A special anniversary edition of the South West Coast Path Passport has been launched to help mark the 50th anniversary of the charity that looks after the route.
At 630 miles long, the South West Coast Path (SWCP) is the UK’s longest National Trail, and within it there are hundreds of shorter circular walks that can be completed in a few hours.
A ‘passport’ was created last year, inspired by the world-famous Camino de Santiago route in which walkers collect stamps along the way to record the stages of their journey. More than 100 coastal businesses including pubs, cafes, shops, museums, ferries, and visitor centres are acting as SWCPA Way Maker Stamping Points, with more being added this year to celebrate the 50th anniversary.
The new limited edition of the passport contains information about what to look out for along the way and is sponsored by the holiday lettings company Luxury Coastal, which offers places to stay all along the Coast Path in Devon, Cornwall, and Somerset.
The passport costs £7 and proceeds will support the South West Coast Path Association’s work in caring for the path, which is under increasing threat from extreme weather conditions. It costs £1,500 a year to look after each mile, which the charity does in partnership with the landowners along the way. The association also encourages people from all walks of life to enjoy the health and well-being benefits of walking the path and connecting with nature.
Phil Beattie, managing director of Luxury Coastal, said: “As an intrinsic part of our local communities, the South West Coast Path plays a huge role in both the physical and mental well-being of hundreds of thousands of people each year, so for us to be involved in the 50th anniversary celebrations is something we value immensely. We’re proud to sponsor the limited-edition passport and we can’t wait to head out onto the path to collect our stamps.”
A 50th Anniversary Trailblazer walk will take place in May and June, with hundreds of participants relay-walking sections of the path. The Charmouth to Seaton walk will take place on Saturday, June 3, and the Seaton to Sidmouth walk is on the following day.
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