Coast Path Magazine - Issue Two

ISSUE TWO

SUMMER 2021

www.coastpathmag.co.uk

6 3 0

M A G I C A L

M I L E S

FREE wh

ere distributed

NORTHCORE-EUROPE.com

WELCOME

CONTRIBUTORS

With record numbers of people holidaying in the South West this year, there is no doubt that the Coast Path will have one of its busiest summers. For the tourism industry this may be very welcome, but for those of you who enjoy the remote solace, you may be interested in reading our feature on ‘Ten Reasons To Visit This Autumn’.

We would like to thank all of our contributors, who have helped to make issue two of Coast Path Magazine a collection of salty goodness, by providing photography or copy.

I often hear the phrase ‘the path is going nowhere’, however we must remember its fragility. As much as we need the path for a variety of reasons, whether personal challenge, mental health and well-being, pleasure, escapism, let’s all be mindful that the path very much needs us for its ongoing conservation and preservation.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this edition, we hope you can make some time to sit back, relax and enjoy this special summer printed edition. If you are keen to help us help the path, then please consider advertising with us, joining the South West Coast Path Association or sharing your story for future editions.

Julie and Amanda Editors

If you are interested in advertising or contributing to an upcoming issue, or stocking copies of the printed summer edition of ‘Coast Path Mag', please email hello@coastpathmag.co.uk or visit our website at coastpathmag.co.uk

Julie Williams, Amanda Duffin, South West Coast Path Association, Liam Alford (cover), Ruth King, Luxury Family Hotels, Jim Holden, Nick Shepherd, Dan Martin, Jody Woolcock, Lee and Hannah Rulton, Matt Jaquest, Dani Blackie, Richard Boys, Plastic Free North Devon, Adrienne Sidford, BAM Bamboo Clothing, Ocean Conservation Trust, The Winking Prawn, Kevin Dawson, Helen Rushworth, Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Dan Oliveira, Michael Hull, Gilly Horton, Sophie Holker, Rudy, the SWCP Ambassadog.

design • print • signage

In alignment with our values, we have chosen to print our magazine with Deltor, one of just a handful of certified Carbon Balanced printers in the UK.

Published by Coast Walking UK Ltd. @swcoastwalking on Instagram Design by Salty Air Design Limited. saltyair.design The articles in this issue reflect the opinions of their respective authors and are not necessarily those of the publishers and the editorial team. © 2021 Coast Path Magazine. All rights reserved.

CONTENTS 04.

08.

16.

24.

34.

40.

46.

56.

62.

66.

News From The SWCP Association Walk Ideas - King Arthur Walk Cornish Ramblings 10 Reasons To Visit This Autumn Marvellous Meudon Run, Dani, Run! Into The Blue - Sport On The Path Protecting Our Playground Wahoo Bamboo Leave Nothing But Footprints

71.

74 .

80.

86.

88.

93.

98.

104.

108.

112.

Planting Seagrass In Plymouth Sound Food Heaven With The Winking Prawn Love Where You Are Campaign That's The Spirit Our Top Wish List For Path Adventures Hullabaloo Path People - Go, Go, Go, Commando!

Path People - Freedom And Solace Instagram - Your Pictures Classified Listings Coast Path Magazine

3

NEWS

SWCPA

Look out for original content from the South West Coast Path Association whenever you see this logo!

News & Conservation Meet Rudy, the SWCP Ambassadog Dog walking is a firm favourite for many of us on the Coast Path, with 630 glorious miles to explore on two – or four legs! That’s why the SWCPA has just recruited their newest volunteer, Rudy, the SWCP Ambassadog to inspire your next pawesome adventure. Six-year-old Rudy is a fox red LabradorGolden Retriever from Redruth in Cornwall who loves swimming, adventures, chasing tennis balls and dog training. His favourite stretch of the Coast Path is the rock scrambling wonders between St Ives and Zennor.

Photography: Rudy's owner Laura

4

Coast Path Magazine

With Rudy’s help (and the help of his lovely owner Laura) the charity will be bringing you lots of tips, advice and inspiration for enjoying the South West Coast Path with your four legged friends, advice on how to stay safe and reminding everyone to be responsible and pick up after your pets. We’d like to say a big WOOF welcome to Rudy and thank you to Forthglade for congratulating Rudy’s Ambassadog appointment with a delicious birthday treat bundle.

Watch this space for some tail wagging adventures with this pup!

NEWS

Coast P proud toath Mag are the 1% be a part of F family, or The Planet ple of all sa dging 1% preserv les to the coast p ation of the donatin ath through g to the trail.

International business community shows support for the path It’s not just local businesses who are backing the trail. The charity has been hard at work securing partnerships and funding from like-minded businesses all over the world.

Following a recent launch in the UK, American alcoholfree craft beer brand Athletic Brewing Co. has become a virtual sponsor for the West Cornwall section of the Trail, as part of the Every Mile Matters fundraising campaign. Irish tech start-up Hiiker has just become the first ever Coast Path Friendly app - contributing £1 for each user that downloads SWCP content from their platform, and the South West Coast Path charity has also become a beneficiary of global environmental giving network 1% for the Planet. Through the program, businesses from around the world commit to giving 1% of sales each year to carefully vetted non-profit partners, like the SWCP Association, whose work tackles issues around climate, land, food, pollution, water or wildlife.

Bill Shufelt, Co-founder of Athletic Brewing Co. said “Athletic Brewing Co. are thrilled to be supporting the South West Coast Path Association’s Every Mile Matters project. It's the perfect extension of the work we do to improve the maintenance and preservation of trailways and natural spaces in the US through our charitable foundation ‘Two For The Trails’, which supports active and healthy outdoor lifestyles in America.”

Eoin Hamilton, co-founder of Hiiker said “We are first and foremost a group of hikers, exploring the outdoors is our greatest passion, so working with trail organisations like the South West Coast Path Association to protect and improve the paths that take us to these places is a no-brainer for us. Trails might be free to use and always should be, but we know that does not mean they are free to maintain. We all have to play our part if we want to ensure these routes exist for years to come”. hiiker.app

Coast Path Magazine

5

NEWS

Businesses put their best foot forward to support the Coast Path As part of a new program created by the SWCPA, over 300 business along the Path have signed up as Way Makers to connect their business to the Coast Path and help look after the trail. It has been designed to enable businesses such as cafes, campsites, B&Bs, hotels, pubs, restaurants, attractions, and activity providers to promote their offering on Coast Path walks within a five-mile radius of their location.

This world-famous trail is one of the region’s best loved tourism attractions, supporting over 10,000 jobs and bringing more than £520 million into the local economy. The SWCPA is encouraging visitors, and it’s 10,000 members who support the charity to ‘vote with their feet’ and support businesses who are giving back to the Path as Way Makers.

Sophie Holker who runs Silver Cottage B&B in Braunton in North Devon said, “Joining as a Way Maker felt important as we love the South West Coast Path as walkers and wanted to support it.

Sophie from Silver Cottage

6

Coast Path Magazine

The Way Maker scheme has helped to grow my business really well – it feels like a symbiotic relationship. We give, but the Path and the charity give as well.”

To find and support Way Makers (and in turn – the trail!) simply visit southwestcoastpath.org.uk/tripplanning or sign up as a member and receive the Guidebook which has business listings for each section of the Path. You can also keep an eye out for the Way Maker badge in windows and on websites of supporting businesses.

Photography: Courtesy of Fotonow

A walking welcome Over the past 2 years, the SWCPA has been working alongside Fotonow CIC and Devon and Cornwall Refugee Support to help give a walking welcome to refugees in the Plymouth area.

With funding from Comic Relief, MOVE Beyond project, led by International Sports and Cultural Association (ISCA) as well as time in-kind from the Association, groups of asylum seekers (from countries such as Lebanon, Kuwait and Ethiopia) have been learning photography skills whilst discovering the Coast Path on their doorstep.

From April-July this year, participants have been visiting local places Royal William Yard, Mount Edgecombe, Cawsands, Jennycliff and Wembury by walking, local ferries and public transport. This allows them to explore the local area and know places that they can return to by themselves or with family at a later date.

This month, participants have a number of workshop sessions with Fotonow to edit the pictures and create a walking book with photos and walking instructions, so that their walks can be shared to other new arrivals.

NEWS

These asylum seekers are far from their original home, and in the process of waiting to find out if they can remain in this country. They cannot work within this time and so these walks, as one participant commented has ‘given purpose to getting out of my flat’. Learning photography skills is another great benefit with some commenting on how well their skills have been developing over the weeks.

We all know of the benefits that walking the Coast Path can bring, but we are also acutely aware that these benefits are only taken up by certain groups in society, and that there are lots of people that don’t know about the Coast Path, don’t know that it is for everyone to enjoy, and don’t know how to go about using it.

Coronavirus has also highlighted the health inequalities that exist in this country, and the importance of people being able to access natural environments close to their homes. The SWCPA believe that it is vitally important to reach these underrepresented audiences and to make the amazing resource that is the South West Coast Path as easy to access for everyone as possible. This project demonstrates one step in the charity’s journey to achieving this.

Coast Path Magazine

7

WA L K I D E A

King Arthur Walk

8

Coast Path Magazine

Tintagel. 3.4 miles.

Moderate - Mostly good paths, tracks, lanes and pavements, with some short stretches of rocky surfaces and steep gradients.

BY SOUTH WEST COAST PATH ASSOCIATION

WA L K I D E A

Photography: Jim Holden, English Heritige

Summary A walk around Tintagel, made a romantic destination for Victorian tourists by poets such as Tennyson, whose 'Idyll of the Kings' set the tale of King Arthur in what is still one of Britain's most visited resorts. A brilliant walk for children, who will love the atmospheric ruins of 'King Arthur's castle' on Tintagel Island. A great walk in spring and summer, when the sea is blue in the bright sunshine and there are primroses and new scrolls of bracken under the gorse and the blossoming thorn bushes. In autumn it's at its best on a windy day, when flocks of fulmars and kittiwakes stream by on their way south, and gannets seen offshore.

Coast Path Magazine

9

WA L K I D E A

Route Description

1

From Tintagel Visitor Centre walk towards the village centre, past King Arthur’s Great Halls and then the Old Post Office.

King Arthur's Great Halls was built in the 1930s by businessman FT Glasscock as the Headquarters of the Fellowship of the Knights of the Round Table, established to promote Christian ideals and the chivalry of the Arthurian legends. Built of Cornish granite and slate, it has 73 stained glass windows depicting Arthurian tales, and since the centre opened in 1933 over 200 million people have visited it.

Now owned by the National Trust, the Old Post Office was built in the fourteenth century as a yeoman's farmhouse. In Victorian days it held a licence as the letter-receiving station for the district.

2

At the Cornishman Inn turn left and follow Vicarage Hill down to St Materiana Church.

The current St Materiana Church is Norman, and the tower dates from either the thirteenth or the fifteenth century. There are some features suggesting that it was built around an earlier Saxon church. The first holy building on the site is thought to have been a fifth-century chapel associated with the mother church of the same name at Minster, just outside Boscastle. Both were founded by the Welsh princess, St Materiana, daughter of Vortimer, King of Britain.

3

From the main entrance to the church walk straight ahead to the gate. Turn right in front of the car park and walk down to the South West Coast Path. Turn right on the Coast Path and walk to Tintagel Castle. From here drop down to the beach at Tintagel Haven, returning afterwards to the Coast Path to carry on around the headland.

he Earl of Cornwall built Tintagel Castle in the thirteenth century, but archaeologists excavating on the island in the 1930s found traces of a Romano British settlement dating from around the fifth or sixth century. There was evidence of a holy site of some kind from the same time, and substantial trade carried out with Mediterranean lands. The historians were able to date the site precisely. It fitted perfectly

10

Coast Path Magazine

with the idea that so delighted the Victorian tourists flocking to Tintagel in search of medieval romance: that there was indeed a Celtic chieftain based here in the time of the legendary King Arthur, and that he and his knights were engaged in efforts to repel the AngloSaxon invaders swarming through southern England.

Tintagel has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its rocks. Here the sea has carved cliffs and platforms into the lower Carboniferous and upper Devonian rocks. Erosion along fault lines and softer rocks has produced an intricate set of bays, headlands, stacks, blowholes and caves. There are several caves in the cliffs around Tintagel Haven, made all the more intriguing for the coastal waterfalls where streams cascade to the shoreline from the cliffs above.

One of these caves is known as 'Merlin's Cave', where King Arthur's magician lived. (He is said to have been born in another such cave further up the coast, at Clovelly - see the Clovelly & Mouth Mill Walk).

4

Carry on along the Coast Path to the next big headland at Barras Nose. Detour left to the tip of the headland for fine views out across the Atlantic.

Barras Nose is an important geological site. Here the rocks have been deformed and changed by Earth movements during the Variscan mountainbuilding period, some 400 million years ago. Intense heat and pressure have turned the slate to schist in places and crumpled it into dramatic folds elsewhere, demonstrating the effects of volcanic action in an area known as the 'Culm trough'.

Photography: Jim Holden

Pots at Hope Cove. Photographer: Nick Shepherd

WA L K I D E A

Coast Path Magazine

11

WA L K I D E A

5

6

Returning to the Coast Path, ignore the small paths heading inland to continue above Smith's Cliff to where the Coast Path turns right and appears to be heading inland.

As the Coast Path turns left again in front of the fields, take the path carrying straight on ahead, heading inland towards Bossiney. Follow the green lane and then the tarmac lane to the main Bossiney Road.

Immediately in front of you as you reach the road, the mound topped by a Scots pine, to the right of the Methodist chapel, is Bossiney Mound.

Arthurian legends claim that Arthur's round table lies beneath the mound; and one midsummer night, when Arthur and his knights are due to make their comeback, the table will rise out of the mound for their use.

It is thought that this too was the site of a Romano British settlement. As at Tintagel Castle, the Normans later built a castle on the early site, (a motte and bailey in this case), and it is these remains that are visible today.

7

12

On the main road turn right and follow Bossiney Road around onto Fore Street and back to the Visitor Centre.

Coast Path Magazine

WA L K I D E A

The sea at Trebarwith Strand. Photographer: Dan Martin

Public transport Tintagel is served by Western Greyhound route 594 from St Columb Major, Wadebridge and Camelford (hourly Monday-Saturday, every two hours summer Sundays – no winter Sunday service). There are usually through connections to Western Greyhound route 595 from Bude (every one or two hours Monday-Saturday, every two hours summer Sundays – no winter Sunday service). For timetable information, zoom in on the interactive map and click on the bus stops, visit the Traveline website or phone 0871 200 22 33. travelinesw.com

Parking There are numerous car parks in Tintagel, including one adjacent to the start and finish at the Visitor Centre which has disabled parking bays (grid ref: SX 058 884); on the route of the walk there is a car park at Trebarwith Strand (no disabled bays) (grid ref: SX 054 864). Postcode for Sat Navs: PL34 0AJ.

Coast Path Magazine

13

WATER ALONG THE SOUTH WEST COAST PATH DOWNLOAD THE FREE REFILL APP REFILL.ORG.UK

Find your fill Join the Refill Revolution #RefillRevolution

PAT H P E O P L E

Cornish Ramblings We caught up with Cornish Ramblings founder, Jody Woolcock, on her passion for walking and everything outdoors.

INTERVIEWED BY AMANDA DUFFIN

16

Coast Path Magazine

PAT H P E O P L E

Coast Path Magazine

17

PAT H P E O P L E

What first inspired you to start your walking group?

Walking is my mental Ctrl+Alt+Delete. I love walking but found I was constantly sticking to the same locations and footpaths because I didn't have the confidence to go too far on my own or any like-minded people to join me. So, five years ago, after a gentle nudge and words of encouragement, I started my walking group 'Cornish Ramblings.' It gives me time to reflect on those chaotic days and work them into manageable chunks.

What started as a slightly selfish venture to explore more of my county has become quite the opposite. I encourage people from all walks of life and from all ages and fitness levels to come for a ramble. And lucky for me, they do. I'm fortunate that my group is a mixture of ages, and I have my faithful regular hikers who come along to most walks (and who I now value as friends), and there are usually one or two new faces at each walk I organise too. Walking groups are particularly great for those nervous about walking lesser-trodden paths. Not only will you find people with common interests, but there will also always be someone to offer words of encouragement when traversing a steep incline. Many new friendships have formed in my walking group, which have encouraged them to head out for a walk more often than they may have done before.

Taking people on walks has become one of my favourite things to do. I'm slightly biased because I adore walking and find the benefits of getting out there astonishing not only for your physical health but your mental wealth too. When I see the faces of those who have come along for a stomp, flushed and smiling widely, I get a sense of euphoria to know there are others out there experiencing the same adrenaline kick from hiking I get.

What does the South West Coast Path mean to you?

The South West Coast Path means everything to me.

I have lived in Cornwall my entire life, but it has only been latterly since Cornish Ramblings was established that I have spent most weekends out and about on foot exploring the endless miles of the Cornish coast.

If not taking the group out for rambles along the coastline, then I will be out there exploring it at any

18

Coast Path Magazine

given opportunity with my wonderful friend and main adventure buddy Tanya, who I actually met through a Cornish Ramblings ramble and have become inseparable since. Although I am more at home in the countryside, the coast is where I flock to when resetting and recharging. Not only do you get sublime views, but you are also given a hearty workout with some of those climbs. You also can't beat a Cornish coastal sunset, in my opinion!

What's your favourite section of the Path and why?

I am often asked this question, and each time I falter ever so slightly before I answer because, since spending more time on the coast as part of Cornish Ramblings, I have seen more wonderous sections of the Path than I had before. It really is a difficult one for this Cornwall addict to respond to straightaway.

However, a particular section of the Cornish coast has had my heart for many years and is an area I spend a lot of time walking and never tire of; Chapel Porth to St. Agnes.

As soon as my boots hit this part of the Cornish coast, I breathe a sigh of relief, knowing I have miles of spectacular coastline to look forward to. For me, not >

PAT H P E O P L E

Coast Path Magazine

19

PAT H P E O P L E

> only is the north coast one of the most striking sections, but it is also a place of familiarity. My Nan has always had an affinity with St. Agnes, and I think her love of this part of Cornwall has transferred to me. My Nan is my biggest fan and supporter and someone whom I've spent many an hour walking with along the coast. Although we don't walk as far now, when I am out hiking Chapel Porth to St. Agnes, I feel like part of my Nan is there with me too.

What is your favourite Coast Path story and why?

Saturday 14 March 2020 will always be a bittersweet date. Although it was a day filled with utter joy and hilarity as I took the group for a glorious 7-mile hike around part of the South West Coast Path, it was also the last ramble before the first lockdown came into force. However, this ramble from St. Just to Nanquidno will always be one I look back on fondly, mainly because I believe we beat the record for the amount of mud on a walk since Cornish Ramblings began all those years ago. What I loved most about this walk was the laughter. It was a tough hike in places, with plenty of scrambling up the sides of the cragged coast and thundering hearts as we attempted to catch our breath after a steep climb. But regardless, all I saw for the entirety of the ramble were reassuring smiles and satisfied eyes.

20

Coast Path Magazine

Cornish Follow ngs Rambli gram ta s on In nghrambli @cornis swalks

This ramble was on a whole new level where the mud scale is concerned. Each time I thought we'd made it out the other end of all the squelching and sinking, we'd round the corner to another section of boggy delights. It was never-ending. Four women joined us for their first experience with Cornish Ramblings, and they were absolute joys and seemed to relish in every moment of the mud fiasco; thankfully, because I did wonder if they'd want to come back and join us again.

They lifted everyone's spirits and helped me get the timid ramblers across the worst areas with shouts of 'you can do this' and 'you're almost there'. It reaffirmed why I do what I do and why I love leading people on walks around Cornwall.

Since this walk, these four glorious women and I have been on many adventures around the South West Coast Path. But thankfully, with a lot less mud!

PAT H P E O P L E

of times, speak with her often on social media, and hang out with her when she comes to Cornwall. I had the privilege of walking with her, which was always a bucket list item of mine. I've also spent time with her when she has come to Cornwall to film her TV programmes. I have blogged for her website, 'The Outdoor Guide', and since the beginning, Julia has continued to be an incredible support to me and an advocate of Cornish Ramblings. In fact, Julia nudged me and gave me words of encouragement to go home, 'and just do it' regarding starting the walking group.

What equipment would you recommend to a beginner?

If I had to recommend anything to a beginner, it would be a good pair of waterproof walking boots and a decent waterproof coat. Whilst hiking along the coast, you need a good steady pair of boots to protect those ankles and stop the blisters. You also need a hardy waterproof coat that you can whip on and off during the ever-changing weather you will undoubtedly experience when out for a hike in Cornwall. I don't go anywhere without a backpack, and personally, I love my Osprey backpacks and inside will always be a (reusable) bottle of water and some snacks.

I rely heavily on an app called iWalk Cornwall to navigate myself around the coast. To a beginner, I would recommend downloading this app to your phone to easily find your way without relying on your dusty map and compass reading skills.

I also would recommend walking poles to anyone nervous about the steep inclines and descents, as these will give you another level of confidence if you are a little unsteady on your feet.

Who inspires you?

This one has always been an easy question for me to answer because there has only ever been one person who has inspired me from the get-go, and that is our walking queen, Julia Bradbury. I have been an avid admirer of Julia and her work for nearly 15-years and am fortunate to have met her a handful

Not only has Julia been a huge support, mentor and friend of mine and Cornish Ramblings, she has also been someone many people admire for the work she does around getting people outside, walking, enjoying nature, homelessness, the environment and, well, the list just goes on. Julia continues to inspire me with the work she does, and I will always be grateful that she has taken the time to help this Cornish Rambler blossom into the walk leader she is today.

What are your views on the conservation of the Coast Path?

I have strong opinions on ensuring we do what we can to conserve our coastal paths. There are thousands of people in Cornwall, and millions of people coming to Cornwall, all of which want to enjoy what we have to offer and usually, it involves walking along our coast paths. When out on a hike, I try to do my bit to conserve our South West Coast Path, whether it be litter picking, not veering off the pathways that could damage plants and hedges, and encouraging those who join me to look after their surroundings.

Everyone should have access to the paths as it is such an integral part of many of our lives, whether it's a space to connect to nature, a place to relax, a tool to exercise, a way to spend time with loved ones, an opportunity to learn and a route to grow. Without the help of funders and the volunteers who look after the Coast Path, we could lose sections of the Path forever.

It's not just about the now; we need to protect it for the future to always be available and accessible to all.

You can find out more about Cornish Ramblings on their website cornishramblings.co.uk and theoutdoorguide.co.uk/testimonial/cornishramblings-jody-woolcock

Coast Path Magazine

21

Witness the dramatic and untouched wild beauty of the Lizard Peninsula. Evolving magnificently from season to season, with areas that seemingly time forgot.

Discover it with us, at the UK’s most southerly hotel, Housel Bay.

SWCW Advert

22 Housel Bay Hotel, Lizard, TR12 7PG

www.houselbay.com

Follow us on Instagram at @swcoastwalki ng @coastpathmag

Feature in Coast Path Magazine We want to hear real stories from the Coast Path. Please email feature ideas to hello@coastwalking.co.uk.

F E AT U R E

10 Reasons To Visit This Autumn Summer may be the walker’s choice for exploring the South West Coast Path, with its long days and languid weather, but it’s time to fall in love with autumn.

BY RUTH KING

24

Coast Path Magazine

›

F E AT U R E

O

ften overlooked in favour of its sunnier sister, autumn is when the South West Coast Path comes into its own. Enjoy deserted sunrise strolls, immerse yourself in a wild and wonderful landscape, and feast on the freshest local produce – here’s why you should pack your bag, lace up your walking boots and visit the South West Coast Path this autumn. >

Coast Path Magazine

25

F E AT U R E

1

Beat the crowds

October half term idea - Una St Ives

As the summer season draws to a close, once crowded South West hotspots empty, and the Coast Path is that much more peaceful for it. With school holidays at an end and the summer sunshine fading, autumn is the time to explore the South West Coast Path’s most popular walks – like those near Durdle Door, Fowey and Clovelly – without having to get up early to beat the crowds. And if you seek out some lesser-known walks, you may find the trail deserted for many stretches, save for you, the crashing waves and the rustling autumn leaves.

Memories to cherish for a lifetime. Sandy beaches, delicious seasonal food and rugged coastal walks will all feed the soul and allow you to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life.

October half term- Join us for a minimum of seven nights in a stylish lodge of your choice, enjoying Una Spa and our leisure facilities, helping you restore your health and wellbeing. On your first night, enjoy a delicious two-course meal at our restaurant, Una Kitchen (drinks not included). Having family fun in Una’s 15-metre infinity pool, along with use of the sauna, steam, and jacuzzi is sure to keep everyone happy.

Includes: • A minimum of seven nights in an Una lodge, of your choice.

• A delicious two-course meal on your first evening.

• Unlimited use of Una’s Leisure & Spa facilities: pools, sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi.

One-bedroom lodge available from £1,308 for seven-night stays. Visit www.unastives.co.uk to book.

26

Coast Path Magazine

F E AT U R E

2

Plan some more challenging walks Gone is the searing summer sun and the high humidity it brings and in comes a cooler coastal breeze; for many, this may be something to mourn, but the more temperate weather is a much more comfortable climate in which to walk.

Autumn is the time to take on a Coast Path challenge, whether that be a longer distance route like the 12.5 miles from Corfe Castle to Swanage, or a fiendishly hilly section such as the epic Golden Cap, the highest point on Britain’s south coast.

With the cooler temperatures and the fresh sea breeze at your back, it’ll feel that much easier.

3

Explore dog-friendly beaches With the end of the summer comes the end of seasonal dog restrictions, which is great news if you’re walking the Coast Path with four-legged friends at your side. Coincide your walk with a visit to one of the myriad golden sands or secret coves along the trail – such as Porthcurno in Cornwall or South Beach in Salcombe, Devon – and your trip will be all the more special for sharing it with your canine companion. Of course, please check your favoured beach’s restrictions before you set off, and remember to be a responsible dog owner.

Coast Path Magazine

27

F E AT U R E

4

28 28

Take a dip…

Some would argue that the sea doesn’t seem quite as inviting in the cooler autumn months, but they’d be missing out. Autumn is the time of year when the sea is at its warmest, after the blazing sun has gently warmed the water over those long and lazy summer days, so it really is the best time to take a dip. In fact, if you time your visit towards the end of the autumn, you may find the water is actually warmer than the air temperature – a very pleasant way to refresh yourself after a long day of hiking.

Coast Path Magazine

5

…or catch a wave!

If surfing is more your thing, take your pick of the many surf breaks accessible just off the Coast Path and enjoy the best waves of the year. Not only is the water at its warmest (so no need to pack your winter suits just yet), and the crowds dispersed, but the infamous flat spells of summer have been replaced by strong groundswell from the Atlantic, bringing with it some fantastic waves just begging to be surfed.

Popular spots include Woolacombe in North Devon and Widemouth Bay, North Cornwall.

F E AT U R E

Stay ideas

6

Soak up the sunrise Yes, the arrival of autumn does mean the days are noticeably shorter. But with shorter days come more opportunities to enjoy the world coming to life before your eyes. As the sun rises close to 8am at the end of October, autumn is the perfect time for an early morning walk with nature all around you. Listen to the chorus of native birds, watch the morning dew sparkle underfoot, and enjoy the kaleidoscopic colours of the sky above.

Stay at The Polurrian on the Lizard.

Wander along the stunning South West Coast Path which runs through our garden, explore hidden coves and beautiful beaches, enjoy wild coastal walks and time with your loved ones.

Wind down the day with a gentle yoga class or spa treatment, then admire the panoramic sunrise views from our Vista lounge.

7

Enjoy the changing colours One of the delights of autumn is the ever-changing colours, and the South West Coast Path offers more than its fair share of these fiery scenes. Plan a route through woodland and enjoy the seasonal tones around you, from grassy greens and vivid yellows of younger leaves to the burnished oranges and reds collecting on the ground. Great places for a woodland walk include Culver Cliff near Minehead, Mount Edgcumbe in Cornwall, and Exmoor’s Heddon Valley.

RATES FROM £159 FOR A ONE-NIGHT STAY Our one-night break includes breakfast and £20 credit per adult for dinner each evening.

Visit www.polurrianhotel.com to book.

Coast Path Magazine

29 29

F E AT U R E

8

Photo from Meudon Hotel: Lee Searle

Feast on seasonal food All those miles clocked up on the Coast Path really work up your appetite and, as summer turns to autumn, nature provides a feast. With the South West producing an incredible array of food and drink, you couldn’t be better placed to enjoy the seasonal bounty. Whether you choose to go foraging for blackberries along the coast path itself, or want to dine on seafood and shellfish landed metres away from where you’ve been walking, you can fill your boots and bellies with the very best local, seasonal produce on an autumn walking holiday.

Foodie ideas • matfollas.com/wild-food-foraging • Hotel Meudon for food. To book a table, call: 01326 250541.

Guided Walking Breaks – Stay at Hotel Meudon during the autumn and enjoy late afternoon guided walks around Rosemullion Head, the Helford and Maenporth.

Rates from £372 for a two-night break on a bed and breakfast basis, including a sumptuous afternoon tea.

Visit www.meudon.co.uk to book.

30

Coast Path Magazine

F E AT U R E

Photo of St Gothian Sands Nature Reserve: Paul Freestone

9

Spot a wide range of nature

Nature ideas

While spring may be thought of as the busiest season for nature, autumn has its own agenda, and you can catch a glimpse of many wild species on your South West walks. A highlight of any coastal trip is spotting a seal, and autumn is when these beautiful creatures come ashore to breed in places such as Godrevy Point and Padstow, both in Cornwall – just remember to keep a safe distance so as not to disturb them. You may also see migratory birds such as swallows and nightingales swooping overhead as they make their way to sunnier climes, or squirrels busying themselves with preparations for the long winter months ahead.

• cornwall-birding.co.uk • ilfracombeseasafari.co.uk • lulworthoutdoors.com

Coast Path Magazine

31

F E AT U R E

10

Be reinvigorated by the rugged scenery Autumn can be a wild one, bringing tempestuous winds and revealing dramatic landscapes, and you can enjoy a front-row seat for all the action from the Coast Path. Feel the salt spray your skin as giant waves soak the cliffs below; discover jagged terrain as the greenery recedes, telling centuries of stories, and walk past fields of wizened trees bent backwards by fierce storms. Autumn might not always be bright, but boy is it beautiful.

Some rugges places along the Path • The Valley of Rocks • Tintagel • Warbarrow Bay • Bedruthern Steps

Photographer: Liam Alford

32 32

Coast Path Magazine

E A T, D R I N K & R E L A X Treat yourself this Autumn to a one, two, three or four-night break from £159 (for a one night stay). Wander along the stunning South West Coast Path which runs through our garden, explore hidden coves and beautiful beaches, enjoy wild coastal walks and time with your loved ones. Wind down the day with a gentle yoga class or spa treatment, then admire the panoramic sunset views from our Vista lounge. Our one-night break includes breakfast and £20 credit per adult for dinner each evening.

on the Lizard

BLOG

#PolurrianOnTheLizard I N F O @ P O L U R R I A N H OT E L .C O M P O L U R R I A N R O A D, M U L L I O N , C O R N WA L L T R12 7 E N 0 8 4 4 5 0 2 8 3 3 0 • P O L U R R I A N H O T E L .C 33O M

33

P A T H S T AY S

Marvellous Meudon Set in Cornish subtropical gardens, and accessible by walking straight off the South West Coast Path, Hotel Meudon really is truly marvellous.

It even has direct access to its own private beach, Bream Cove.

WORDS BY JULIE WILLIAMS

34

Coast Path Magazine

›

Photographer: Lee Searle

P A T H S T AY S

Coast Path Magazine

35

P A T H S T AY S

T

ake a walk from the Helford Passage, along the South West Coast Path, and on the way, you may find yourself enveloped in a luscious green valley, more reminiscent of Hawaii than Cornwall. With a subtropical variety of large flora and interesting fauna, and with numerous winding pathways leading up to a sprawling estate nestled in the gardens, your curiosity might get the better of you...

The sign at the seaward entrance to the gardens tells you that you are entering the grounds of the historic Hotel Meudon. Before venturing too far inside, it is worth your while pausing and sitting for a while to take in the raw beauty of your surroundings.

The gardens edge is adjacent to Hotel Meudon’s private beach ‘Bream Cove’. With jetty access for small boats and sea craft, this is a secluded beach that is perfect for snorkelling due to the sheltered, rocky topology and abundant, undisturbed sea life.

Choose your pathway and wander up slowly through the gardens, soaking in the tranquillity, sights and wonderful aromas of this leafy corner of paradise, until you reach the hotel itself. A day’s walking, swimming, snorkelling, or even sunbathing, will mean that refreshments are required, and you cannot fail to be impressed by the food and drink on offer at Hotel Meudon. With everything ranging from light bites, cream teas and barista coffee, to mouthwatering 5 course meals created with locally sourced seafood, meat, dairy and vegetables, expertly created signature cocktails and an extensive wine list, there is something for everyone, but with everything of the highest quality.

With rooms boasting king-sized beds fitted with luxurious, high quality linen and a newly refurbished hotel interior, designed with chic, 1960s inspired style and comfort in mind, you will no doubt want to stay a while. Sit and relax with a drink in front of the open fireplace in the lounge, or treat yourself to a feast, while looking out on the sumptuous valley garden through the floor to ceiling windows. It may be not be easy to drag yourself away for the next day’s adventures, but Hotel Meudon is waiting when you get back. It’s not hard to see why we call this place ‘Cornwall’s best-kept secret’…

36

Coast Path Magazine

P A T H S T AY S

Rooms cost from £119 per night on a bed and breakfast basis (based on two people sharing in low season).

For more information and to book visit www.meudon.co.uk.

Follow Hotel Meudon on Instagram @hotelmeudon

Coast Path Magazine

37

STAY • E AT • CELEBR ATE

Cornwall’s best-kept secret...

The stunning subtropical valley setting of Hotel

If wanderlust takes hold, then there are some truly

Meudon is a short hop from the South West Coast Path.

wonderful walks nearby. Stroll to the mouth of

Our own secluded and idyllic beach ‘Bream Cove’ is

the Helford River and beyond via Rosemullion Head,

just perfect for wild swimming, snorkelling, stand-up

taking in ancient woodland and fishing villages on

paddle boarding or just relaxing with a picnic.

the way.

H O38 T E LCoast M EPath U DMagazine O N • M A W N A N S M I T H , F A L M O U T H , C O R N W A L L T R 11 5 H T • M E U D O N . C O . U K

PURE

INTERVIEW

WANDERLUST

WWW.HANWAG.COM

HANWAG BANKS GTX A brand new interpretation of a Hanwag classic, the Banks is back with upgraded style, comfort and performance. Handcrafted and last-constructed in Europe for guaranteed quality and easy resoling , the Banks is offered in a range of supportive yet spacious fits including our new SF Extra model.

Coast Path Magazine

39

PAT H P E O P L E

Run Dani, Run! Back in May 2021, Dani Blackie began an attempt to complete a new assisted female 'Fasted Known Time' to complete the South West Coast Path. She did it in an incredible 18 days, 14 hours, 42 minutes and 42 seconds. Dani shared some words with us on her mammoth adventure to raise money for the SWCPA and Save Me Trust.

BY DANI BLACKIE

40

Coast Path Magazine

›

PAT H P E O P L E

Coast Path Magazine

41

PAT H P E O P L E

T

he SWCP has been an intrepid adventure of sorts, covering 665 miles. Starting in Minehead, Somerset and moving across the more rugged coastline of North Devon, through Cornwall, South Devon and culminating at South Haven Point, Dorset. The geographic profile of the coastline changes along the journey, with a new spectacular vista around every corner. The Path vastly varies in terrain from the wild rocky aspects Harland Quays and Zennor to the mines of Botallack, the rolling hills of Noss Mayo, the woodland fairylands of Clovelly, the Jurassic park like jungle forest between Seaton and Lyme Regis and the chalky hills of the Purbecks.

The highlights have included the full immersion into nature during the challenge. The calming crash of the ocean with its ever changing mood, the seals at Godrevy, the adder incident at Roseland Penninsula, slow worms, bunnies, birds, deer, cows and basking sharks. In a way I have completed an ice cream tour of the SWCP, it has been delicious. The best Cornish pasty found on route was in Mevagissy but I’m sure we’ll be back to sample some more of Cornwall’s finest.

The support and love received along the way from not only my friends and family but the running and local communities along the Path has been phenomenal. My partner Matt and I have met some amazing people. From Julie and Amanda (Braunton) troubleshooting the support vehicle issues and giving us a massive power pack, to the lovely Helen in Penzance doing my smelly sports washing and Fat Apples Cafe (Helston) for one of the most amazing hot chocolates ever and advice on crossing Gillian Creek. The random acts of kindness from the new friends we have met along the way has been heart warming.

The toughest days were the extreme headwinds on the Lizard that kept blowing me off my feet. I took a big tumble to the road in Penzance and again over some rocks into a gorse bush somewhere between hope cove and Salcombe. Midway through the challenge my shins and ankles were extremely inflamed and every step was excruciating. These were the most challenging days as I was unable to bend my feet or ankles without being in pain. Fortunately, after 4 days I had managed to identify the imbalance in the muscles causing the issues and move past it. Asides from all that, the motorhome we hired had multiple failures, which resulted in there being no water, heating and fridge for the majority of the challenge.

With only 3 showers in the 18 days and that many miles I imagine I smelt worse than a badgers armpit!

42

Coast Path Magazine

The support van, Matt has been integral to the challenge and the support crew are often the unsung heroes of these events. A small list of his many jobs each day: ensuring support stops, navigation, weather, trying to access the Path, finding sleeping stops, obtaining food and water, marketing and communications and chief sock changer. LD fitness, Louise Diez is not only one of my closest friends but an amazing coach, she popped up throughout the event which helped keep me going. Tasha Fanshawe I cannot thank enough for force feeding me peanut butter when I needed the fat content. Geotracks sponsored the GPS tracking that allowed people to remotely follow my journey. Such technology felt imperative as an extra safety precaution and to locate the support van.

I am so thankful for all the kind donations towards our fantastic charities to date. The SWCP association do a brilliant job maintaining and preserving the path so it remains an enjoyable area of natural beauty for people to enjoy. The Save Me Trust protects wildlife and habitats within the UK, trying to ensure a future where animals are free to live peacefully without violence.

I cannot express the gratitude I have for having had the opportunity to experience the SWCP during the challenge. Attaining the Solo Female FTK has been an unbelievable experience. However, the record does not just belong to me, it is for all the ladies out there.

I hope it inspires people to get outside and enjoy sports, nature and wildlife not just with others but by themselves too. To those who fancy the whole SWCP in one hit: you never know what you are capable of until you try. It’s a fantastic life experience. Now a ladies record has been lain down I look forward to seeing many more succeed and achieve and improve upon the FKT. Matt also had some words to say from his experience running the support vehicle. So funny! See next page.

PAT H P E O P L E

Coast Path Magazine

43

PAT H P E O P L E

G

oing into the event with zero experience in ultra running support, planning everything from checkpoint locations to the exact protein intake per day was essential. Unfortunately, it was also irrelevant by the end of day two! After going out to find Dani in the pitch black two nights in a row, we were out of sync with our itinerary and were winging it for the next 17 days. Fortunately, we were lucky enough to get some help along the way and meet some awesome people like yourselves.

I had not only a battle against time navigating the roads, but also the 'leisure' vehicle we hired. The motorhome from hell and the non-existent customer service made life tough. Water leaks, boiler issues, broken drawers and a fridge failure were just some of the challenges that I dealt with daily.

Checkpoint 3, day 2: Clovelly - I'm waiting for a phone call from BBC Radio Devon, and I have no signal.

I had washed Dani's socks and open the lounge window to hang them out while I wander around waiting to go live on the radio. Interview over it's time to lock up and meet Dani, so I go to the window and follow the instructions 'fully extend the window before closing'. I fully extend the window, and it doesn't return... Dani is on her way, and I have no choice but

44

Coast Path Magazine

to dismantle the window brackets with a butter knife.

That was the first true taster of life on the road. By the second week, I would look at the sea from the top of a cliff and dream of putting a brick on the accelerator and watching that four wheeled box of torment fly! None the less we battled on.

Each day I'd be where Dani needed me and try to make her day a little easier, but without providing basics like a shower, I'm not sure I consistently achieved it. One of our funniest moments was two weeks in... I think we'd both slightly lost our minds by this point, but I was still determined to make the best of what we had, and somehow, everything came together. After a long day on the trail, Dani crashed out on the bed with no expectations. The oven was on, the water was heated, and the van was warm, "babe, after two weeks, I have finally managed to provide you with warmth, hot food and a shower on the same day!". In disbelief, she looked at me, and we just laughed hysterically; that was the story of our challenge in one moment. It was truly a battle from start to finish, and I am so proud of what Dani physically achieved, on top of the stress we dealt with together every day. It wasn't a fairytale, but it was a truly incredible experience.

EVERY DAY. EVERY TRAIL.

SENSE RIDE 4

F E AT U R E

Into The Blue While people from all over the world visit the South West Coast Path to walk along this beloved trail, there are plenty of other ways you can get active in the great outdoors that lie just off the beaten track.

BY RUTH KING

46

Coast Path Magazine

›

F E AT U R E

I

n fact, you could easily spend an action-packed week around the Coast Path and barely walk at all; instead, immerse yourself in the coastal landscape with a refreshing dip in a secret bay, scramble across jagged cliff edges before plunging yourself into the swirling water below, or even soar high above the coastline, taking in the Path from a brand-new viewpoint.

Here are some ideas for what else you can do on the South West Coast Path besides walking, so you can find some inspiration for your next active break.

Coast Path Magazine

47

F E AT U R E

1

Trail running While walking the Coast Path might be challenge enough for some, others see the undulating hills and jagged terrain as a tempting trial to be tackled as quickly as possible. If you’re one of them, trail running can be a great way to discover the South West Coast Path, with a variety of routes on offer including a total of 30,000 steps to traverse. Plus, there are many events throughout the year where you can test yourself and raise money for charity at the same time.

You’d be hard pushed to beat the Coast Path record, which was set in 2020 by Kristian Morgan who ran all 630 miles in slightly over 10 days. But, as they say, it’s the taking part that counts, and the South West Coast Path has some of the most beautiful and most demanding trail running routes in the country that are yours for the taking.

48

Coast Path Magazine

Where to try it: • • •

Penwith Heritage Coast, Cornwall Soar Mill Cove, Devon Lulworth Cove, Dorset

tra-uk.org runtourscornwall.co.uk

F E AT U R E

2

Stand up paddleboarding A sedate way of cruising along the meandering South West coastline, or a novel way of surfing the waves, stand up paddleboarding (SUP) is almost always an option no matter the conditions and is really easy to try if you’re a beginner. Simply stand with your feet hip-width apart on a large board and use the paddle to propel yourself through the water. As well as seeing the sights, you’ll get a great workout as SUP is perfect for allaround body conditioning.

3

If you’re not so confident on the water, there are many instructors who will take you out for a guided cruise where you can get up close and personal with famous coastal landmarks and maybe even come face to face with a cheeky seal!

Where to try it: • • •

Studland Bay, Dorset Salcombe South Sands, Devon Porthallow, Cornwall

studlandwatersports.co.uk salcombepaddleboarding.com supinabag.co.uk oskcwatersports.co.uk

Swimming Make sure you pack your swimmers; slipping into the cool waters of the Atlantic Ocean after a day on the Coast Path is a brilliant way to refresh your body and mind, and there are plenty of places to dive right in. More and more providers are offering swim tours of the coastline too, which can be a great way to safely immerse yourself in the natural environment if you need a little guidance.

Whether you want to get some lengths in at a lido or fancy braving the elements for a spot of wild swimming amongst the waves, the South West Coast Path offers a myriad of places for a dip, plus you can reap the health benefits of cold-water swimming, such as a boosted immune system and reduced stress.

The only thing left to decide is whether you’re brave enough to ditch the wetsuit!

Where to try it: • • •

Bude Sea Pool, Cornwall Jubilee Pool Penzance, Cornwall Broadsands Beach, Devon

budeseapool.org jubileepool.co.uk seaswimcornwall.co.uk Coast Path Magazine

49

FIND FREEDOM THROUGH SUP Pro Construction Board + Kayak Conversion Kit + 2-in-1 Convertible Paddle + Pump + Ankle Leash + Back-Pack.

T HE AL L R O UND SUP www.bluefinsupboards.com

Our Cruise boards combine aggressive performance features of touring boards with the comfort and stability of all-round leisure models. For beginners or experts, who want a board that travels light and provides rigid stability.

F E AT U R E

Photographer: Adrienne Sidford

4

Cycling

Where to try it:

Most of the South West Coast Path is unsuitable for cycling, but don’t let that put you off a biking holiday entirely. While there are a few short sections of the coast path you can explore by bike, it’s best to visit one of the places where it meets up with a long-distance national trail if you want to navigate the spectacular landscape on both two feet and two wheels.

• • •

Tarka Trail, Devon Wadebridge, Cornwall Minehead, Somerset

tarkatrail.org.uk visitcameltrail.co.uk sustrans.org.uk

In North Devon, the traffic-free Tarka Trail joins with the South West Coast Path between Bideford and Braunton, and is a great option for those with children.

In Wadebridge, Cornwall, the coast path traces round the edge of the glistening Camel Estuary, home to the longdistance (and also traffic-free) Camel Trail. And, if you really fancy a challenge, follow the regional route number 51 from the Coast Path’s beginnings in Minehead all the way along the vertiginous Exmoor coastline to Ilfracombe, where the sights – as well as the hills – will leave you breathless.

Coast Path Magazine

51

F E AT U R E

5

Surfing

Where to try it:

The ultimate South West sport, surfing began in Cornwall and has spread throughout the region. And while it may seem like you to need to possess a fair amount of athletic prowess to even attempt riding the waves, don’t be fooled.

In fact, it’s really easy to give surfing a go, no matter what your age or ability, and there are many surf schools around the South West that will share the ‘stoke’ of your first wave, as well as providing all the equipment you need.

• • •

For those who are more familiar with a surfboard, the South West Coast Path is the gateway to many secret spots, where the underwater reefs and narrow coves create world-class waves – although you’ll have to seek out these places for yourself as they’re too good to share!

52

Coast Path Magazine

Newquay, Devon Croyde, Devon Polzeath, Cornwall

surf-saunton.co.uk croydebaysurfhire.co.uk polzeathsurfclub.org

F E AT U R E

6

Hang gliding If you want to experience the South West coastline from an entirely new perspective, how about hang gliding? Perhaps not one for those who are lacking a head for heights, hang gliding makes the most of the hills the Coast Path is famous for and rewards those brave enough to try it with the serene sense of soaring silently through the sky, the once-familiar coastline now tiny beneath your feet – a vantage point few get to witness.

Of course, this is not a sport for novices, but there are many instructors around the South West who can take you on a tandem flight where you can truly appreciate the scale and beauty of this majestic coastal landscape.

Where to try it: • • • •

Woolacombe, Devon Sandymouth, Cornwall Bossington, Somerset Whitsands Bay

7

Kite surfing Combining the skills of power kiting, sailing and wakeboarding, kite surfing is a great sport if you want to challenge both your body and your mind. Once mastered, you’ll be at one with the wind and the water, zooming across the sea powered only by the elements, and even tackling death-defying leaps the height of houses.

Before you get to that stage, however, there are a few skills to learn, but there are even more instructors willing to teach them to you. Look for a BKA-accredited instructor who will not only cover kite and board skills, but help you read the conditions too.

Where to try it: • • •

Westward Ho!, Devon Daymer Bay, Cornwall Exmouth, Devon

514elemental.com venturiwatersports.com edgewatersports.com

bhpa.co.uk Coast Path Magazine

53

SUSTAINABLE BRITISH APPAREL UNYIELDING TO THE ELEMENTS

www.gallox.co.uk

@gallox_clothing

@galloxclothing

F E AT U R E

Photographer: Richard Boys

8

Coasteering

Where to try it:

The ultimate way to explore the famous coastline that’s hugged by the South West Coast Path, coasteering involves traversing craggy cliffs by walking, climbing and scrambling, before plunging into the water below.

• • •

As well as getting your adrenaline pumping, it’s a unique way of immersing yourself in the coastal landscape – you may encounter secret coves, rarely seen marine life, and tidal whirlpools as you negotiate the sometimesdemanding routes.

Praa Sands, Cornwall Hele Bay, Devon Dancing Ledge, Dorset

kernow-coasteering.co.uk coastaladventuresnd.co.uk dorsetcoasteering.co.uk

If you’re up for the challenge, it’s best to contact an outdoor activity provider who will kit you out in all the necessary safety gear as well as taking you on the routes most appropriate to your ability. Once you’ve tried it, it’s likely you’ll be hooked and the South West Coast Path – once the setting of sedate strolls – will become a portal to your very own coastal adventure playground.

Coast Path Magazine

55

F E AT U R E

Photography: Plastic Free North Devon

Protecting Our Playground We all know that single use plastic is a huge environmental issue, and cheap polystyrene bodyboards are a very visible part of the problem.

We caught up with local grassroots charity Plastic Free North Devon to find out how they have been working to combat this issue, campaigning to remove these boards from sale and providing a more eco-friendly, sustainable alternative.

›

56

Coast Path Magazine

F E AT U R E

Who we are Here at Plastic Free North Devon (PFND), we aim to inspire North Devon residents, tourists and businesses to drastically reduce their consumption of single-use plastic, remove it from the environment and dispose of it properly. We aim to connect people with their natural surroundings through conversations, education and events to ensure residents and visitors alike want to protect what our very existence depends on.

We need to talk about bodyboards While they might look fun, cheap polystyrene bodyboards are having some very serious consequences for our environment.

As part of our Protect our Playground campaign, we have been working hard to get businesses, locals, visitors, and local and national government behind our mission to ban the sale of these environmentally damaging cheap polystyrene bodyboards. They might look like a bargain at first glance, but these boards are

made from blocks of polystyrene covered in brightly coloured plastic fabric, and are simply not built to last; they often break within minutes or hours of use, leaving an environmental headache in their wake. The broken boards then make their way to landfill or are simply discarded across our beaches.

Over the last couple of years, Keep Britain Tidy’s (KBT) #waveofwaste campaign has highlighted the scale of this issue; just locally, over 500 of these broken bodyboards were collected from Croyde in 2019, and more recently 50 were collected during just one beach clean over the 2021 May bank holiday weekend. When you scale that across our UK coastlines and the summer season, according to KBT this adds up to around 16,000 bodyboards a year that’s a lot of needless waste!

So, we decided to work with our local community to do something about it. We joined forces with Plastic Free Torridge and KBT’s Ocean Recovery Project to campaign for cheap polystyrene bodyboards to be banned from sale. Alongside lobbying businesses and

Coast Path Magazine

57

F E AT U R E

Free Plastic Follow n o v e D North ram g ta s In on rthcfreeno @plasti devon

the government to stop these boards being sold, we have also been championing wooden bellyboards as a sustainable alternative.

Styrene, one of the building blocks of polystyrene, has been classified as a ‘probable carcinogen’, i.e. it probably causes cancer.

Our initial pilot saw us teaming up with Surf Hire Saunton to provide our very own ‘Protect our Playground’ boards for hire, thanks to some generous funding from Turnstyle Designs to help us meet the initial production costs. The pilot was successful and has now been rolled out to Freshwell Camping in Croyde, Cherry Tree Farm Campsite and Ruda Holiday Park in Croyde, and a growing number of local hospitality businesses are now offering our wooden bellyboards to their guests as part of our visitor campaign. Plastic Free Torridge also launched their FREE2HIRE scheme in Westward ho! with free hire of wooden bellyboards to ensure access to all.

Broken down polystyrene pellets can become coated in algae and then mistaken for food by marine life, with the potential for then entering the human food chain.

What’s the damage?

Cheap polystyrene bodyboards are typically shipped over 5000 miles from where they are manufactured in China, leaving a huge carbon footprint.

What have we achieved so far?

Local businesses across popular North Devon coastal resorts of Croyde, Saunton Beach, and Westward Ho! have all agreed to stop selling these boards.

Our wooden belly boards are available for hire at various locations in Saunton and Croyde, following a successful pilot launch.

Local hospitality businesses have purchased boards to share with their guests as part of our Visitor Campaign.

They break easily in the surf, sometimes within just minutes or hours of use.

Support for the campaign from the leaders of two national political parties, the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats, local MPs, District and Parish councillors.

Chemicals leach into the environment, throughout the manufacture, shipping and breakdown processes and are inhaled or ingested by wildlife and humans.

Almost 6000 signatures on our ‘Ban the sale of cheap polystyrene bodyboards’ petition to the government we need 10,000 to guarantee a response.

58

Coast Path Magazine

F E AT U R E

What can you do?

Making waves

Hire one of our Protect Our Playground wooden bellyboards, currently available at Saunton Surf Hire at Saunton, Freshwell Camping, Cherry Tree Farm or Ruda at Croyde, or from the FREE2HIRE locations in Westward ho!. Or borrow from your participating guesthouses and campsites. Encourage other businesses to sign up to the campaign and get involved by supplying their guests with bellyboards and beach toys they can borrow.

We have been humbled by the incredible response to this project so far and hope to see it evolving and growing over the coming months, so that we can educate and inspire more people to work with us and protect the stunning landscape that we have on our doorstep.

If you have fun (and we’re sure you will!) and want to invest in a wooden belly board that will last for years rather than minutes - you can buy your own through our website, Second Skin in Braunton, or Pura Vida in Barnstaple.

Talk to friends and family about how damaging these boards are and help us to educate and shape positive behaviour change.

Speak to businesses that are still selling these boards, and use our consumer power to encourage them to stop.

Sign our petition to get a response from national government, and maybe even get the issue debated in parliament!

Start a campaign in your area. Whether it’s bodyboards, plastic buckets and spades, or another single use item such as disposable coffee cups, we’ve put together a toolkit that you can use to effect change in your local area. Head over to our website plasticfreenorthdevon.org to check it out and get started.

Not only has this campaign helped achieve tangible change in our local communities; a number of businesses outside of North Devon are also embracing the wooden bellyboard, allowing the message to spread beyond our local coast - a perfect example of the ‘think global, act local’ ethos at work, and how small scale local changes can have a bigger impact.

One of the things that people have consistently fed back to us, is that their nan or granddad still has one of these boards from back in the day. It’s fantastic to think that something that our grandparents’ generation enjoyed can still be enjoyed by their grandchildren.

Who would have thought that wooden bellyboards could become a metaphor for how we should be treating our planet?

It’s a reminder that our choices now have a long term impact (for good or bad) which will affect future generations. And it’s up to us which choices we make and these are more likely to be the right ones if we remember that we are customers in a caring community rather than seeing ourselves in the eyes of a big corporation that views us as individual consumers and the source of this year’s profit.

Feeling inspired to take action? Don't forget to sign the petition at www.bancheapbodyboards.co.uk before August 11th, and next time you head down to the beach, ‘try the ply’.

Head to plasticfreenorthdevon.org to find out more about our charity.

Coast Path Magazine

59

Where are we cooking today?

Versatile outdoor cooking Introducing the new range of light and portable Campingaz® double burner stoves, powered by CV470 Plus cartridges.

• Easy Clic® Plus regulator included, delivering consistent power, even as the cartridge empties • Removable enamelled steel pan supports • Slimline steel body with recessed side grips • 3 models available

NEW

NEW

Camping Cook CV

Camping Kitchen 2 CV

Camping Kitchen 2 CV PZ

Campingaz.com/UK

Planet friendly comfort

DESIGNED FOR A DV E N T U R E

@bamboo_clothing

BA M B O OC LOTH ING.CO .UK

@BambooClothing

F E AT U R E

Woohoo Bamboo Coast Path Mag found out more about Plymouth based BAM Bamboo Clothing.

Who are BAM? Based in Plymouth, BAM Bamboo Clothing designs and manufactures soft and sustainable bamboo active wear which is predominantly sold online.

BAM was the brainchild of David Gordon, who is really an embodiment of the brand: an adventurer and sports enthusiast with a passion for looking after the planet.

It started out as a pioneering collection of base layers, underwear and socks.

David had learnt the significance of comfortable and high performing base layers the hard way before he started BAM. He joined a team of Gurkhas on a man-haul expedition across the wilderness of Greenland. It became obvious how important it was to have a soft, breathable and warm base layer.

When you are exploring one of the remotest places on earth, the last thing needed is the distraction of uncomfortable clothing.

credentials and lighter impact on the WORDS BY JULIE WILLIAMS planet, he was sold and in 2006 BAM was born, the first bamboo clothing company in Europe.

was a gamechanger.

Set in Cornish subtropical gardens, and accessible by walking straight off the South West Coast Path, Hotel When David camereally across the is concept Meudon truly marvellous. of using bamboo for clothing in China and the amazing qualities It discovered even has direct access to its own of the fibre - ideal for activewear – he knew he’d hit upon somethingBream special. private beach, Cove.

Discovering bamboo as a fabric fibre Combined with its environmental

62

Coast Path Magazine

F E AT U R E Photography: BAM Bamboo Clothing

Coast Path Magazine

63

F E AT U R E

Follow BAM Bamboo Clothin g on Instagram @bamboo_clothin g

Why is bamboo better for the planet'?

Bamboo is one of the planet’s most sustainable raw materials. It helps clean the air we breathe. The grass absorbs five time more CO2 from the air than the equivalent amount of hardwood trees. Not only that, two thirds of the carbon is stored in the soil and root system which – unlike trees and cotton – isn’t dug up when the bamboo is harvested so the carbon stays in the ground. Bamboo also releases 35% more oxygen than its hardwood tree equivalent.

It needs half the land that cotton needs to produce the same amount of fibre. It needs no pesticides to grow and needs no irrigation.

You can only make a difference if you know what your impact is, so more than two years has been spent tracing the supply chain right back to the raw material, where the bamboo is grown. The impacts relating to climate, people, land, waste, chemical and water have all been identified and measured.

As a result, BAM has pledged that every person in the supply chain is paid fairly and treated with dignity.

Goals have been set for zero waste to landfill, zero pollution and zero wasted water – all by 2030. This applies to every single process from growing the bamboo right through to how the clothes are recycled.

Set in Cornish subtropical gardens, BAM has been in discussion with some amazing experts in the field and great strides have already and accessible by walking straight When BAM began, sustainability wasn’t really on been made in just two years. anyone’s radar. Fast forward 15 years and figures now off the South West Coast Path, Hotel show that the clothing industry has become one of the BAM is climate positive - from forest to fabric to worst for pollution. If fashion were a country, it would be fifty washes. This means that the company has Meudon really truly marvellous. the fourth largest CO2 emitter is in the world – and this offset 100% of the carbon emissions associated with doesn’t even include emissions related to transport. the business and manufacturing the clothes.

It even has direct access to itsrunning own It even offset 50 customer washes for every item of sold and has planted over 8000 mangrove Making an impact private beach, Bream Cove. clothing tree saplings so far.

David always had a clear ambition for the company and in 2020 radical goal was announced: for BAM WORDS BYhis JULIE WILLIAMS to become impact positive by 2030. This means not just reducing negative impacts to zero, but to actually leave a positive footprint on the world; finding a way to be regenerative.

64

Coast Path Magazine

Customers have been drawn into the conversation.

Having measured and compared the impact of the bamboo viscose and organic cotton clothing to a conventional cotton alternative, BAM has icons on

F E AT U R E

each page of the website explaining how many litres of water that garment has saved compared to a conventional cotton equivalent. And how many miles of emissions have been avoided. And how much land has been farmed pesticide free.

When it comes to packaging, all conventional plastic has been removed, replaced with compostable bags and recycled paper.

the harmful environmental impact of everyday laundry practices AND address the assumption that clothing should be washed after one wear.

Obviously a key reason for frequent washing of clothes, especially those worn for an active lifestyle, is to keep them fresh and hygienic. So – how long could a t-shirt be worn between washes? Two days? Three days? How about a week?

What’s in the Range?

Bamboo viscose comes into its own for this challenge.

Base layers, socks and underwear are still core. But the range has developed and expanded over the years, inspired by the activities of customers.

A t-shirt starts to smell when air hits the moisture of sweat. Bamboo has a fibre structure that absorbs moisture away from the skin and into the fabric really effectively, making it more difficult for air to reach.

Ideal for coast path adventures, bamboo fabric is breathable, temperature controlling and has natural moisture wicking, keeping you feeling dry and comfortable. It’s a supersoft, natural alternative to synthetic fabrics. The resulting range is multifunctional, with kit for hiking, running, cycling, climbing, working-out and yoga. And, because of the incredible softness, the clothing is just as good for hanging out at home.

Love where you live BAM isn’t just an ethically driven activewear business; it’s a community, a way of life. For a company that’s ethos is embedded in nature, the location of the business was important. BAM employees all take full advantage of living and working so close to the coastal path. There are hikers, taking on a section of the path at a time. Swimming enthusiasts frequent the fabulous local beaches such as Tranquillity Bay and Wembury Beach. And the team are often involved in coastline clean-ups.

Everyone working for BAM believes that if we want to explore and enjoy the planet, then we need to take care of it. And that includes the choice of clothes that we wear.

There’s a vibrant community of customers and BAMbassadors so to find out more, check out the #MyBAMCommunity and #MyBAMKit on Twitter and Instagram

The ‘Dare To Wear Longer’ Challenge BAM is challenging customers to wear their t-shirts for longer between washes this August– to highlight

With synthetic fabrics, moisture sits on the surface so odour-making bacteria is easily created and the clothing will start to smell quite quickly. Cotton fares a little better, but bamboo viscose, which is three times more absorbent than cotton, stays fresh for longer reducing the need for frequent washing.

Did You Know •

single wash uses approximately 46 litres of water and generates 600g of carbon emissions.

•

one wash at 40°C and tumble drying is the equivalent of driving 11km

So, how can you take control of your own carbon footprint?

•

Wash at 30°C and line dry where possible.

•

Switch detergents

•

Wash less often!

Get involved It’s simple. Grab a t-shirt (it doesn’t have to be BAM!) and see how long it can be worn before washing. Join the campaign on social from 2 August 2021 and be part of the movement #daretowearlonger And, to get you started, it’s sale time at BAM. And readers of Coast Path can also enjoy free delivery by quoting SWCOAST at the checkout until 1 October 2021.

bambooclothing.co.uk Coast Path Magazine

65

F E AT U R E

Leave Nothing But Footprints

66

Coast Path Magazine

F E AT U R E Photography: Ocean Conservation Trust

Coast Path Magazine

67

F E AT U R E

The Ocean Conservation Trust has partnered with Plymouth Gin and Ben Fogle to encourage Brits to hit the beach this summer, but to leave nothing but footprints behind when they head for home.

Set in Cornish subtropical gardens, in the UK are expected biggest annoyance for people at the andeaches accessible by walking straight to face 50% more visitors this seaside is litter left on the beach (68%).

‘Staycation Summer’West as Brits Coast Moreover, although the majority of off the South Path, Hotel look to swap overseas trips for holidays the nation is aware of beach pollution aMeudon little closer to home.

Working TV (88%), most people say they need to really iswithtruly marvellous. adventurer Ben Fogle and Plymouth learn more.

Gin, the Oceanhas Conservation Trust access is It even direct to its own As Ocean optimists, supported encouraging everyone to do their bit to by Plymouth Gin, the campaign look after the coast whilst visiting and private beach, Bream Cove. encourages Brits to get out and explore driving awareness of the importance of

B

aWORDS healthy Ocean.

BY JULIE WILLIAMS

This campaign urges everyone to pick up at least five pieces of litter when they go to beach this summer, with millions of Brits planning staycations and day trips to the beach in the coming weeks.

According to new research, Britain’s beaches have a special place in our hearts and minds – 3 in 4 say the beach makes them happy and an astounding 95% have happy memories linked to the seaside! In fact, Brits believe that views of the seaside make them happier than any other view in the UK. With seven months being the average length of time since Brits last saw the sea, and 71% of us set to visit the coast this summer, it is more important than ever to keep our beaches clean.

The launch of the campaign is sure to find favour as research shows the

68

Coast Path Magazine

the coast this year, but ensure they leave nothing behind when they pack up and head for home.

Ben Fogle says of the campaign:

“The beautiful British coastline is shaped by the Ocean that supports the rich variety of life on our planet, and I want to keep it that way. I spent much of my childhood, just along the coast of Plymouth and I even rowed the Atlantic, so the Ocean has been a huge part of my own life.

This summer, millions of us, myself included, will make a trip to the seaside.

There are some things we can’t control, but we can all do our bit this summer.

There are over 100 million beach visits every year – if we all picked up 5 pieces of litter every visit, that’s over 500 million less pieces of rubbish on the beach.”

F E AT U R E

Coast Path Magazine

69

F E AT U R E

Nicola Bridge, Head of Conservation Education and Communications at Ocean Conservation Trust said: “The sea makes half of the oxygen that we breathe and drives our weather and climate. Even when you can’t see it, it’s a vital part of life – we’re all connected to our Ocean in some way! However, sadly, an equivalent of a full rubbish truck worth of plastic is dumped into the Ocean every minute, and last summer we saw tonnes of plastic on our beaches. With millions of us expected to flock to our coastline this ‘staycation summer, we’re calling on everyone who goes to do their bit.”

programme of beach cleans kicking-off this summer. Plymouth Gin has already made great strides in its sustainability journey; the distillery uses 100% renewable electricity, and all of its gin botanicals are recycled via an anaerobic digestion power plant, to turn waste into energy.

Set in Cornish subtropical gardens, and accessible by walking straight Sean Harrison, Master Distiller for Plymouth Gin said: off the South West Coast Path, Hotel have called the South-West home Meudon really is truly“We marvellous. since 1793 and our distillery is only 75 metres away from the harbour.

It even has direct access to its own Our history is intrinsically linked to ocean, and we have a long and private beach, Bream the Cove. proud history travelling the seas with

There are a few simple yet effective WORDS BY JULIE WILLIAMS ways we can all do to preserve our coastline, with advice including:

the Royal Navy. Like many of us in this country, it is a hugely important part of who we are. Our research shows exactly how connected people feel to • There are over 100 million UK beach the ocean, and it is clear our coastline visits every year – If we each pick has a hugely positive effect on our lives. up just five pieces of litter on our beach visits, that would equate to That is why we’re delighted to be over 500 million pieces of litter being supporting our neighbours here in picked up.

Plymouth, the Ocean Conservation Trust in this ‘leave nothing but • Repack picnic food at home to footprints’ campaign. The campaign ensure packaging is recycled is the next step in our journey into properly and no rubbish is left ensuring sustainability is at the front at the beach. and centre of everything we do, with further activities and initiatives set to • Source local and sustainably roll out in the coming months.” sourced seafood – why not try something new on the menu.

For more sustainable hints and tips from Plymouth Gin and the Ocean Ocean Conservation Trust volunteers Conversation Trust, and to learn more collecting litter from beaches in about how you can do your bit, visit Plymouth. The Plymouth Distillery team has also committed to a year-long

oceanconservationtrust.org plymouthgin.com.

70

Coast Path Magazine

F E AT U R E Photography: Ocean Conservation Trust

Planting Seagrass In Plymouth Sound

On 21st April 2021, work on England’s largest seagrass planting programme took place in Plymouth Sound.

›

Coast Path Magazine

71

F E AT U R E

A

total of 16,000 seagrass seed bags and 2,200 seedling bags were planted by the Ocean Conservation Trust as part of the LIFE Recreation ReMEDIES project being led by Natural England to help support and improve the resilience of our marine environment.

Seagrass seeds were added to hessian bags before being planted in the Sound close to Jenny Cliff Bay. The four-year project aims to plant a total of eight hectares of seagrass meadows with four hectares in Plymouth Sound and four hectares in the Solent Maritime Special Area of Conservation.

This work is extremely important as it is estimated that the UK may have lost up to 92 per cent of its seagrass. Factors including wasting disease, pollution and physical disturbance have been identified as contributing causes.

By planting seagrass in the Sound, the project hopes to create more seagrass meadows which provide homes for juvenile fish and protected creatures like seahorses and stalked jellyfish. Seagrass also has an integral role in stabilising the seabed, cleaning the surrounding water and capturing and storing significant amounts of carbon.

The Ocean Conservation Trust has been leading the restoration work as a project partner. All the seagrass seeds have been bagged at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth by our staff, as well as volunteers. Seedlings have been grown in the Aquarium’s special seagrass laboratory since January – so the project has been developing over the past year before deployment.

ReMEDIES is funded by the EU LIFE programme and led by Natural England in partnership with Ocean Conservation Trust, Marine Conservation Society, Royal Yachting Association and Plymouth City Council/Tamar Estuaries Consultative Forum.

Mark Parry, Development Officer at Ocean Conservation Trust, said: “Our first successful planting effort is only possible because of all the hard work of the partners in the LIFE ReMEDIES project. These events have taken over 12 months of planning and include a combination of volunteers who have visited the National Marine Aquarium creating our planting units and our dive volunteers. This truly is a community effort.

72

Coast Path Magazine

“It is incredible to see the support from local communities supporting habitats for our animal coastal communities, a very proud moment.”

Natural England and ReMEDIES partners plan to extend the benefits of this work beyond the UK to assist with international marine recovery efforts.

Techniques and evidence gathered will be captured and shared with marine conservation organisations across Europe to allow them to learn from and replicate the work.

The Ocean Conservation Trust’s involvement in this project has been steered by Mark Parry, Development Officer, Dr Emma Nolan, Seagrass Cultivation Officer and Loveday Trinnick, Remedies Education Officer.

The success of this project could not have happened without all the amazing volunteers who gave their time. To learn more about Ocean Conservation Trust’s seagrass work, please visit

oceanconservationtrust.org.

F E AT U R E

Follow the Ocean Conserva tion Trust on Instagr am @oceanconserva tiontrust

Coast Path Magazine

73

FOODIE

Food Heaven

Overlooking Salcombe’s North Sands beach, The Winking Prawn has been part of the South Hams seascape for 27 years. A family-run restaurant, it’s well known for its shabby-chic style and warm atmosphere and is the perfect place to refuel after a hike on the Coast Path.

›

INTERVIEWED BY JULIE WILLIAMS

74

Coast Path Magazine

FOODIE Photography: The Winking Prawn

Coast Path Magazine

75

FOODIE

How long have you been working at the Winking Prawn and in what capacity?

My name is Jane, my husband’s name is Mark, and together with our family we run three restaurants – The Winking Prawn, which we have had for 27 years; Island Street Waterfront Dine & Wine, which we have had since 2010; and the Cracking Crab in Polzeath, which opened in 2015. The Winking Prawn is where it all started – our shabby chic beach restaurant at North Sands in Salcombe.

What does the Winking Prawn community mean to you?

My goodness, it’s wonderful! Community and family is really at the heart of who we are. As mentioned, we’re a family run restaurant, and we welcome everyone.

Having been here for so long it’s a wonderful joy for us to keep welcoming people back year on year, both from the local community and those who are visiting on holiday. Some of the children we met as toddlers when we first opened have come to work for us and have gone on to bring their own families to visit! We also love it when people share their Winking Prawn stories - I know people whose little ones took their first steps in our gardens, and those who have joined us to celebrate anniversaries, birthdays and engagements - or simply happy memories!

How and why does the SW Coast Path benefit the Winking Prawn community?

We are perfectly located by the beach and anyone who has been walking along the South West Coast Path in this area will likely come past us. It’s an easygoing environment where we serve everything from tea and cake to seafood salads and a BBQ in the summer. You don’t need to be dressed up, just turn up, sit down and tuck in.

Why should walkers come and stop off at the Winking Prawn rather than other places?

I don’t think it’s a question of stopping here instead of other places - there are so many wonderful businesses in the local area, I think it’s about including us amongst the others! I think what we are able to offer is a really unique location, a menu

76

Coast Path Magazine

and experience that people have loved coming back to time and again. The Winking Prawn has a real character of its own that makes it special - and of course I am a bit biased about the food. Favourites include the fruits de mer and popcorn shrimp, but we also love a good steak and chips as well

What other things do you offer?

We always have a variety of Winking Prawn goodies to buy, including hoodies, aprons and tea towels, and those have all been popular gifts. We also introduced a Pop-up Prawn last year, so you can take snacks and lunchtime meals away and eat them at the beach or take them on your walk with you. We just ask that you dispose of any waste responsibly so we can keep this beautiful part of the world looking beautiful!

FOODIE

Coast Path Magazine

77

FOODIE

Are dogs welcome? and if so what is on offer for dogs who walk the Coast Path?

Well behaved dogs are absolutely welcome! There’s always a water bowl waiting for them, and they love hanging out in the garden.

How does the Winking Prawn contribute and support environmental issues linked to our coast line?

Wherever possible we use reusable serving items and recyclable packaging. Of course, as a business we dispose of waste responsibly and recycle wherever possible, and we encourage our customers to do the same. Where there has been the option, we have changed items like water bottles for recyclable and reusable cans of water too.

What charitable work does the Winking Prawn community undertake and for which charities and why?

We always do what we can to support local charities and individuals wherever we can, but we aren’t big on highlighting it. We do it because it means a lot to us personally, not because we want to make a show of it.

We always support local events where we can, we are of course supporters of the Salcombe RNLI and the local church. We felt it was very important to support the funding of a defibrillator at North Sands, along with other local businesses, in case anyone suffers from cardiac arrest - that was really important to us.

We have recently been involved with the Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline - South Hams and Totnes, which brings children affected by the Chernobyl crisis to the South Hams for a break, and we do whatever we can for our dear friend Daisy at the Daisy Palmer Trust.

Daisy has visited us every year since she was a little girl. She has a condition which means she cannot eat anything at all orally, and is fully reliant on being fed intravenously, but she still enjoys a trip to the Winking Prawn and is a budding artist who designed our ice cream flavour board.

winkingprawngroup.co.uk facebook.com/CCLLSouthHams facebook.com/Daisy-Palmer-Trust-172077456174461

78

Coast Path Magazine

SOUTH DEVON HEAVEN

salcombeinformation.co.uk or call Salcombe TIC on 01548 843927

F E AT U R E

Love Where You Are Campaign WORDS BY CORNWALL AONB

80

Coast Path Magazine

F E AT U R E

If you’re planning to hike on the Cornish section of the South West Coast Path this summer, you may notice some vivid new posters. From the Roseland, to Mousehole and from St Agnes to Bude you may see a QR code and the message 'Love where you are'.

Photography: Sunset skimming at Sennen Cove beach by Kevin Dawson

› Coast Path Magazine

81

F E AT U R E

But what does that mean?

The Love Where You Are campaign is a new voluntary contribution scheme that was launched by Cornwall Council and Crowdfunder this summer. This fund is designed to collect donations from everyone that loves Cornwall and wants to make sure the county is leading the way in the fight against climate change.

Donations will be used to create the Cornwall Climate Action Fund, a funding pot that businesses and organisations from across Cornwall will be invited to apply to later this year in support of low carbon projects and initiatives like community tree planting, e-bikes or renewable energy on community buildings.

The scheme utilises the power of crowdfunding to give visitors, residents and businesses the opportunity to support a low carbon future and a healthier environment for all.

Martyn Alvey, Cornwall Council’s cabinet portfolio holder for the environment and climate change, said: “We know how much people value Cornwall’s unique environment and we need our communities and visitors to work together and take action to lower carbon emissions. This fund is designed to collect donations from everyone that loves Cornwall and wants to make sure we are leading the way in the fight against climate change”.

Donations to the fund will support projects that are enabling Cornwall to move closer to being truly carbon neutral. By grabbing a phone, scanning a QR code and donating what you can, you can support people and projects raising funds for great initiatives to protect the Cornish environment.

Cornwall Council and Crowdfunder have a rich history of partnering for Crowdfunding projects with businesses and organisations such as Waterhaul, Saving ESTER and the Falmouth Food Co-op all benefiting from additional funding through the partnership.

Photography: Helen Rushworth.

Following in the footprints, Porthmeor Beach

So next time you’re out and about in on the coastal path, whether as a holiday maker or a resident of fifty years, look out for the signs and daydream about what a carbon neutral future could mean for us all.

And if you would like to donate to the fund it’s as simple as scanning the code and loving where you are. If you would like to learn more about the Love Where You Are campaign or donate to the fund, please visit:

crowdfunder.co.uk/lovewhereyouare

Dawn Bebe, Director and co-founder of Crowdfunder said "Love Where You Are is an easy way for people who love Cornwall to support the projects that are working hard to protect the county against climate change. This is a hugely innovative initiative and as a company headquartered in Cornwall, we are proud to partner with Cornwall Council in this way. We hope people will get involved and pledge for Cornwall!"

Coast Path Magazine

83

Image by Liam Alford @liam_alford_photography

Advertise from as little as £30 for a classi fied in our online ed ition. @swcoastwalki ng @coastpathmag

Advertise in Coast Path Magazine Please email ads@coastwalking.co.uk to receive a copy of our media pack.

CRAFTED FOR ACTIVE LIVING. BOTANICAL NON-ALCOHOLIC SPIRITS Made by distilling unique plants native to the Cornish Coast. Created with care, Pentire captures flavours of the nature that surrounds us.

Coast Path Magazine readers can enjoy 20% off Pentire, using code:

‘PATH20’ at pentiredrinks.com

F E AT U R E

That's The Spirit!

We wanted to find out more about local Gin distillery, Atlantic Spirit Gin, so they sent us some words on what the coast means to them and their business.

WORDS BY ATLANTIC SPIRIT GIN

86

Coast Path Magazine

F E AT U R E

Photography: Dan Oliveira

W

e run a small distillery based in Bideford, North Devon. We are passionate about the North Devon Coastline and wanted to show off our beautiful place. Abbotsham cliffs to Clovelly has to be one of my all-time favourite walks, and I’d struggle to find a more beautiful place on the planet!

Our gin is distilled by Quint using traditional gin basket infusion with Copper pot alembic stills to create delicate, pure flavours. Every bottle is part of a small batch production, ensuring that we can deliver a genuinely handcrafted gin.

Using premium sourced & locally foraged Atlantic coastal botanicals, all our herbs and fruits are freshly prepared. The flavours are slowly extracted through the botanical basket to preserve the delicate flavours. With the addition of local Tarka Springs water, this gin is uniquely soft with superbly clean flavours and aromas.

Our Story Our roots have always been in North Devon – Surfing, Sailing and Sea swimming around our local coast, generally getting out in the Atlantic whenever possible. Sadie was the first solo and female swimmer to swim from Hartland to Lundy in 2019. This was in part to raise awareness of the damage being done to our oceans but also a celebration of the fact that Lundy was the first Marine reserve in the UK. We have a real love for the place we live.

In the last few years through distilling, we have gained a love of foraging, the Laver and Samphire are two great examples of this, carefully picked on the coast to expose the amazing flavours that abound on our coastline. We also have many Kilner jars with botanicals waiting to be used for something.

We had a major rebrand at the beginning of last year and wanted to use artwork from two local artists whose work we love. We’ve always been a fan of Merlyn Chesterman, and luckily, she is a fan of our gin – a perfect partnership, and she kindly gave us permission to use the artwork from a beautiful woodcut ‘Atlantic’. These are the waves that you can can see on our bottles.

Mau Mau is also a local street artist and an old friend who I used to skateboard and surf with, you can see a lot of his work locally, and he created our iconic Mermaid.

Above all of this, we are actively part of protecting our coastline. We are always taking part and helping to organise local beach cleans and Sadie visits schools to encourage others to get involved.

Because of this, we decided early on to be part of the Surfers Against Sewage 250 Club, which encourages businesses to think about how they can reduce their impact on the environment. Our bottles have ceramic printed labels, which means that we can refill and reuse them if returned to us (we are trialling this with local pubs and restaurants). We have also made sure that the environment is at the forefront of all decisions we make.

atlantic-spirit.co.uk

merlynchesterman.com

mau-mau.co.uk Coast Path Magazine

87

WISH LIST

Coleman Camping Wagon WE LOVE THIS! The Camping Wagon is a foldable, durable waggon which is perfect for transporting your kit to the beach. Tough, heavy-duty polyester fabric, a removable reinforced bottom and a steel frame mean that this piece of kit can carry up to 85kg and the handle connects directly to the axel for precise control. Items can be secured using the elasticated cord and rings, a brake constricts wheel movement when at a standstill and a storage case enables you to conveniently store the wagon away when not in use.

RRP: £89.99 Available from: wowcamping.co.uk/productDetail/colemanoutdoor-wagon

Our Wish List Bamboo Walking Socks in Fig

Bamboo Enduro Capri Leggings

Go the extra mile – in comfort. BAM’s Walking Socks are a sustainable merino wool and bamboo blend, resulting in a soft sock which is both warm and breathable for complete comfort. Just the right thickness to wear with walking boots, the socks have a full terry lining for extra protection and durability and feature an arch and ankle rib to help prevent slipping or twisting.

These really are ultra comfortable sustainable bamboo leggings are made from BAM’s Enduro bamboo jersey fabric. We have trialed them!

Supersoft and completely opaque, they provide figure-sculpting support and extra hold for all day walking. The Enduro leggings are available full length, 7/8 length, ¾ length, capri or shorts in a variety of colours and prints.

RRP: £15

RRP: £44

Available from: bambooclothing.co.uk

Available from: bambooclothing.co.uk

88

Coast Path Magazine

WISH LIST

Hanwag Cliffside GTX This new style from Hanwag combines an attractive leather upper with a functional GORE-TEX lining in a sporty look. The modern low-cut style is perfect for summer adventures and the combination of oiled and waxed split leather and premium Perwanger suede makes this a stylish shoe that can take you from the town into the great outdoors. A Gore-Tex lining keeps feet dry and comfortable in any conditions and a deep lacing system means the shoes can be easily laced up to perfectly fit feet of all shapes and sizes. A MTR sole combines underfoot cushioning with durability and protection courtesy of a protective TPU film.

Hexagonal rubber studs ensure good grip and like all Hanwag footwear, the Cliffside GTX are made in Europe from 100% European components. This style is available in men’s and women’s specific styles.

RRP: £160 Available from: hanwag.com/eu/en-gb/men/travel/ cliffside-gtx

Bamboo Graphic T-Shirts In case you havent guessed it already, we love BAM Bamboo. BAM has brought out a new range of graphic T-shirts featuring designs and logos which convey their passion for the outdoors. Crafted from BAM’s lightweight Air bamboo, these classic T-Shirts are supersoft and breathable. And because it’s made from bamboo it doesn’t get smelly so you can easily wear it more than once before washing.

Available in a selection of designs and colours.

RRP: £29 Available from: bambooclothing.co.uk

Coast Path Magazine

89

WISH LIST

Go Travel - Travel Towel (XL) Ditch bulky towels in favour of this compact one from accessoryexpert, Go Travel. Made out of super-absorbent and quick-drying microfiber, this towel feels incredibly soft next to the skin and is lightweight so it won’t weigh you down. Its extra-large dimensions means it gives you full coverage and the large hanging loop conveniently keeps the towel off the floor at your destination, as well as doubling up as a practical, pack-away strap for the journey home.

RRP: £14.99 Available from: go.travel/uk/travel-towel-xl

Opticron Explorer WA ED-R 8x32 We were given a pair of these to try and my word, they really are fantastic. Wide field of view, ED objective lens, optical and ergonomic features, all of which they have.

They are lightweight, easy to adjust, have excellent clarity and must surely compare with higher priced models for all round quality. Excellently priced and affordable, they are a must for all nature lovers.

RRP: £219 Available from: opticron.co.uk/ our-products/binoculars

Atom Packs - The Roo This lightweight, low profile bum bag/fanny pack is the ultimate in convenience and accessibility, enabling you to have everything you need on trail right there at your fingertips. Available once more in two sizes: 1.5L and 2.5L. What's more, to help contribute to Zero Waste, which we love, Atom Packs added the option to Zero Waste your Roo. They dive into their considerable offcut bin to liberate as many fabric pieces as possible to make unique Roos!

RRP: £39.50 Available from: atompacks.co.uk/collections/accessories

90

Coast Path Magazine

WISH LIST

Primus Onja Fusing Scandinavian good looks with Primus’ legendary performance, the Onja is inspired by a classic Primus design from the 1970s. It’s fold-out construction is made from lightweight stainless steel and durable G-1000 fabric and it comes with an oak lid that not only protects the burners in transit, but also doubles as a handy chopping board. The Onja is powered by lightweight and compact, gas cartridges which screw in underneath the burner and can be left in-situ between uses. Enthusiastic chefs will appreciate the independently adjustable burners and powerful 2800w output. Updated this year with new and improved pot supports and a stylish, all black design, the Onja folds closed for easy transportation and can be secured closed with the integrated strap.

RRP: £145 Available from: outdoorgear.co.uk

Coast Path Magazine

91

F E AT U R E

How one adventurer's connection to the South West Coast Path, led to the fundraising challenge of a lifetime.

WORDS BY MICHAEL HULL

Photography: Supplied by Michael Hull

›

Coast Path Magazine

93

F E AT U R E

Follow the challenge on Instagram @teamhullabalo o

Photography: Supplied by Michael Hull

G

ood day to you all. In December 2023 at the age of 59 I am setting off to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean solo in my boat Pegasus. I am doing this as part of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge the worlds premier ocean rowing race. As a solo rower I will need to row two hours on and two hours off all day and all night every day and the crossing may take around 90 days, although this is variable dependant on the weather encountered.

My name is Michael Hull and I am a perfectly ordinary chap moving inexorably towards older age, I am certainly not super fit but I am blessed with normal good health for a slightly over middle aged person. I do enjoy walking but I am not a rower, although about 30 years ago I did win a pint of beer rowing a clinker built boat at Frogmore regatta.

show my two young daughters that ordinary people can do extraordinary things.

During the crossing I will encounter many challenges, a capsize is an ever present risk, Pegasus is just 23 foot long and the waves can be huge, however as a precaution I will be clipped on with a safety line at all times and Pegasus will self right as long as the hatches are kept closed which is essential at all times.

Several of the boats have been holed by Blue Marlin (swordfish) this happens because Tuna hide under your slow moving boat and the Blue Marlin come racing in to catch them. Sleep deprivation caused by rowing 2 hours on 2 hours off is a major problem especially in the first week and this can lead to all sorts of problems, even hallucinations. Salt sores on hands, feet and especially on your derrière need to be managed carefully otherwise an infected abscess can quickly develop. Without doubt the biggest challenge is the mental one, having the tenacity to keep chipping away at the 3,000 miles when your miniscule progress seems to have made no difference, and when waking after sleep discovering you have drifted losing much of your progress. Some of the teams are teams of four or pairs, but I am slightly eccentric doing this as a solo rower, my wife would tell you I can be a tad grumpy so perhaps solo is best!

Set in Cornish subtropical gardens, and accessible by walking straight off the South West Coast Path, Hotel I am using this platform to raise monies for my two amazing charities, The South West Coast Path Meudon really is truly marvellous.

Association whom I am sure you know well, and Hospiscare. I have chosen these two charities It even has direct access to its own because firstly I feel blessed to have the coast path so close to where I live, taking on a mini adventure each private beach, Bream Cove. time I walk along its varied route, and Hospiscare because if one of my loved ones ever needed care WORDS BY JULIE WILLIAMS due to a life limiting illness I would want these amazing people to be there for them. I also want to

94

Coast Path Magazine

F E AT U R E

Pegasus is my boat, she is a Rannoch R25 which can be used as a pairs or solo boat and is a purpose built ocean rowing boat. I have purchased her as a used boat to reduce the environmental impact. Pegasus is surprisingly high tech. She has a tiny cabin fore and aft about the size of a telephone box lying on its side so the accommodation is somewhat cramped.

She has solar panels to provide electrical power for the essential water maker. It is simply not possible to carry enough water for the crossing and therefore the water maker is an essential piece of equipment, it draws in sea water and uses reverse osmosis to make it into drinking water. It is so essential that spares are carried. The solar panels also power the navigation, and communication systems, and the lights. There is also an AIS to enable large ships to ‘see’ you and there is also a tracking beacon so you will be able to track my progress on the Atlantic Campaigns website. On board is a para anchor which is a little like a parachute and can be deployed to limit drifting in the wrong direction if the wind is against you. Toilet facilities are just a bucket! Pegasus will carry lots of spare parts as running repairs are inevitable and a comprehensive medical kit is carried as the are no doctors on a 23 foot rowing boat in the middle of an ocean! Despite anti fouling the hull still builds up marine growth on the underside and so a weekly task is to jump in and clean the underside with a scraper otherwise this growth will slow progress significantly.

The challenge sets of from La Gomera in the Canaries and finishes at Antigua in the Caribbean 3,000 miles away. Technically The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge is a race but the majority of competitors are just hoping to get across and raise lots of monies for their charities, I am certainly in this camp. I am hoping to see lots of wildlife, certainly dolphins, and flying fish, but if I am lucky I might get to see a whale.

I know nothing about the night sky and so I am going to take audio books about the stars so that I can educate myself whilst looking up at the milky way in a perfect dark sky. The organisers, Atlantic campaigns are very strong on all environmental aspects. All plastic is counted onto the boat at the start and counted off at the end, all waste must be stored and verified at completion to ensure no litter goes into the sea, and they have an educational arm to promote the well being of the oceans.

Although December 2023 sounds a long way off, time is actually very short. There is a huge amount of logistics to complete between now and then, not least raising sponsorship to enable me to get to the starting line and use this platform to raise monies for The South West Coast Path, and Hospiscare. In February I am going back to school to gain further qualifications in navigation and seamanship, lifesaving, radio licence etc. I am also taking a bespoke ocean rowing course. Pegasus will need a survey nearer the time and any adjustments and maintenance completed by professionals. Pegasus and myself also need to go through scrutineering at La Gomera to ensure that she meets all of the regulations and has all of the required loose equipment and documentation.

I really need your help! I need to raise lots of corporate and private sponsorship to get me to starting line. I have lots of sponsorship packages available to companies to help promote their businesses to a global reach of 880 million, Atlantic Campaigns have their own professional media team.

Sponsorship packages can include boat branding, social media engagement, website links, guest speaking at your events etc. Donations from individual people are also hugely appreciated. Please visit my website www.oceanhullabaloo.com to see how you can get involved, I need to raise a real Hullabaloo if I am going to use this crossing to raise lots of monies for the charities.

What does winning look like to me? Raising lots of monies for The South West Coast Path Association and Hospiscare. What does failure look like? Not raising enough funds to get to the starting line. Please do get involved and become part of Team Hullabaloo and then you can track your boat across the Atlantic on the tracking app.

Thank You. Michael.

oceanhullabaloo.com

Coast Path Magazine

95

Save our sand dunes!

Healthy sand dunes are havens for wildlife, including rare lizards and toads, songbirds, butterflies and orchids. But our dunes are currently facing habitat degradation and biodiversity loss.

Dynamic Dunescapes is an ambitious conservation project working across England and Wales to restore 7,000 hectares of coastal sand dune habitat.

We will support biodiversity where it is under threat, and help communties love, enjoy and protect their local dunes.

Visit www.dynamicdunescapes.co.uk for more information, explore our events, and to get involved as a volunteer

Images: Rupert Hawley, Matt Pitts, Emma Brisdion

Dynamic Dunescapes is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the EU LIFE Programme. Partners are Coast Path Magazine 97 Natural England, Plantlife, Natural Resources Wales, National Trust and The Wildlife Trusts.

PAT H P E O P L E

98

Coast Path Magazine

PAT H P E O P L E

Go, Go, Go, Commando!

Lee and Hannah Rulton's son, Spencer, was trapped for 11 minutes in his mother's pelvis as he was born, and delivered safely thanks to a midwife's specialist training. Wanting to give back to the charity that trained the midwife, former commando Lee embarked on the challenge of a lifetime, walking all 630 miles of the SWCP in aid of PROMPT Maternity Foundation, in 20 days.

We caught up with Lee to hear all about it.

INTERVIEWED BY JULIE WILLIAMS

Tell us why you undertook this challenge and what you set out to achieve?

To raise money for a charity called PROMPT maternity foundation. They had trained the midwives that saved my son and wife after my son developed a labour emergency called shoulder dystocia, and without the training, my son and wife may not have survived.

How did you plan and prepare for the challenge?

Planning has never been my strong point, so I had a kind friend step in to plan the trip from daily mileage, cafe stops and right down to timings I needed to catch ferries and wade estuaries. The prep included a lot of weekends walking and a few nights walks after work. >

How did the challenge meet your expectations and preparations?

I had done various weekend walks on Exmoor ranging from 9 miles up to 20 miles, but that was my maximum mileage. I tried to stay off the coastal path as I didn't want it to ruin the experience when it came to the actual challenge, but we did a few walks near the start of the walk, one of them being a 30-mile hike from my home in Ilfracombe to Croyde and back.

Coast Path Magazine

99 99

PAT H P E O P L E

What kit did you take and what did you learn about kit during your challenge?

So my initial plan was to wild camp all the way. Being ex-military, I was gifted loads of kit from friends in the army, including boots, a rucksack, a poncho to sleep under and various other items.

I tried to do this challenge without spending any money due to being self-employed and taking time out of work unpaid, so everything was begged, borrowed but not stolen.

The kit I had was heavy. I was stubborn at the beginning and wanted to wild camp the whole way.

I soon realised the challenge wasn't carrying my kit and sleeping out, so I started to accept help from people who offered it, ranging from taking my backpack to the endpoints and providing overnight stays in caravans or holiday lets.

WALKING POLES ARE A MUST!

What did the SW Coast Path ‘give’ to you personally and what did it ‘take’ from you?

The SWCP certainly gave me a sense of pride and accomplishment. I still can't believe what I managed to achieve, not only personally but also for the charity, from the awareness raised of PROMPT to the immense £15000 raised for them. What it took from me was a lot of energy, a stone in weight, and a few skin layers from my feet.

What food, snacks and drinks were consumed along the way and what was your 'must haves' for the challenge?

Bananas and lots of them! I also took many things like flapjacks, chocolate, fruit and nut mix stuff that provided slow-release energy. I also consumed a hell of a lot of jelly babies. I ate these when my morale was low or just before a big climb. Of course, we also ate a few pasties along the way, a few ice creams and a cream tea!

Wildlife and nature encounters?

We saw a lot of seals along the way and many cows.

There was also a playful fox cub.

100

Coast Path Magazine

How did you find navigating the Coast Path, and how was it in the dark?

The path was relatively easy to navigate and well signposted. The dark was a challenge as we were pretty close to the edge at some points. It was an experience in itself, but at that point, I wanted to get home. Zennor, I found it was pretty challenging to navigate a path as such as there were a lot of rocks to scramble over.

Most embarrassing moment?

The most embarrassing moment would be as I turned a corner at Porlock; I saw a couple having what they thought was a secret wild wee. I gave them their space and laughed about it after, but I think they were as embarrassed as me.

PAT H P E O P L E

Most challenging section and why?

From Clovelly to Polzeath, as there were so many climbs and descents along this section that seemed to be one after the other. When you got to the top, you could usually see where you had to go down and climb up again. Another part was Zennor for me as it was 27 miles in when I got to Zennor suffering from huge blisters and horrendously painful shin splints, which I picked up from the tarmac section of the Tarka Trail. So to then having to climb the boulders out of St Ives for another 4 miles was a killer.

Most memorable moment and why?

One of them that sticks in my mind is when I got lost on my 2nd day at Crow Point. I walked through waist-high gorse bushes for a mile while walking on the crumbling path, and it wasn't until I got a mile down the track to see a big sign saying path no longer in use...my heart sank, knowing I had added two extra miles onto a 30-mile day. I ventured onto the old path without realising it was no longer in use.

I rang my friend to have a rant about it, only for him to laugh and tell me it's been closed for a while.

Any advice for upcoming thru hikers?

If you're doing this as a quick challenge, then I would say a support vehicle would have helped so much as it would have maximised my rest time. Some days I was being picked up at the end of my day and having to drive for 40 mins to where I was staying, which was not ideal as I only averaged 4-5 hours of sleep a night.

My main advice would be to enjoy it. I couldn't enjoy it as much as a slower pace walker would or be able to take it all in as my task was to complete my miles.

More advice would be to do some arduous walks beforehand to help your body condition, and you will also find where your shoes rub so you can tape them before the problems start (prevention is better than cure). If you plan on wild camping, then do a few nights out before you go to test and adjust any kit before you set off and be sure that you aren't over or under packing.

Also, don't take any risks. Things could have gone wrong a few times because I was tired out of energy or wasn't thinking straight. Just know that there's always another day tomorrow, so the risks aren't worth it.

Favourite section of the Path and why?

My favourite section was getting to Durdle Door. Not only because I was nearly home, but it reminded me of a time I took my wife up there on a hot day whilst on a holiday when she was eight months pregnant with our daughter. Safe to say, she didn't enjoy her day as much as I did.

Anything else you would like to share?

Thank you for allowing me to share my story with everyone, and I'm sure I'll see some of you on the path one day. I'd also like to thank everyone involved with helping me with this challenge, and a big special thank you to my wife for helping me and being my rock throughout the journey. You were amazing, and if it weren't for you, it would have been a huge struggle.

justgiving.com/promptmat promptmaternity.org

Coast Path Magazine

101

REDUCE,

REPEAT

Eat, drink, shop without the pointless packaging DOWNLOAD THE FREE REFILL APP REFILL.ORG.UK #RefillRevolution

103

PAT H P E O P L E

104

Coast Path Magazine

PAT H P E O P L E

Freedom And Solace

Follow Gilly on Instagram @gilly_runs_ultr a

In June 2021 Gilly Horton set off on her Fastest Known Time Challenge, and while we were eagerly watching, it ended shortly after. Gilly kindly provided us with her story which celebrates resiliance and talks of being “tougher, stronger and more confident” and already planning her second attempt!

WORDS BY GILLY HORTON

I

was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder type 2 in November 2016, but before then, I'd been dealing with my mental health since I was a teenager. Bipolar type 2 is diagnosed when someone's mood swings between major episodes of depression and periods of hypomania. They can have long or short periods of stability in between these episodes. It's been one very long, hard road.

Not just for me but for my husband, family, and friends; without these special people in my life, I'd be lost.

I've spent over half my life suffering from depression and hypomania. Neither of these are easy, with uncontrollable mood swings that I could never understand, different medications, doctors, psychiatrists' and at times terrifyingly dark thoughts. It got so bad that in 2017 I almost lost my life due to my mental health.

The guilt and shame I felt in those dark times over the years were difficult to bear. I would stand in front of the mirror and not recognise the person looking back at me with those dark, empty eyes. I was numb to everything and

everyone I loved in my life. The overwhelming sense of worthlessness, the loss of my personality, my caring nature gone, and my interests vanished. The cries for help that no one can hear, the smiles and, "I'm ok's", hide so much pain.

I started running when I was 18 for escape and to help combat these feelings. Running has saved my life; it forms another part of my medication, it helps keep my life on an even keel; without it, I think I'd fall into the abyss.

When I run, I can literally turn everything off in my mind; everything falls away, its freedom, solace, and my lifeline.

Although I'd been running since I was 18, it wasn't until January 2016 that I found my love of ultra-running. A good friend of mine took part in a 100-mile race in Cornwall called the Arc of Attrition. I couldn't believe that someone would want to go that far on foot.

From then on, my crazy obsession started with long-distance running.

A couple of years ago, I decided I wanted to attempt something big, the year I turned 40, > Coast Path Magazine

105 105

PAT H P E O P L E

something that I almost believed I couldn't do myself!

At first, I was thinking about running from Lands End to John O Groats, but I've never enjoyed pounding the flat pavements! That's when it came to me, and I'd run the entire length of the South West Coast Path, as my heart and passion lay on the trail where I'd taken part in so may races over the previous years and enjoyed so much.

Leaving Portland at the start of day 2, I was not feeling great. It was cold, wet and foggy, and I'd already thrown up what little I'd managed for breakfast. I ran by an early morning dog walker and said hello; the dog didn't seem that pleased to see me and bit my elbow. Its bite didn't draw blood, but it grazed the skin and shook me up pretty badly a great start to the day!

At the time I decided to attempt it, the current FKT holder was Ultra Runner Damian Hall. I reached out to him, and we got chatting. I decided that professional coaching was the way to go, and in July 2020, we started working together.

Still unable to keep solid food down, we (my husband and I) tried as many ways as we could think of to get calories in me to fuel the day. High-calorie sugary drinks, ice cream, soups and anything I could mix with water. We even picked up a tub of bodybuilding highcalorie shake to try- it worked!

I dedicated 12 months of my life to training, preparation, and research. I felt ready when the day finally arrived! I'd trained hard and paid attention to every detail studying the route…...

I was only 30 miles into my first day, the sun was blistering hot, and I was vomiting for the 7th time.

I couldn't keep anything down, and my stomach was not happy about my situation. The way I was feeling was testing my overall physical and mental threshold of discomfort. I had to contend with this for the next three days, I just wanted to sit down and cry, but I didn't; I wouldn't.

106

Coast Path Magazine

As I pushed on the best I could, I concentrated on my surroundings, took in all the beauty around me and watched the sunlight glistening on the sea. I kept reminding myself that I am strong but most of all fortunate and grateful that I could be doing the thing I loved most- running.

Setting off on day 4, I was finally feeling excellent and running well. I was able to eat without being sick and looked forward to solid food. However, less than 10 miles in, I fell over, which is something I'm very good at! I took one look at my hand, and I knew I'd broken something. A trip to Newton Abbot hospital and an X-Ray confirmed I'd broken two of my knuckles.

PAT H P E O P L E

The hospital staff were amazing and rushed me through. They strapped me up and gave me some words of encouragement to get back out there and run. Later that day, we had head torch issues and an unplanned trip in the van down some extremely thin and very steep lanes, not a pleasant experience for Coll. I was in so much pain, and my hand was twice its normal size, but I had such fun. It was actually my most favourite day/night on the trails.

Day 6 began great. I was in high spirits and ready to run. I got a lovely surprise in Looe where some friends had made the journey to come and see me; they later commented on how well I was running and how strong I looked. Sadly, about an hour or two later, I began experiencing severe muscle seizing in my adductor on my inner right thigh; every step was excruciating, I had to focus on each movement. Anyone who knows the path will know there are many steep steps to climb, and as the miles went on, the pain got worse, my quad started to swell, and those steps were impossible. It got to the point where I couldn't walk unaided. My husband came and got me and helped me off the path back to the van. We spoke to my sports physio, who advised as best he could over the phone, and we spent 3 hours carrying out repeated icing, massaging, and stretching routines and called the rest of the day off using the time to rest and refuel to have the best chance at another go the next day.

I woke with fear on day 7, and I'd hardly slept as I was worrying if my leg would hold out the day. We went over the massaging and stretching routine from the night before, still leaving enough time to make the 2.5-mile leg to the first ferry crossing of the day over to Fowey. I knew it was going to be a difficult day- and it was. As the miles went by, I could feel that familiar pain creeping back in, eventually, I was hobbling again. We did our best throughout the day with more frequent stops and the massaging and stretching routine, but after 35 miles and 3 or 4 attempts to keep it at bay- I was again unable to even walk on flat ground unaided. Deep down, I knew it was over for me. When I finally managed to get off the Coast Path back to Coll, I was crying and feeling defeated; I sat down and looked at him and said…. it's time to go home; it's over.

accept and embrace all the emotions that came with my failure. Not achieving a goal, no matter what it is, really hurts. I've learnt that there isn't a single good reason needed to be sad about failing. I've also learnt that no matter how I feel about the outcome, I won't let it dictate what I believe I'm capable of doing in the future.

My South West Coast Path attempt was a real test of my will & human spirit, and it took me to some challenging places- mentally and physically. The positives I've taken away from it far outweigh any negatives. I know I'm tougher, stronger, and more confident than I was before and better equipped to deal with anything life throws at me moving forward.

But what I am most proud of is the money raised for the incredible charity Mind through kind donations from family, friends, colleagues, and so many people I've never met before. The support I received throughout from all these special people was motivating and humbling.

If only one thing came from this whole journey, it was that by sharing my own story and struggles, and through this attempt, I was raising more awareness of mental health. If it meant that one person found the courage to speak out or make that call for help- it would all be worth it, and I will have achieved so much more than I set out to do.

Was it all worth it?? Absolutely! Am I going back for a 2nd Attempt?? 100% of the plans are already in motion!

justgiving.com/fundraising/gilly-horton mind.org.uk

It's been a few weeks now, and I've had time to rest and reflect. My failed South West Coast Path attempt was heart-breaking and a massive disappointment to me. These past few weeks, I've allowed myself time to

Coast Path Magazine

107

I N S TA G R A M

See your Instagram photo featured in our next issue by using the following hashtags: #coastpathmag #swcoastwalking #630magicalmiles

@stta_podcast

@madswithabag

@muddy_bootlaces

@cornwall_kerensa

@kernowinphotos

@solitude_of_the_sea

@maxgoddard96

@making_memories_cornwall

@cornishramblingswalks

108

Coast Path Magazine

I N S TA G R A M

Follow our instagram at: @swcoastwalking @coastpathmag

@shred_the_dread

@ms_veronicag

@coastrek_uk

@cornish_weimaraner_walks

@penny_mill

@viewswithme_

@quantocks_girl

@devon_gal_in_cornwall

@thegailmuller

Coast Path Magazine

109

COMBE MARTIN MUSEUM

AND LOCAL INFORMATION POINT Discover the taste of Croyde Surf-Inspired Street Food this summer at Biffen’s Kitchen.

From my Moroccan infusion to Japanese katsu nights, you cannot visit North Devon without popping in for a bite to eat and experience the Croyde Bay sea view.

Come and find me (Biff) and my team at the Ocean Pitch Campsite, between 2nd April – 30th September.

Breakfast at Biffany's from 8:30-10:30 Wednesday to Sunday Surf-inspired street food from 17:30-20:00 Wednesday - Saturday…Don’t leave it too late as it is only a small van and we do sell out often.

www.biffenskitchen.com

Call in for a warm welcome to find out about silver mining, strawberry growing, rock pool creatures, the Earl of Rone festival… and so much more! We also offer information on local attractions, accommodation & facilities. Our great little shop is full of maps, guides and books about the area. Join in with one of our regular events or just call in for a chat! Our Community Hub offers copy shop services, computer use and Free Wi-Fi as well as ancestry research. Check the website for dates for Seashore Safaris, children’s crafts, coffee mornings, evening talks, local walks etc. Fully accessible, with a lift to all 3 floors, we use Makaton signage and have audio interpretation. As an Accredited museum, run as a Charity, we work with partners like Exmoor National Park and the AONB. So do visit this summer to find out more about this fascinating place – you’re sure to find something of interest in Combe Martin! We are right next to the beach and the SW Coast Path runs virtually past our door!

combemartinmuseum.co.uk

a This se son at

Open 11am-10pm Inside + outside dining Click + collect takeaway (subject to availability)

Steaks | Seafood | Burgers | Vegan Kids | Fish 'n' Chips | Salads

beachsidegrill.co.uk

01271 891288 110

Coast Path Magazine

BOOK NOW! Dogs are welcome outside

sauntonsands.co.uk/dining/beachside-grill

Coast Path Magazine

111

Walkers & Hikers Transfers to start and finish points on the South West Coast Path • Covid-safe

07890 543136

www.sauntontaxis.co.uk

Moonfleet Manor moonfleetmanorhotel.co.uk

MEUDON.CO.UK

www.unastives.co.uk

Fowey Hall foweyhallhotel.co.uk

P O L U R R I A N H O T E L .C O M

www.knollhouse.co.uk

To advertise in our autumn edition, please contact us at ads@coastwalking.co.uk

112

Coast Path Magazine

We are a friendly, family run cafe set on the beautiful Rame Peninsula.

Come and try an all day breakfast, sandwich or coffee and cake, whilst enjoying the breathtaking views.

For more information call 01752 822069 or to view our menu visit

clifftopcafe.co.uk Coast Path Magazine

113

Wildlife Watching Trips

www.orcaseasafaris.co.uk

BEDRUTHAN STEPS, CORNWALL

BOOK YOUR STAYCATION NOW! AVAILABILITY FOR JULY & AUGUST WWW.SEAVIEWTIPIS.CO.UK

Coastal Inspired Soy Wax Melts. folksy.com/shops/DevonScent Follow us on Instagram: @devonscent

Availability can be found at www.porthminsterviewstives.com Follow us on Instagram: @porthminsterview1

114

Coast Path Magazine

E RE

N s, ie rit ha rc fo

r t stay om ea dge Fr a y s & bu FP 5 £2

F or

s

Connect your business to the Coast Path Do you offer a great place to stay, eat and drink or take part in activities along the Path?

Join us as a Way Maker and we’ll help direct the trail’s 9 million annual visitors to you, whilst you help us to look after this amazing natural asset.

Find out more

Photo by Abi Pitt Trevose Head, North Cornwall

CONNECT. PROTECT. PROMOTE. southwestcoastpath.org.uk/waymaker Coast Path Magazine 115

fits 10% Pro n to Ocea n. atio Conserv

Ocean Conservation, Zero Waste Inspiration.

THE STYLISH ALTERNATIVE TO SINGLE-USE CUPS, BOTTLES, BAGS & STRAWS.

WWW.GLOBALWAKECUP.COM