The BBC newsreader explains how she has enjoyed discovering the UK coastline through running, from the Isle of Wight to Barra in the Outer Hebrides
Words Suzy Walker | Photo ©BBC Photograph
When I first started running, it was all on roads. I trained on pavements, ran the London Marathon and spent a lot of time up and down the Thames Path. But in the last few years, I’ve become slightly obsessed with footpaths, especially coastal ones.
I use the Ordnance Survey app to plot routes, download them to my watch and head off exploring. It means I can run pretty much anywhere without worrying about getting lost.
One of the most memorable runs I have done was in Kent, along the King Charles III England Coast Path, from Gravesend to the Isle of Grain. It was about 20 miles and for long stretches, I did not see another person. That sense of space is quite rare in the UK, and it stayed with me.
I also run a lot on the Isle of Wight. The coastal paths there are incredibly varied. I love running in Devon, too, around Noss Mayo and Newton Ferrers. The cliff paths are challenging, but brilliant if you want to build strength.
More recently, I went to the Isle of Barra, known as the ‘gateway to the Outer Hebrides’, and ran around the island. It is a small place, with about a thousand residents, but the landscape is extraordinary. We only had a couple of days, but I would love to go back and run more of the Hebridean Way.
For me, running by the sea is simply about being outside, finding new routes and enjoying the variety. No two runs ever feel quite the same.
Running on Air: From BBC Headlines to Life-Changing Finish Lines by Sophie Raworth is available to buy now as an Audiobook (read by Sophie), hardback and ebook (£20, Bloomsbury Sport).
