Wales Coast Path: Record-breaking route celebrates birthday

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The Wales Coast Path stretches the entire 870 miles of the Welsh coastline

The first coastal path in the world to fully cover the entirety of a country's coastline is 10 years old.

The 870-mile (1,400 km) Wales Coast Path begins in Chepstow, Monmouthshire, and ends across the border in Chester, Cheshire.

It works its way through spectacular beaches, cliffs, as well as busy towns and cities.

In 2012, Arry Beresford Cain became the first person to complete the entire path, taking her about 30 days.

Arry, who ran the path before finishing off with the Offa's Dyke Path, completing the entire perimeter of Wales, said she has revisited her favourite parts of the path every since.

"My favourite section of the path is Anglesey, I was lyrical a lot about that, because I really have left part of heart there," she said.

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A new two-mile stretch of the path on Anglesey, between Bryn Offa and Fedw Fawr, opened in 2019

Arry said she never planned to every cover the entire path again, but has recently been reconsidering.

"Over the last few weeks I've been considering 'do you know what, maybe I could', but I think it might make me feel even older," she said, adding: "I think I'd definitely walk it this time."

Ultramarathon runner Rhys Jenkins holds the fastest known time for completing the path in 20 days.

In 2020, Rhys ran the 870 miles, and described the ups and downs of the path as "mother nature's rollercoaster".

Natural Resources Wales

The path, completed in 2012, runs the entire 870-mile coastline of Wales

In 2020, Rhys ran the 870 miles, and described the ups and downs of the path as "mother nature's rollercoaster".

"It was absolutely breath-taking. So many places caught me by surprise, the Llyn Peninsular, the Ceredigion coast," he said.

"There were these little nuggets which you didn't expect to come at you and they were truly breath-taking. I've got all these memories in my head which I'll remember forever."

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Ultramarathon runner Rhys Jenkins said the path was "absolutely breath-taking"

Eirlys Thomas, 71, completed the path at a more sedate pace over 18 months. She and a friend chose to walk sections of the path when they had free days or weekends.

"It affected me on several levels. First of all it was physical, but I didn't realise how much it was going to affect my mental attitude.

"It's an amazing place and we're one of the very few countries that can brag about having a coastal path all around our coast."

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The path, here overlooking Aberytwyth, was the first in the world to cover an entire country's coastline

The minister responsible for delivering the coastal path 10 years ago, Jane Davidson has said there was widespread support for the project across party lines.

"It was about bringing more economic opportunities to coastal communities," said Ms Davidson.

"It was about bringing more healthy opportunities to the people of Wales, but it was also about advertising Wales to the world. Bringing the best of Wales to the world and bringing the world to the best of Wales."

Natural resources Wales, who manage the path, say a recent survey indicates that 38% of those who use the path are visitors from outside Wales.

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Around 38% of the path's visitors are from outside Wales

Nia Rhys Jones, joint chair of the Anglesey tourism association, has said the path is important to the tourist industry in Ynys Mon with visitors drawn to existing businesses and some that have developed alongside the path.

"The wellbeing and outdoors are so critical in people's lives, particularly post Covid," she said.

"There is a walking tour operator here who has packaged it together very cleverly, so that the consumer can arrive and not have to worry about moving their baggage and so forth.

"It's a unique selling point to market Wales."

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