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South West Coast Path having to 'adapt' to severe weather

BBC A sign post on the South West Coast Path near Dodman Point in CornwallBBC
Major weather events are forcing the South West Coast Path to adapt

People have been urged to keep supporting the South West Coast Path as major weather events force changes.

Trail bosses said the 630-mile (1,014 km) route had been subjected to severe weather conditions in recent years.

Since last March, 11 cliff landslips have been reported on the path, while five wildfires have happened in the past two years.

This has forced the path's managers to look at adapting the route, which they said "comes at a cost".

The route spans from Poole to Minehead, covering the entire coasts of Devon and Cornwall, and is a popular path for walkers.

The charity that maintains it said it costs about £1,500 per mile, per year to maintain.

However, weather conditions have led to areas of the route to become eroded and have caused damage to its surroundings and habitats.

'All about adapting'

There have been several landslips since the start of the year, including in Porthtowan in Cornwall and Shaldon's Ness Beach on Monday along with one at Houn's Tout near Worth Matravers in Dorset last month.

St Agnes Coastguard Rescue Team The cliff fall at Porthtowan beachSt Agnes Coastguard Rescue Team
There was a substantial cliff fall near the coast path at Porthtowan earlier this month

Lorna Sherriff, South West Coast Path's national trail officer, said due to the route's positioning, it had to constantly adapt to conditions.

She said: "We are the special place where land meets the sea, but we are at the forefront of seeing any coastal change and coastal climate from those differing extreme weathers that we're experiencing."

Ms Sherriff added the team was looking at what could be done to future proof the path's surface and drainage.

She said improvements could cost tens of thousands of pounds, which had to come from fundraising.

"So it's really important that people support the South West Coast Path Association so that we can keep improving, because we get funding maintenance, but we don't get any funding for improvements on the path," she added.

Ms Sherriff advised anyone planning on using the path to follow any warning signs along the route and to follow the safety advice available online.

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