Olympic Torch Relay to pass through more than 1,000 communities

07 Nov 2011
The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) today revealed the 1,000 cities, towns and villages on the route of the Olympic Torch Relay. Between 18 May and 27 July, the Olympic Flame will come to within just 10 miles of 95% of the population of the UK

LOCOG Chair Seb Coe holds aloft the Torch beneath the Olympic Rings at St Pancras International

The Flame will visit iconic landmarks including Loch Ness, Snowdon, Stormont and Stonehenge. Carried by 8,000 Torchbearers, it will also use some more unusual modes of transport including horseback, steam train and even a zip wire.
Every county in England and every Local Authority area in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales will host the Flame.
See the Olympic Torch Relay map

An historic occasion

LOCOG Chair Seb Coe said: ‘I’m delighted that the Olympic Torch Relay will take the 2012 Games to almost every corner of the UK and that we have achieved our ambition to take the Flame to within an hour’s journey of 95% of the population.
'Now everyone is invited to plan their welcome and find out where they can go to be part of this historic occasion. The Olympic Games are coming to you as the Olympic Flame gives our people and places their moment to shine.’
The 70-day Olympic Torch Relay, presented by Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung, will start at Land’s End on 19 May 2012. The Flame will then travel an estimated 8,000 miles around the UK before it reaches London. It is planned that the Flame will travel down the River Thames on 27 July 2012 as it makes its way to the Olympic Stadium for the Opening Ceremony.
The street-by-street detail of the route will be confirmed next year, with Torchbearer places confirmed from February 2012.

A Torch Relay for everyone

LOCOG has also launched two new public participation programmes to coincide with the announcement.
The Local Leaders initiative is an invitation to people across the UK who 'get stuff done' and are excited about the Games. It encourages them to bring the Games into their community, creating celebrations for the Olympic Torch Relay and other key moments during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Sign up to be a Local Leader
Also launched today is the Get Set for the Olympic Torch Relay education resource, available to all schools registered with Get Set, London 2012’s official education programme. The resource provides schools with resources to aid learning around the history of Olympic Torch Relays and the design of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay.