Improvements completed on 75 miles of coast path

Work to improve a section of coast path along the north Cornwall coast has been completed.

Natural England said it had funded repairs and improved drainage on a stretch of 75 miles (121km) from Marsland Mouth near the Devon and Cornwall border, to Newquay.

The path has also been realigned with the South West Coast Path and some of it moved closer to the sea, the organisation said.

The work formed part of a plan to create The King Charles III England Coast Path around the entire English coastline, which would be the longest managed coastal walking route in the world and the UK's longest national trail.

Andrea Ayres, deputy area director for Natural England said: "With the improvements to the path and the additional access rights, we hope it will continue to give people the chance to get out and enjoy nature, as well as continue to bring visitors to the county, since tourism is so vital to the local economy."

The organisation said it had, for the first time, established wider coastal access between the trail and the sea, including cliff tops and beaches.

A spokesperson explained Natural England had also secured "legal provision for the trail to 'roll back' in response to coastal erosion" which they said would protect the investment that has been made.

The path is managed by Cornwall Council which undertook the work with its civil engineering contractor, Cormac.

Councillor Martyn Alvey said: "We've been able to move inland sections closer to the coast, improve surfacing and drainage, repair paths and realign hazardous sections."

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