Latest News

From L to R: Jackie Gillespie (Gillespie Yunnie Architects); Hilary Dinsdale (Chair, SWCPA); Julian Gray (Director, SWCPA); Sarah O'Brien (National Trust)

On 13 May, we were delighted to welcome stakeholders, partners, supporters, neighbours, and volunteers to the new Coast Path Centre at Royal William Yard in Plymouth.

Renewed and reopened: Royal William Yard's Boardwalk returns to the South West Coast Path 

Images by H Hawke Creative

A striking stretch of the South West Coast Path at Plymouth’s Royal William Yard has reopened following the successful completion of a one-of-a-kind repair project. The boardwalk – also known as ‘Admiral’s Walkway’ – is a suspended pathway that runs from the main entrance to Royal William Yard and wraps around part of the perimeter of the historic Grade I listed site, and it has now reopened to the public. 

An atmospheric image of mist rolling over the high cliffs at West Bay wins the South West Coast Path Photographer of the Year 2025

Neil Barnes, a photographer from Dorset, has been selected as the 2025 South West Coast Path Photographer of the Year for his image, Falling Fog. Neil’s photograph, captured on a winter’s morning, shows the usually imposing cliffs at West Bay softened by a delicate veil of mist as it rolls across this iconic landscape. At second glance, a small rockfall is noticeable at the point where land meets sea on this dynamic coastline that is often witness to cliff falls and coastal erosion. 

Image credit: Marsland Mouth, North Cornwall. Photo by Chris Bull

The South West Coast Path Association today welcomes the official inauguration of the King Charles III England Coast Path (KCIIIECP), becoming the longest managed coastal trail in the world at 2,689 miles. Stretching for over 630 miles, the South West Coast Path makes up around a quarter of the KCIIIECP and accounts for two-thirds of its total elevation, placing it firmly at the heart of this landmark national route.

Image: Stonebarrow Landslip Credit: Dorset Council

The South West Coast Path Association (SWCPA), the charity that cares for the Path, today highlights that the cost of protecting, maintaining and caring for England’s original Coast Path has risen from an average of £1,500 per mile to £1,700 per mile, taking the annual total cost to over £1 million for the 630-mile Path.

Assessing the impact of the UTMB Arc of Attrition 2026 event

We are calling upon our supporters who live in the region where the Arc was held (100 miles from Coverack to Porthtowan in West Cornwall) and participants of the Arc of Attrition to provide feedback on the event. 

Photo credit: by Owain Davis, Exmoor

We’re celebrating a wonderful boost for the South West Coast Path, thanks to our long-standing partners at Macs Adventure. Their recent donation of £6,417 is a fantastic contribution towards the future of our beloved National Trail, and we couldn’t be more grateful. This funding will go directly into path improvements scheduled for 2026, helping ensure the Trail remains world-class for everyone who walks it.

We are absolutely thrilled that the Trailblazer Walk film, documenting our epic 55 day 630 mile walking relay in 2023, that celebrated our 50^th anniversary, is a finalist in the charity film category of the 2025 Big Syn International Film Festival – the world’s biggest sustainability film festival. 

The charity has been working hard to deliver and refine our community walk leader training, as part of our Coast Path Connectors programme. This training has now been recognised and accredited by the Institute for Outdoor Learning (IOL)

Coast Path Connectors walkers in Ringstead

This autumn, the charity's Community Engagement team have put together a series of weekend walks. These are aimed at people who cannot make our weekday community walks, due to work or caring commitments and would like to benefit from a supported walk for health and wellbeing.