Runner's Guide To Cornwall

Running is good for body and mind - and it’s a great way to see Cornwall, writes ABBY DRIVER

- Abby Driver

IT keeps your muscles and heart healthy; it’s great for mental wellbeing and it’s the best justification for a serious cake habit. Of course we’re talking about running. And if you’re one of the two million regular runners in England, we’re guessing you’ll want to keep your healthy hobby up on holiday.

Dr Penny Bedford is a clinical psychologist and blogger (pennyslane.co.uk) who has been running for 20 years. ‘I enjoy running for so many reasons,’ she tells me. ‘I feel free when I run and it’s excellent for stress and mental well being. It gives me thinking time as well as maintaining my fitness. It’s simple too! You can go anywhere, at any time as long as you have some shoes and your kit. Running is a great way to discover new places when on holiday as well.’

And where better to explore than Cornwall? ‘Running in Cornwall is just stunning. There is so much variety - you can hit the roads and roam around towns and villages if that’s your thing. Or you can hit the trails, of which there are quite a few, and there is of course, our gorgeous and extensive coast path. I think I love running in Cornwall because of the ruggedness. It’s never boring and you get really good at tackling hills - they are hard to avoid!’ Here in Cornwall we are lucky to have easy access to the South West Coast Path. Originally created by coastguards who patrolled the peninsula on the lookout for smugglers, today the 630-mile path – which starts in Minehead in Somerset and tracks the coast around to Poole Harbour in Dorset – is utilised for more leisurely pursuits. That is, if you could call running up a cliff leisurely.