Can you guess which one of the West Country’s top tourist attractions we’re thinking of? It generates over £300 million for the regional economy each year, but it isn’t a theme park, a building or a shopping centre, so what could it be?
Did you guess that we’re thinking of a path? If you did, well done! But this isn’t any ordinary path – the South West Coast Path is 630 miles of glorious coastline, with rich wildlife and breath-taking scenery.
Despite its huge positive financial impact on the local economy, funding for maintenance of the path in recent years has shrunk. Improvements and upgrades to the path are continually needed to make it more accessible, attractive to different users and a surface safe to walk on all year round.
Thankfully the South West Coast Path Association is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2013 by organising the Great South West Walk, raising funds to give the path some much needed tender loving care. Through individual sponsorship, grants, corporate sponsorship and matched giving, the target is to raise £250,000.
They hope to achieve this by organising a series of half- or full-day sponsored walks, done in relay over 56 legs, to cover the entire 630 mile path around Dorset, Devon and Cornwall (as well as the entire Exmoor coast through Somerset). Each leg or walk will be guided by local experts, rangers and path wardens.
Helpful Holidays is sponsoring several legs, including:
- Tuesday 9th April: Seatown to Lyme Regis
- Wednesday 17th April: Torcross to Prawle Point
- Tuesday 30th April: Padstow to Trevone
- Tuesday 30th April: Falmouth to Maenporth
You might like to take part in one of these legs, or any of the other stretches, or perhaps several to build a walking holiday? If so, you must register by the beginning of March.
For more information, including details about each leg of the walk and improvement projects, please visit www.GreatSouthWestWalk.co.uk.
You can also keep up to date by following the event on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LoveSWCoastPath
