Looking out to sea from the North Devon Coast
The South West Coast Path is one of 15 National Trails in
England and Wales. For information about the other members
of the National Trail family click
here.
Natural
England creates National Trails and is their primary funder.
It also has much wider responsibilities in the countryside
- see under wildlife.
The following organisations manage the South West
Coast Path via their Countryside and Ranger services,
and also provide services to manage the landscape,
wildlife and heritage:
Cornwall County Council
Devon County Council
Dorset County Council
Exmoor National Park Authority
Plymouth City Council
Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust
Defence Estates (Ministry of Defence)
The National Trust owns approximately one third of the land
through which the Coast Path passes, and manages the National
Trail, on behalf of the relevant local authority, in these
instances. The Trust manages its land for the benefit of the
landscape, wildlife and heritage:
The
National Trust (Wessex Region)
The
National Trust (Devon & Cornwall Region)
These organisations represent many of the landowners
and farmers that own the land through which the Coast
Path passes:
Country Land
& Business Association
National Farmers Union
The South
West Protected Landscapes Forum is the umbrella body for
the most prized places of natural beauty – the AONBs
and National Parks - in the region.
Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) are designated
solely for their landscape qualities. The Coast Path
passes through five AONBs:
Cornwall
AONB
Dorset
AONB
East
Devon AONB
North
Devon AONB
South
Devon AONB
Natural
England is the government’s advisor on nature conservation
and manages National Nature Reserves and Sites of Special
Scientific Interest. It also provides agri-environment grants
to landowners and farmers.
The following are membership organisations that promote
the interest of wildlife.
County
Wildlife Trusts
Butterfly
Conservation
Royal
Society for the Protection of Birds
Both of these projects co-ordinate data about sightings
of sea mammals:
Seawatch
South West
Durlston
Marine Project
North Devon has always been one of the finest unspoilt locations
in the UK and is now home to Britain's first new style world
class UNESCO
Biosphere Reserve, where conservation and sustainable
development go hand in hand.
 
English
Heritage is responsible for maintaining and caring for
the historic environment of England. It owns five properties
around the Coast Path, which are open to the public.
Some of the mining
landscapes of Cornwall and West Devon were inscribed as
a World Heritage Site by UNESCO
in 2006 and the South West Coast Path takes in six of the
coastal areas that form part of it – the St Agnes Mining
District, Portreath Harbour, the ports of Hayle and Charlestown,
the St Just Mining District and Trewavas.
The
Jurassic Coast is England’s first natural World
Heritage Site, which stretches from Exmouth in East Devon
to Old Harry Rocks in Purbeck, Dorset and gives a unique insight
into the Earth Sciences.
The English
Riviera Geopark is one of only six geoparks in the UK.
Torbay has a unique geological heritage and the geopark takes
in 32 separate sites covering 400 million years of earth history.
The Arts
Council is the national development agency for the arts
in England.
West Country acoustic duo, Show
of Hands, recorded their CD, ‘The
Path’ to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the South
West Coast Path:
Both of these organisations promote food and drink from the south west:
Devon
Food Links
Taste
of the West
For Coast Path safety advice please read our safety
page:
These organisations promote coastal safety and provide rescue services:
Maritime
& Coastguard Agency
RNLI
This website outlines the beach
safety code.
Visit
South West - for all information on accommodation, events
and attractions within South West England.
Traveline
- for all UK public transport information.
These are all membership organisations representing people who enjoy walking.
Their websites include general information and events:
South West
Coast Path Association
Ramblers’
Association
Long Distance
Walkers’ Association
The Youth
Hostels’ Association is a membership organisation
providing simple hostel accommodation. There are many Youth
Hostels along the South West Coast Path. |
