Step Up
Our mission is to help as many people as possible, access the South West Coast Path and all the amazing places it takes you to and through.
There’s more than 115,000 ft of ascent and descent on the South West Coast Path. Completing it is equivalent to climbing Snowdon 48 times, Ben Nevis 26 times and Everest 4 times! So, it should come as no surprise that to access this world-famous trail, we need a few steps to help us! In fact, there are over 30,000 steps on the Trail, each and every one in place to make it possible for you to experience it in all its glory.
Our volunteers survey the Coast Path for us every year, checking thousands of steps to make sure they are still safe and secure to use. Due to wear and tear, and increasingly extreme weather, steps only last between 15-20 years. That means every year we need to replace about 1,000 steps along the Trail and it costs £25 per step. That’s £25,000 every year to keep the Trail open and accessible for you to enjoy.
However, thanks to the power of partnership we can achieve this for much less, which means your money goes further. If we can raise just £10,000, we could buy the materials for 1,000 new steps and unlock £15,000 worth of labour from our partners on the ground, who we work closely with to conserve and improve the Trail.
By donating to Step Up as part of Every Mile Matters, you could help us reach this target and support millions of people who use these steps to access the Trail. Donating any amount, large or small, will make a world of difference.
Why we invest in quality steps
The rangers and wardens who help us replace the steps on the Coast Path work in some of the most difficult places to access along the coast. Every set of steps requires hard work, taking many hours to move materials to site, prepare the ground and install each one securely. We want to make sure that we provide the best materials we can when rangers and wardens carry out this work. By supplying locally sourced, environmentally sensitive materials such as oak, chestnut, and granite, it means the steps won’t need to be replaced so often. This will also improve the quality and overall access of the Path, and cut down on rangers’ time and resources too.
If you'd prefer to make a donation over the phone or discuss this appeal further, please do not hesitate to contact us. We’d love to hear from you.
T: 01752 896 237.