One of the UK's most cherished walking trails in the Westcountry could be under threat from funding cuts. Vast sections of the path – running along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall – could be affected by a 10% cut imposed on Defra, the Government department responsible for the project, in last week's spending review.
Long stretches of the South West Coast Path could become impassable if more money is not allocated for its upkeep, experts have warned.
Officials say it has became harder to maintain the path as the annual budget has been reduced by 30% over the past three years.
Mark Owen, South West Coast Path national trail officer, admitted it would be "very concerning" if Natural England was forced to reduce its contribution further.
"If the path is left to become overgrown (which in warm wet weather doesn't take long) it can become difficult and unpleasant to walk along.
"On top of this are repairs and replacements to the thousands of fingerposts, stiles, gates and bridges found along the path."
Last year some 36 major cliff falls resulted in temporary closures and diversions.
Five sections of the path still remain closed several months after record-breaking rainfall caused the worst landslides in the South West for more than a decade.
Mr Owen said: "These offer a poor and in some cases a hazardous experience for walkers, are particularly damaging to the reputation of the Coast Path as a whole (particularly for long-distance users), and are impacting on local businesses."
Anecdotal reports have shown some long distance walkers were choosing to holiday in other areas, and would only return once repairs have been resolved.
Malcolm Bell, head of tourism at VisitCornwall, said the path was a "unique" and "glorious" asset as a vital part of the Westcountry's infrastructure.
Concerns were also voiced by UK's leading walking charities, the Ramblers.
Benedict Southworth, Ramblers chief executive, said: "Axing the path would be a false economy; the cost of investing in the project is tiny compared to the economic boost it can bring to our ailing seaside villages and towns.
"Now more than ever we need the path to help rejuvenate our coastal communities and to encourage people to live healthier lives."
Environment Minister Richard Benyon recently said the Government had inherited some legacies that would be extremely expensive to deliver – and any that were not a high priority were "up for grabs".
"The Coastal Access Bill was a sledge-hammer to miss a nut," he added.
Research estimated the direct spend by walkers on the coast path in 2011 was more than £350 million.
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