More Seaside Strolls

National walking charity is overjoyed at government announcement on coastal access.

The Ramblers' Association (RA) warmly welcomed the announcement by Hilary Benn MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at the Labour Party Conference that the government will legislate for a legal right of access to the English coast.

The RA, the national walking charity, has been at the forefront of a campaign to open up access to the coast, which is supported by 94 per cent of the population, according to an ICM poll. Visiting the coast is an enormously popular activity, yet one third of our coastline is inaccessible and many walking routes are diverted inland, either because of coastal erosion or development.

Natural England - the government's advisory body on biodiversity, recreation and wildlife - presented wide-ranging proposals to DEFRA. At the heart of these recommendations is a coastal corridor that will enable the public to walk all the way around the English coast; an impossible feat at present. The RA, the national walking charity, is supporting Natural England's recommendations and believes that a coastal corridor will enhance coastal landscapes and wildlife as well as improving access for the public, away from a mere path.

Kate Ashbrook, chairman of the RA, said, "This is wonderful news. A coastal corridor will bring many blessings especially the enlarged freedom to wander off the path to enjoy the views. This legislation will encourage people to visit and enjoy the coast and spend money there, bringing much needed income to poorer coastal communities. And what could be more healthy for today’s obesity-prone society than a walk along the coast with the wind in your face?"

Celebrity gardener and columnist Monty Don, who is supporting the RA's coastal access campaign said, "I am a confirmed land lover and regard the sea as an alien place. My holidays have been spent by the sea and it is the British coastline, with its incredible variety, that is the true joy of the seaside. It is a pleasure and we should all share its riches."

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