Category: Coast Path completers

A long-standing member of the South West Coast Path Association is one of the most committed Coast Path walkers who has not only completed the Coast Path once but twice – and counting!

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

After his latest epic adventure, he even found time to climb to the top of Golden Cap – the highest point on the south coast, where he took his copy of the Spring Newsletter to read. Having walked the Coast Path in both directions; Minehead to Poole and Poole to Minehead, he now plans to walk alternate legs on both the north and south coasts to arrive at Lands’ End as his finish point.

Steve said: “I think that if more people only realised the health benefits, both physical and mental, that can be gained from walking in the fresh air, and particularly along the South West Coast Path, there would be many more happy and healthy people in the world.”

For someone who was receiving treatment for cancer in 2009 and was given the ‘all clear’ in 2014, this is inspiration indeed.

He says; “I am sure that my love of walking, the great outdoors and very much in particular, the South West Coast Path, has all contributed greatly to my staying healthy. In fact I believe my Oncologist prescribed the Coast Path as a remedy – better than any pills!”

We’d love to hear more stories of South West Coast Path Association members walking the Path and as of next month, we have come up with an exclusive offer for members who want to be our featured blogger of the month. We will feature one or two blog posts about your Coast Path adventures in one month and provide a link to your own blog, so our readers can continue to follow your story. All we require is that you write between 2-300 words about walks that you are doing that month so it reflects the seasons and include 2 or 3 pictures with each post.

If you’re interested, email Alex with details about where you will be walking and when and you could be chosen to write for us that month. In return, you’ll receive a free A-Z South West Coast Path Adventure Map of your choice worth £9.50. The same size as an OS Explorer map when closed, the book design means simply turning the page as you walk.

Steve told us his story through a series of postcards as he made his way along the Path. If you don’t have your own blog, this is a great way to keep us posted on your adventures.

Find out more about Association membership and the benefits you’ll receive to support your walk of a lifetime.

Happy walking!

How can you capture in 250 words what the South West Coast Path means to you?  For me it was one of the places I wanted to spend my time, one of the things I wanted to do after I took early retirement and it has more than exceeded my expectations.

It’s taken me 13 years. I started from Port Isaac in 2002 and finished in Lulworth in 2015.  I’m not one of those who start at the beginning and walk logically to the end.  It is a more emotional experience.

One decision I made at the beginning was to average 10 miles a day and that was just right.  For me it is not about trying to break records but about enjoying the journey. The photo shows me with my two daughters, Lucy and Laura and my brother Chris who were all with me on the final leg.

Rufus, a King Charles spaniel was also with us but didn’t make the photo! I’ve had some great times with family and friends along the way and walked much of it on my own.  Many happy memories to look back on.

There was added personal significance for me because of health issues. I had had a quadruple heart bypass operation before I started and I needed more major heart surgery in 2006, 8½ hours in the operating theatre. More problems in 2014 led to a defibrillator being implanted.  The doctors have done a great job. So the South West Coast Path has been both a great place to put their work to the test and also to enjoy being alive.

Alan Manie completed the Coast Path in October 2015. If you have a story to share about walking the Coast Path, please send it in to the South West Coast Path Association at hello@southwestcoastpath.org.uk We endeavour to share as many stories as we can across our social media channels.

All members of the Association that complete the entire 630 mile trail receive a certificate on completion. There are other souvenirs available to purchase from the online shop from ornamental fingerposts to map posters.

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