for visiting tourists to understand the nuances. Taking pasties as an example, the Cornish crimp the edge of the pastry, while in Devon they crimp it along the top. With cream teas in Devon, the cream goes on the scone, then the jam goes on top; in Cornwall the jam goes on the scone, then the cream goes on top. Both camps are prone to get a bit weary when over-run by hordes of visiting tourists. In Devon, tourists may be disparagingly referred to as ‘grockles’, while in Cornwall they may be referred to as ‘emmets’. The counties of Somerset and Dorset also have their own strong identities and county pride.
Of all the counties in the south-west, Cornwall boasts a strong identity tending almost towards nationalism. The Cornish language, which died out centuries ago, is enjoying a revival and is spoken to some extent by a few thousand inhabitants. It has some similarity with Breton, closely followed by Welsh, as they are all Brythonic tongues. Cornwall has flown the flag of St Piran for about two centuries, and its design, a white cross on a black background, has been in use for much longer. Neighbouring Devon, Somerset and Dorset all scrambled to design their own specific county flags only in the past few years.
Whatever else happens in the south-west, Cornwall tends to go a step further. There’s a greater awareness of cultural identity, reflected in everything from language, literature, song, dance and traditions, to a revival in Celtic Christianity and old Pagan practices. A glance at a map reveals a bewildering number of ‘saints’ in place names. There are Cornish sports and games, along with plenty of Cornish societies and groups. In fact, there’s a Cornish diaspora, dating from a time when miners were sent to mining operations around the world, where they retained their identity and close family ties even to this day.
Coastal walking through history
Man has been active along Britain’s coasts since Neolithic times. The earliest settlers were hunter-gatherers who lived in the valleys and on the coastal margins, at a time when most of the inland areas were heavily forested wilderness. These people may have initiated some vague paths along the coast, and maybe you will walk partly in their footsteps. Bronze Age fortifications and Iron Age promontory forts along the South West coast signify a level of social unrest and strife as waves of settlers came from Europe. In more peaceful interludes, people surely trod along the coastline.
Boats hauled out of the sea at the little fishing cove of Penberth (Stage 20)
Fishing and seafaring have always been important activities. There are dozens of natural sheltered harbours with deep-water channels. Villages and towns grew up around these, and fortifications were built to afford them protection from raiders. A lookout for unfamiliar vessels would have been maintained from the clifftops. Fishermen also manned cliff-top lookouts to spot shoals of pilchards, mackerel or herrings, and would raise a ‘hue’ to let their comrades know where to make a good catch.
Fishermen and sailors were ideally positioned for wheeler-dealing with foreign vessels, and when heavy duties were slapped onto imported goods early in the 18th century, they used their intimate knowledge of the coastline to land all manner of goods at remote spots. The government responded by administering harsh penalties and punishments, but the smugglers simply became more devious. The government retaliated by establishing the Coastguard Service in 1822.
Coastguards were stationed at intervals along the coast to patrol the cliffs and coves, keep an eye on any suspicious activities, and clamp down on the smuggling trade. They tramped back and forth along their coastal beats, treading out clear paths with unrivalled views of the rugged coast. The coastal path largely came into being from that time.
As the coastguards were suppressing an illegal activity that local people felt was important to their survival, they were most unwelcome. It was almost impossible to procure accommodation for them, so they were obliged to live in specially constructed coastguard cottages, often well away from towns and villages. Even after renovation into holiday homes, some coastguard cottages still resemble military barracks. Over the years, coastguards became less involved in watching smugglers, and switched to scanning the seas to ensure the safety of passing ships. Often they were stationed in lonely lookouts on prominent headlands, with binoculars, telescopes and notepads. The modern Coastguard Service is now centrally administered.
A cliff-edge cottage is passed on the way from Thorncombe Beacon to Eype’s Mouth (Stage 40)
Many old coastguard lookouts have been reopened by the National Coastwatch Institution, www.nci.org.uk, a charity made up of volunteers who take on the role of the former coastguards. They keep an eye on shipping, and also on Coast Path walkers, and are now recognised as an important part of the emergency response network along the coast.
Today, use of the Coast Path is rather different. Almost everyone who walks on the path does so for exercise and enjoyment. Ramblers may walk from one town or village to the next, while long-distance walkers simply keep going day after day while the infinite variety of the route unfolds before them: beaches and bays; cliffs and coves; sea stacks and sand dunes; fishing villages and holiday resorts. With all its ups and downs and ins and outs, the route is often like a monstrous rollercoaster and leads walkers through history and heritage, scenic splendour and the wonders of the natural world. It has been estimated that anyone completing the whole trail will climb four times the height of Everest!
Many towns and villages along the South West Coast Path have fine little museums or heritage centres, with fishing and smuggling being oft-repeated themes. Visit them to obtain a clearer picture of local history.
A protected coastline
The South West coast is largely cherished and protected, but has been spoiled in a few places by industry and inappropriate development. The Exmoor National Park covers the early stages, and much of the coast of North Devon, Cornwall, South Devon, East Devon and Dorset is designated as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The last long stretch of coast was designated as England’s first Natural World Heritage Site: the ‘Jurassic Coast’. Many stretches are Heritage Coasts, while smaller areas may be protected as National Nature Reserves, Local Nature Reserves or Sites of Special Scientific Interest. The National Trust own and manage around 500km (310 miles) of the coast, some of it acquired during their long-running ‘Operation Neptune’ campaign.
Looking after the Coast Path
The South West Coast Path is looked after by a partnership of organisations. Maintenance is undertaken by the County Councils and the National Trust and coordinated by the South West Coast Path National Trail Team, with support from the South West Coast Path Association (a charity) and funding from Natural England. They work together to ensure that any storm damage, broken signposts, stiles, footbridges and much more, are all repaired and cared for.
Following reductions in government funding in recent years, the Association has taken on a vital fundraising role to help support these important projects, and also works hard to encourage everyone to use, enjoy and ultimately love the Coast Path.
The South West Coast Path Association was originally founded in 1973 to act as the voice of the trail, generating support and awareness of the route and lobbying for the path to be the complete 1014km (630-mile) trail it is today. As it costs at least £1000 for every mile of this glorious trail to be kept open and clearly signed, the Association asks for your support to help look after and love the path. Whether you use it to walk the dog, have family picnics, to escape on holiday for some fresh sea air or enjoy it as a serious walker: if you love it, please help to protect it.
The easiest way to do this is to become a member of the Association, with annual membership being available for less than the price
