19/10/2023
A new passport for walkers of the Coast Path between Brean and Porlock Weir has been launched today at the Driftwood Café in Blue Anchor, one of the stamping stations on the route.
This free pocket size booklet containing maps, route details, things to see and do, as well as space to collect stamps, will be an invaluable companion for walkers on the Somerset and Exmoor coast. The passports are available from seven points along the route: the National Trust Beach Hut at Brean Down, visitor information centres at Burnham-on-Sea, Watchet, Dunster, Minehead and Porlock and Bridgwater Town Hall.
Isobel Pring, King Charles III England Coast Path Officer for Somerset, set out along the trail to test out the passport and so far has managed to collect more than half of the 35 stamps on the trail. She told us that, “The passport is a great incentive to visit all sorts of interesting businesses along the route including cafes, pubs, shops and galleries each having their own unique stamp. Not only have I seen trail highlights like the Low Lighthouse at Burnham-on-Sea, the waterfall at St Audries and the incredible rock formations between Lilstock and Blue Anchor, I’ve also visited some of the villages along the trail and discovered some fantastic Somerset business that I might not have without it!”
Darren Taylor, from the Driftwood café, said “we are thrilled to be one of the stamping partners. It is great to be able to give visitors another great reason to explore our fascinating coast. Now they can collect mementos of their adventures in the form of souvenir stamps along the way”.
So far 35 other businesses have signed up as stamping points with more joining every day, so there are loads of opportunities for walkers to fill up their passport to create a tangible memory of their journey along the Somerset and Exmoor coast.
Passport holders are being encouraged to share images of themselves at each of the stamping points using #SomersetExmoorCoast as part of a campaign to raise awareness of the Somerset & Exmoor Coast.
Details of all the stamping points, including special offers for passport holders, are available here www.somerset.gov.uk/coastpath.
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The passport covers the 70 mile (69.9 miles to be precise) route from Brean Down to Porlock Weir incorporating the King Charles III England Coast Path from Brean to Minehead and the South West Coast Path from Minehead to Porlock Weir and beyond.
A route description and sample itinerary featuring stamping points, attractions and places to stay along the route will be going live on the National Trails website in time for the half term holiday and will be available at https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/england-coast-path-south-west/itinerary/brean-to-minehead.
The passport has been produced with funding from the King Charles III England Coast Path Somerset Trail Partnership. Information has been collated by Nell Barrington as part of a two year project to attract more visitors to the Somerset & Exmoor Coast which has been funded by EDF and commissioned by Somerset Council on behalf of the Hinkley Tourism Action Partnership.
Image credit: Nell Barrington (Stamping point poster, Isobel Pring at the Driftwood Café, Blue Anchor with Darren Taylor stamping her passport and Image of the passport showing stamps collected and memories made)
