A new fun run is being launched to take in the sights and smells of Moray’s distilleries.
The Seven Stills race is being organised during the Speyside Whisky Festival to raise money for Dufftown’s Christmas Extravaganza.
Participants will take in the sights and the smells of the area as they run past distilleries including Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Dufftown.
And they will be able to sample a tipple when they reach the finish line.
Dufftown and District Community Association trustee, Miranda Murdoch, said: “The plan was to actually have drams at the water stations.
“Unfortunately, we can’t do that for health and safety reasons.
“Everyone gets a medal when they finish and then there will be drams when they get their refreshments.”
Although not a runner herself, Mrs Murdoch’s husband Paul will be on the start line.
The ten-kilometre route starts at Dufftown Square before taking in the distilleries and finishing at Braehead Terrace. Hand-cut copper stills have been created for the winners.
A street festival, featuring entertainment and competitions is being staged to coincide with the run.
Organisers are hopeful the event will encourage runners from abroad to enter the whisky-themed race and help transform it into an annual fixture on the calendar.
Mrs Murdoch said: “A lot of visitors have stopped coming here. It’s still the malt whisky capital of the world though.
“The festival approached us and asked if we were interested in doing a closed-road event. We did one for Christmas and pulled off quite a good event.
“Dufftown hadn’t had anything like that before. The festival was quite keen for us to do another to benefit themselves and us.
“We thought the stills would make it attractive. There are more than seven on the route if you include the old ones too.
“There’s still so much going on. They [the athletes] will really get the smells from them as they’re going round too.”
Money raised from the event will be put towards Dufftown’s Christmas Extrava
The race starts at 2pm on Sunday May 1. Runners can enter on the day for £12.
