The Wales Coast Path will officially be launched on 5th May 2012.
Wales will then be the first country in the world to have a formal trail the whole way around its coast.
Furthermore, the Wales Coast Path (which is 870 miles long) will join up with Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail to provide 1,030 miles of walking opportunities right around the Welsh border. The sheer size and brilliance of the Path has already received public recognition with Coastal Wales being acknowledged as the world’s top destination to visit in 2012 by Lonely Planet, the travel guide experts.
The Coast Path winds its way through towns and villages, across cliff tops and sandy beaches, sometimes darting inland before emerging once again at a sheltered cove or tiny hamlet that you would forever miss when travelling by car, bus or train. It will take you from the mouth of the River Dee, along the north Wales coast with its seaside towns, over the Menai Strait onto the Isle of Anglesey, from the Llyn Peninsula down the majestic sweep of Cardigan Bay, through Britain’s only coastal National Park in Pembrokeshire, along miles of golden sand, via Gower with its stunning scenery, along the waterfront of Cardiff Bay and Cardiff, the capital city of Wales, to the market town of Chepstow.
The Wales Coast Path has been developed by the Welsh Government in partnership with the Countryside Council for Wales, sixteen local authorities and two National Parks. In addition to funding from the Welsh Government and the coastal local authorities of approximately £2million per year, the European Regional Development Fund has allocated nearly £4 million over four years in support of the project. Improvements to the quality and alignment of the route will continue during 2012 and 2013 to ensure that the path follows the Welsh coastline as close as it is safe and practical. Over time, the Wales Coast Path is expected to lead to the creation of circular coastal routes as links to inland towns and villages are improved.
What is happening on the 5th May 2012?
The official opening of the 870 mile Path will be celebrated around the country – and it will be an exciting time to explore and embrace Wales’ coastal landscape. There will be three celebratory events along the coastline, showcasing all that is great about the Wales Coast Path. In addition to these events, Ramblers Cymru is organising the Big Welsh Coastal Walk. This will be a series of led walks, suitable for all levels of fitness, taking place on the weekend of 5th May along the Path. It is expected to be one of the largest mass participation events ever seen in Wales. Events will then continue throughout the summer as communities take the opportunity to hold their own celebrations.
Listings will be available on the Wales Coast Path website (launching early 2012).
For further information on the Wales Coast Path visit the Countryside Council For Wales website.
