Round the world cycle champion Mark Beaumont takes running tour of Edinburgh

Mark Beaumont may be the round-the-world cycling record holder but he has taken to his legs instead in a running tour of his home city of Edinburgh for a new YouTube travel series.

The short film which is expected to be released in January will come as the latest edition of Scotland Distilled, in which he plans to cover some of country’s outdoors, culture, and food and drink.

Beaumont was joined by former school friend Jayne Lawson, founder of Stride Out Running Tours, for a 16-mile jog encompassing Arthur’s Seat, Blackford Hill and Leith.

Mark Beaumont and Jayne Lawson running near Arthur's Seat | Markus Stitz

They took in the Old Town, Murrayfield Stadium and Dean Village en route, meeting folk such as Scotland rugby player Pierre Schoeman and chef Tom Kitchin, who ran a short distance with them.

Beaumont said: “Going on a run tour may be a bit extreme for some people, but how better to get out, put your trainers on and get to the high point.”

He chose 251m high Arthur’s Seat - the city’s tallest point - as the first stop because “one of the first things I do whenever I travel is try to get to the high point in a new city, whether it's a high building or a hill, if there is one, to get my bearings."

Jayne Lawson and Mark Beaumont at the summit of Arthur's Seat | Markus Stitz

Beaumont said as he started the tour: “I'm quite excited to see what parts of the familiar are unfamiliar to me.

"Even as a local, the stuff you walk past every day, you maybe don't know the story that sits behind it.”

These included the brass markers laid into streets in the Old Town which show where the city walls stood, and the shape of the gallows marked out in the Grassmarket, which was an execution site until 1784.

Mark Beaumont with chef Tom Kitchin and Jayne Lawson | Markus Stitz

Lawson also showed him the golden chain round the neck of the unicorn on top of the Mercat Cross in the Royal Mile, signifying Scottish kings’ control over the wild, albeit also mythical creature which is the nation’s animal symbol.

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At Greyfriars Bobby, which she described as the “epitome of a man's best friend”, she warned visitors not to touch the statue’s nose to prevent further erosion.

Lawson said: "That good luck tradition is nothing more than a modern day myth".

She added: "The beauty of a running tour is the knowledge you gain about your city. I think it's such a great combination.

Mark Beaumont and Jayne Lawson running along Lovers Loan in The Grange area towards Blackford Hill | Markus Stitz

"It gives you such a fresh perspective and a different connection with the city as you run by. That runner's high gives you an additional boost."

READ MORE: I joined Edinburgh's Dawn Patrol with a world champion for a stunning 19-mile cycle ride at 5.40am

Markus Stitz, who filmed, directed and edited Scotland Distilled, said it came as the latest product of his long-standing working partnership with Beaumont, who co-produced the series.

Jayne Lawson and Mark Beaumont on Blackford Hill looking towards Arthur's Seat | Markus Stitz

He told The Scotsman: “We have both worked on many cycling-related short films for YouTube.

“This series is about the places in Scotland we both enjoy, to bring them closer to visitors and locals alike. But it’s not a radical departure from the previous cycling content.”

The episode on Edinburgh will follow the first, in which Beaumont explored the Braemar Gathering.