Improved coast path open at Watermouth
A new section of the South West Coast Path at Watermouth Bay will be officially opened on Thursday (5 December), creating a safer route for walkers and road users alike.
The £277,000 project has completed a missing link off the A399 thanks to funding from Devon County Council, the South West Coast Path Association and the South West Coast Path Team’s ‘Unlocking our Coastal Heritage’ project, funded by the Rural Development Programme for England.
The scheme has realigned the road toward the hillside to create space for a footpath, providing a safe alternative to the existing trail which had been impassable at high tide and forced walkers to use the busy A399. The new routes can be used safely at all times, regardless of the level of the tide, and connects from the slip way to the existing Coast Path steps.
Councillor Stuart Hughes Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “This important new link will make a huge difference to locals and visitors who use this section of the Coast Path. The South West Coast Path is a major attraction in our county and people will now be able to enjoy this section of the trail safely.”
Councillor Andrea Davis, Devon County Councillor for Combe Martin Rural, said: “The South West Coast Path is vital to our local economy. It’s enjoyed by thousands of visitors every year and this section offers stunning views which are now much more accessible. Many more people, locals and visitors will be able to enjoy this walk and explore this area in safety now that it has been moved off-road.”
Bryan Cath, South West Coast Path Association North Devon Area Representative, said: “The long-awaited improvement to the coast path at Watermouth is most welcome. It will mean that walkers can now walk between Combe Martin and Ilfracombe without worrying about the state of tide and walking on a dangerous section of the A399 main road. Not only that, it improves visibility for drivers near the entrance to Watermouth Castle, a busy attraction.”
Matt Edworthy, from the North Devon Biosphere team which manages the South West Coast Path from Hartland to Combe Martin, said: “This improvement shows how assets like the South West Coast Path and the world class environment through which it passes can bring local partners together to address problems even in these challenging times.”
Work has been carried out by contractor MacPlant Construction Ltd.
For more information about the Unlocking our Coastal Heritage project and the four strands that are designed to conserve, enhance and interpret the Coast Path, visit www.southwestcoastpath.com/RDPE
