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About the South West Coast Path

2006 - 2001 strategy consultation

South West access maps

Tourism in the South West

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South West Coast Path

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South West Coast Path Draft Strategy 2006 - 2011 consultation

About the South West Coast Path

The South West Coast Path National Trail is the longest and arguably most varied of the National Trails. Stretching some 630 miles from Minehead in Somerset to Studland in Dorset, the Coast Path passes through 5 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty , 1 National Park, mile upon mile of Heritage Coast, and over 28% of it passes through National Trust land.

Taking in the high cliffs of Exmoor and runs along Devon’s Atlantic coast, the coast path stretches around the entirety of Cornwall’s dramatic coastline before passing through the estuaries, headlands and beaches of south Devon, then crossing in to Dorset along the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site with its internationally important geological sites and landscapes, and finally on to Studland on the shores of Poole Harbour.

It is the landscapes, beaches, the wildlife, heritage, cultural features and the coastline that make the Coast Path what it is, and provides people with the experience that so many already enjoy. The Coast Path simply gives people the opportunity to access these landscapes and features, and it is very often the only way to do so. The intrinsic value of the corridor itself demands conservation and enhancement, and the management of the Coast Path and adjoining routes must enable as many people as possible to experience and enjoy what it has to offer.

In order to provide a framework to enable this highest standard of management to take place the Countryside Agency (now Natural England), has developed a series of ‘Quality Standards for National Trails’, which Path managers work to. These Standards provide a series of targets relating to the management of the Coast Path and its corridor including; the route, the trail corridor, trail furniture, services, information and signing.

Management of the Coast Path infrastructure is carried out by Cornwall, Devon, and Dorset County Councils, The National Trust, North Devon AONB and East Devon AONB services, Exmoor National Park, Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust, and also by private landowners. It is however not only management by these organisations and individuals that will maximise the use and enjoyment of the South West Coast Path, a much wider partnership of organisations must come together to achieve this.

Visit the South West Coast Path website for further details

South West Coast Path Draft Strategy 2006 - 2011 consultation

The draft South West Coast Path Strategy 2006-2011 will will replace the previous strategy 'More than just a path' which ran until 2005.

A consultation on this draft strategy is now taking place, related documents (including the draft strategy itself) are available for download below. Further details and information will also be available on the South West Coast Path website

The South West Coast Path Team look forward to receiving your comments, and should have any queries in the meantime then please do not hesitate to contact them via the address or phone number above.