Friends of SWCP
The South West Coast Path Association
Our most important group of friends are the more than 5000 members of the South West Coast Path Association.
Founded in 1973, it’s a charity that campaigns to improve the path and raises money to help it happen. Without their help and lobbying over the years, the path wouldn’t be half as good.
In recent years, their role in raising funds to improve the path has increased, and this is helping unlock other money. Typically every £1 raised by the Association has enabled the SW Coast Path Team to secure about £3 from other sources.
Some of the projects the Association have helped fund are:
- The sculptures at each end, and the mid point of the path, which are now obligatory photo-stops for anyone walking the whole path.
- The re-opening of the path west of Charlestown that was closed following cliff falls.
- Work to enable the Coast Path to be reinstated following a cliff-fall at Fox Cove, near Tryarnon, Cornwall.
- Signing of the re-routed path around Cape Cornwall – prior to this the Coast Path missed out the summit of this iconic headland.
- Working with the Coastguard to install small location and grid reference plates to over 2000 existing Coast Path signposts. This will enable the Coastguard to locate casualties more quickly, and help walkers who are unsure which headland or cove they are passing.
Construction of a new section of path through the army range at Tregantle Fort that enables Coast Path walkers to avoid walking along a roadside verge, when no firing is taking place. The Opening Ceremony took place in March 2011.- Commitment from the Association of £80,000 towards route improvements, was one of the key factors in the Team successfully securing £2.1 million from the Rural Development Programme for England to deliver the ‘Unlocking our Coastal Heritage’ project.
As well as fund-raising, to help their members get the most out of the path, they also produce;
an annually updated guidebook (which is the only guide that includes accommodation listings, tide tables and current ferry times), and is sent free to members- 2 members newsletters each year which include news about path changes plus coast path walkers' letters, new book reviews and articles of special interest to coast path walkers
- 54 booklets giving detailed path descriptions
- a log book and souvenir map to plot your progress
- completion certificates
- a wide range of souvenir products.
All of these are available from their online shop.
By becoming a member (from only £13.50 a year) you will not only be supporting their aims of improving the Coast Path for everyone, but you’ll also get a copy of the annual guide book to the path (worth £9.95), and two newsletters.
