King Charles III National Trail

The opening of the 2,700 mile long King Charles III National Trail around the English Coastline this March is the culmination of 17 years of planning, negotiation and development since the legislation to create it was enacted by Parliament in 2009. Everyone living in St Agnes is very familiar with the South West Coastal Path which is now an integral part of the King Charles III National Trail. Our Parish is fortunate enough to have between 5 and 6.2 miles of the trail  (depending on the route); it’s our Parish boundary with the Atlantic. Probably one of the top 25 Parishes in the country for length but well below the 14+ miles of Hartland in north Devon which has the longest section of the Trail. The new Trail will attract more hikers and tourists from across the world who will want to walk the longest path of its kind. The new trail has established new standards for footpaths, ones which  will make it accessible to as many as possible, no stiles, and gates only if simple openings in walls and hedges are not feasible.

St Agnes Footpath Network

Our Parish has a rich and varied network of footpaths, part of our mining heritage and the commuter routes of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Unlike the new Coastal Trail, accessibility was not a concern when they were established. Providing a way of getting over a barrier was the aim and easy access for those on foot not always a priority. As a consequence, St Agnes and Cornwall have many  examples of ‘Grand National’ style stiles constructed from large granite blocks and as high as the hedges which they cross, quite a challenge and daunting for many. There are also other aspects of our footpaths which need attention, maybe the surface is poor or waterlogged, there might be obstructions or the signage is poor.  Footpaths are to be walked and enjoyed by as many as possible. Walkers should not be deterred because the stiles are too challenging, which many are! Footpaths offer us a much more intimate relationship with the countryside and nature, somewhere peaceful to escape. The Parish Council, following an initiative from the Local Improvement Committee (LIC), has passed a resolution to improve the accessibility of all our footpaths, with the aim of matching the standards of the new Coastal Trail.

How will this be achieved? 

At the moment we don’t really know the scale of the problem. There are the stiles on Footpath No 12 and 18 and the flooding on number 13 which we know about but how many others really need some attention, we just don’t know. Our first step is going to be to carry out a census, which we are planning will take place in June. Once we know what needs doing and where the priorities are we can establish a time scale, seek funding (grants are available from Cornwall Council, the LIC and possibly other sources), obtain quotes and hopefully make a difference. This is being planned as a community initiative and we will need volunteers. Of course we will also need the help and assistance of those who own the land which the footpaths cross. Landowners know that ultimately they are responsible for the paths and the safety of those using them and of course those walking paths also know that they have a duty to walk them responsibly.

What improvements can we make?

Of course any improvements which we can make will respect the integrity of the historic assets of which we are custodians. We wish to preserve the past but by adding handrails, resetting some stones, replacing recent scaffolding pole additions or improving the ground surface,  we should increase everyone’s confidence level in tackling these obstacles. If it is possible, new openings with no barrier are the very best option but this may not always be possible. We can make things  better as we have done in the past. The Stompers and Ramblers reopened Footpath Number 59 and restored all the historic aspects of this vital link between St Agnes and Mithian. The National Trust, with funding from The Local Improvement Committee (LIC), recently removed a very awkward stile and replaced it with a gate on Footpath Number 14 and more recently the LIC improved the waterlogged surface of the same footpath at the top of Whitworth Close. The County Council, following public reporting after the Winter of 2024, also provided stepping stones along Jericho Valley, Number 88, making the path walkable once again. And annually the surfaces of gold footpaths are maintained by the Parish Council with targeted funding from the County Council. Much has been achieved already but we must cherish our footpaths if we are to provide the best experience possible for those that use our network. Simple things help, why not during the growing season carry a pair of secateurs with you and do your bit by trimming back brambles, for example.

Would you like to get involved?

We need a team of a dozen or so to help us carry out our survey in the month of June. We have divided the Parish roughly into its five wards and small teams, 2 or 3 people, will be asked to walk every footpath in their area and complete a spreadsheet capturing the information required and taking pictures where appropriate. Don’t underestimate how long this might take before thinking about getting involved. Teams are by necessity small as it involves both subjective and objective decisions and consistency is key when determining priorities and seeking funding. There will be a meeting in May for everyone to be brought up to speed about the process and a follow up in July so hopefully data collected will be completed by the end of that month. 

If you would like to take part, please send your name, email and mobile phone number to [email protected] by the end of April. We would also like one or two people who could help with some of the administrative aspects, such as helping to enter data onto the spreadsheet. In addition, if you don’t have the time to help but you are aware of a very specific footpath issue please tell us. You can of course also report problems on the County Council website but if you wish to tell us, we will need the footpath number and a description of the problem or a photograph.

The footpath network in the UK has no equal but it needs to be nurtured and valued and made accessible to as many as possible especially as we have an ageing but ever more active population. Let’s do our bit by making the network in St Agnes one we can all enjoy and one which we can all access.

Richard Tufnell