The 10th anniversary of the Wales Coast Path is being celebrated this year – a milestone occasion chock full of special events designed to help make an excursion along the 1,400-km. route even more memorable.
Official celebrations will take place on May 5, marking a decade since the popular path launched in 2012.
From sunset picnics on the Gower Peninsula to stargazing in Snowdonia’s international Dark-Sky reserve, the Path already offers hundreds of unique walking experiences across the country – but after a decade of adventure, 2022 is set to be its most memorable year yet.
To mark the occasion, the Wales Coast Path has launched a brand-new calendar of celebratory events, filled with opportunities for people from across the world to join the festivities and discover the Path anew.
A series of guided tours along Wales’ coastline are also being introduced, as well as the release of fresh walking itineraries and educational resources, among other coast-side surprises.
This will include the launch of a suite of new unique walking itineraries, created in partnership with the Welsh Government historic environment service, Cadw, and combining the Path’s offering with visits to some of the country’s most iconic castles and historical landmarks.
Research by Ramblers UK shows that 89% of people find that walking amongst nature helps them to unwind and relax – improving health, wellbeing, and feelings of positivity.
Therefore, 2022 will not only act as a celebration of the iconic walking route, but as an opportunity for the people of Wales — and beyond — to share their positive experiences and memories of the Path over the last 10 years.
“Since its official opening in 2012, the Wales Coast Path has established itself as a beacon of Wales’s natural beauty. And, during its 10th year, we’re inviting everybody to join us in celebrating everything that the Path has to offer, not just for people living in Wales, but all over the world,” says Eve Nicholson of the WCP.
Meanwhile, for the first time, walkers will be able to track their walking adventures on the official Wales Coast Path app, which is being updated to make the route as open and accessible for exploration for as many people as possible.
The National Trails in Wales – comprising the Wales Coast Path and incorporating Pembrokeshire Coast Path and Glyndwrs Way – has launched a new Travel Trade toolkit that includes walking itineraries, coach parking, places to eat and drink and did you know facts.
Download the toolkit: https://www.walescoastpath.gov.uk/traveltrade
FIVE FAST FACTS
1. Spanning 1,400 km of Welsh coastline – Wales is one of a few countries in the world to have a continuous coastal path stretching its entire length.
2. Wales has more Blue Flag beaches per mile than anywhere else in the UK.
3. There are more than 100 beaches dotted along the Wales Coast Path.
4. Over 43 million visits are made to the Welsh coastline of which walking was the most popular activity.
5. Rhossili Bay on the Gower Peninsula, south Wales, has been voted among the top 10 beaches in the world.