The British Cycling National MTB Marathon and E-MTB Championships are scheduled to take place from August 15 to August 16, 2026, at Rock UK Whithaugh Park in Newcastleton, according to announcements from British Cycling and the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). Situated near Kielder Forest in the Scottish Borders, the venue will host elite cross-country electric mountain bike racing alongside traditional marathon endurance events.
Event Location and Venue Logistics
Rock UK Whithaugh Park in Newcastleton, Scottish Borders, will serve as the event headquarters, hosting both the start and finish lines for the weekend. According to British Cycling, the venue provides on-site facilities including self-contained family lodges, shared rooms, and designated camping spaces for tents, camper vans, and motorhomes. Organizers have also secured an expanded car parking area situated roughly 0.5 miles outside the main start and finish zone to accommodate competitor and spectator vehicles.
Racing Categories and Course Adjustments
The 2026 championships introduce several competitive updates based on rider feedback. British Cycling confirmed the addition of new under-23 (U23) male and female categories, complete with National Champion’s jerseys. Veterans aged 60 and over (V60 and V70) will tackle a three-lap format mirroring previous editions. Course designers have incorporated fresh singletrack sections to break up longer fire-road stretches across the Scottish Borders trail network, alongside an entry-on-the-day kids’ race.
Sanctioned as a CN-class National Championships event by the UCI, the schedule features elite women’s and men’s E-MTB cross-country (E-XC) races on Saturday, August 15, 2026. These events run alongside the broader marathon racing slate that continues through Sunday, August 16, drawing endurance cyclists from across the United Kingdom to compete for official national titles.
Related reading