-back, neighbourhood restaurant setting.

And you don’t have to go the whole hog – there’s a set lunch menu where you can get three courses for just £49.

The restaurants that fall within Simon Rogan’s group are always proudly local, and never shy of shouting out their suppliers.

But this hits its stride in a really special way twice a year, when Rogan & Co celebrates Local Heroes week and crafts special menus to show off local artisans, craftspeople, growers and suppliers.

Inside Rogan & Co
Inside Rogan & Co
The Local Heroes menu at Rogan & Co
The Local Heroes menu
The cheddar scone snacks
The cheddar scone snacks
Credit: The Manc Group

Dining here during Local Heroes Week means that your menu will highlight where everything is sourced, and I don’t just mean the veggies on your plate. I also mean the plate.

Each menu lists the people who have been integral in its creation – Northern Wine filling your glass, Lake District Farmers supplying the beef, Winter Tarn on the butter.

Rogan & Co also shouts out its chefs and floor staff, even crediting Beth and Kayleigh for ‘the tunes’ (and the music is local – they were playing a playlist inspired by Kendal Calling headliners through the years).

So onto that menu – it begins with a dinky cheddar scone made with cheese from Torpenhow Cheese Company just down the road, sliced in half then sandwiched back together with a pickled allium cream.

It’s like no scone I’ve ever tasted before, and yet the ritual of eating it (pulling apart the two halves, spreading the cream evenly, admiring the little shower of crumbs that falls down) feels so familiar and comforting.

Then comes a tangle of brassicas offset by some tangy preserves made by ‘The Pickle Prince’ (that’s Liam, the head chef at Our Farm).

Brassicas
The main dish at Rogan & Co Local Heroes week
Cartmel Valley Game mallard
Rogan & Co parkerhouse rolls
Parkerhouse rolls

I always find bread to be one of the highlights of any tasting menu – will it be a tiny sourdough loaf, or a fluffy brioche roll?

Here, it’s a neat row of glossy buns inspired by a Parkerhouse roll, made fresh in the village bakery and glazed in Our Farm honey. They’re springy and sticky to the touch and are quickly demolished via a few pats of butter.

I expected a reduced set lunch menu to be on the simpler side, but the main course still consists of an impressive number of elements.

Rogan & Co Romney's mint cake
Romney’s mint cake
Local Heroes dessert at Rogan & Co
Damsons and caramelised rice pudding

There’s the leg of a Cartmel Valley Game mallard, its skin audibly crispy, a tiny copper saucepan of shepherd’s pie on the side, along with a snarl of leeks and a wedge of soft celeriac. I’m absolutely delighted with all of it.

And for pudding, damsons sourced from nearby Witherslack are cooked all the way down to a tangy jam, layered into a caramelised rice pudding and then topped with ice cream and homemade toffee popcorn.

To cap things off, there’s a Romney’s mint cake – imagine if an After Eight and a fudge took a tumble in the sheets and produced a top-class after-dinner treat. That.

Pound for pound, Rogan & Co has to be one of the best-value Michelin experiences in the country. So get in the car immediately and head up to Cartmel.

This year’s Local Heroes Week is taking place between 4 and 8 November, but it’ll be back again twice next year.

Read more

Featured image: The Manc Group

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