My favourite running routes around The Vale

Welcome to The Ohana Edit, a blog series from the Ohana Mua team and our partners, where we share real stories, honest reflections and a bit of the thinking behind what we're building.

This month, we're stepping outside — literally. Kate, our Chief Financial Officer, shares the running routes she keeps coming back to around The Vale, and why, for her, lacing up every day is about far more than fitness.

Running has been a constant in my life for as long as I can remember. Not because I have to, but because somewhere along the way, it became the thing I can't do without.

I run every day. It's where I think, reset, and work things through. Whether I'm untangling a complex problem or just clearing the noise from a busy week, an hour on my feet does more for me than anything else I've tried. There's uninterrupted time to reflect, to strategise, and sometimes, just to be outside and moving through a landscape that reminds you the world is bigger than your inbox.

What I love most is the combination of mental clarity and genuine connection to the outdoors. Running has taken me through familiar streets and completely new places, turning every route into a small act of discovery. For me, it's not exercise. It's a daily ritual that keeps me grounded, energised, and, honestly, a better version of myself.

So when I'm at The Vale, I run. And it turns out, this corner of Cornwall is rather remarkable to run in.

The Polperro Run - roughly 12km

This one starts with a reckoning. A long, steep hill right out of the gate, the kind that gets into your legs early and makes you question your life choices before you've even warmed up.

But once you're over the climb, it all opens out. Farmland stretches in every direction, grazing animals barely register your presence, and the views are exactly the kind you find yourself slowing down to take in properly. There's a real sense of being in working countryside: alive, unhurried, and quietly beautiful.

From there, it's a long, steady descent towards Polperro. The landscape shifts as you approach: narrow lanes, charming cottages, the sense of stepping somewhere that hasn't entirely moved on from another era. Running through the village itself is always a highlight. The quaint streets, the independent shops, the easy coastal atmosphere. It feels less like passing through and more like arriving somewhere.

The real reward is the ocean. On a clear day, it stops you in your tracks. If the legs are willing, the coastal path beckons with dramatic cliffside views and nothing between you and the sea.

The Lansallos Beach Run - roughly 12km

Every great run around here seems to start with a climb, and this one is no exception. It's a long, steep push out of the gate, but the sweeping countryside views on the other side are the payoff, and it doesn't take long before you stop noticing the effort and start noticing everything else.

After the initial climb, the route opens into a longer, flatter stretch. Time to settle into a rhythm, find your stride, and start looking around properly. Just before the descent, the sea appears for the first time, one of those moments that makes you want to stop entirely. Most days, I do.

The route takes you past St Ildierna's Church: ancient, quietly present, the kind of landmark that adds real character and history to a run. Shortly after, the path narrows into a single-track lane, winding its way down to the beach.

And then there's Lansallos itself. It feels almost private, the kind of beach that rewards the effort of getting there on foot. It's a perfect place to pause, catch your breath, and decide whether to turn back or keep going. The coastal path stretches for miles from here, with spectacular cliffside views in every direction.

I've run this route many times and I've never minded the repeat. Some runs you do to get faster. Some you do because they're simply worth doing.