Call for help to keep the South West Coast Path open following storm damage

People across the South West are being invited to get involved with helping to keep its iconic coast path open to all as costs rise following damage caused by the recent January storms.

It now costs more than £1million a year to keep the popular South West Coast Path open for the millions of visitors and locals alike who enjoy walking its 630-mile length.

The South West Coast Path Association (SWCPA) charity has highlighted some of the more recent storm damage and is asking people to show their support, whether by becoming a member, volunteering to help locally or making a donation.

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Storms Ingrid, Goretti and Chandra took their toll of the path in several locations and while this time around the coastal route in North Devon and Torridge escaped the worst, areas in South Devon, Cornwall and Dorset bore the brunt.

Above: A landslip on the South West Coast Path at Stonebarrow, near Charmouth, which happened this month. Credit: Dorset Council

These included damage at Dawlish, cliff falls at Newquay and a terrifying landslip near Charmouth.

But the power of the sea and extreme weather events will not go away, with high winds uprooting trees, surface flooding from extreme rainfall eroding the path and leading to cliff falls and landslips causing significant damage across the network.

Costs for work on the path have risen from £700,000 in 2020/21 to £1.4m in 2024/25 – doubling the annual spend in just five years.

Above: Cliff falls like this one at Newquay are all too common on the South West Coast Path

Julian Gray, director of the association, said: “Over the past 40 years, we’ve seen the impacts of climate change turning from a potential future threat to extreme weather events impacting our lives.

“Along the coast path, these climate change impacts are accelerating natural processes such as coastal erosion. We are also seeing new threats such as heatwaves leading to wildfires, which can go underground and undermine the stability of the trail.”

The charity is hoping to ‘future proof’ the path and works closely with landowners, local authorities, national parks, volunteers and community groups to monitor coastal movement, repair damage, reroute sections where needed and ensure the path remains open all year around.

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Lorna Sherriff, national trail officer for the SWCPA, said: “Keeping the path open is not just about repairing the damage after a storm; it’s about building resilience into every mile of the trail.

“That means working smarter, investing in long-lasting solutions and planning for a future of unpredictable weather brought on by climate change.”

If you’d like to help the South West Coast Path Association in its work locally, you can support it through donations, becoming a member and volunteering. Businesses can also join its Way Maker programme or become a corporate supporter. Find out more at: https://www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk