This coast is made for walking

WALKERS can enjoy 66 miles of new and improved National Trail with the launch of the first stretch of the England Coast Path in Kent and East Sussex.

The continuous route between Camber and Ramsgate is the first section of the England Coast Path to open in the south-east of England. It gives unbridled views of coastline, including the White Cliffs and the unique areas of Dungeness and Pegwell Bay, popular for birdwatching, and their landscape and summer flowers.

Natural England is establishing a 2,700-mile path around the entire English coastline by 2020 and work is already under way on 60 percent of the route. When completed, it will be the world’s longest continuous coastal walking route.

Speaking at the National Trust’s White Cliffs centre, the chairman of Natural England, Andrew Sells, said: ‘I am delighted to be here for the formal opening of this 66-mile section of the England Coast Path – the most significant rights of way project for a generation. This beautiful and iconic stretch will allow walkers to enjoy amazing views, fabulous wildlife, and places with significant cultural and historical value – all from a high-quality footpath. It will also connect coastal communities and encourage walkers to visit more of the coast, bringing an added economic boost to the region.’

The route provides a link between communities and towns along the coast including Camber and Lydd, Greatstone and Hythe and Deal and Sandwich. It includes areas and features of heritage, such as the supposed landing site of Caesar at Walmer, embarkation points on the River Stour at Richborough used by soldiers and horses in the First World War, Napoleonic Martello towers, and extensive Second World War defences at Dover.

Three miles of new path have also been created at Sandwich, giving access around the peninsula for the first time.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Lake District ready to bid for World Heritage status

THE Lake District’s quest for World Heritage status has reached its most significant milestone in more than a year as 25 of the area’s leading organizations formally endorsed its nomination.

Partners including the National Trust, Cumbria Tourism, and Natural England have agreed the documents that make the #LakeDistrict’s case for being globally important and deserving its place on the prestigious World Heritage list.

Once finalized, these will be submitted to the UK government and Historic England ahead of formal submission next year to #UNESCO in the ‘cultural landscape’ category.

Richard Greenwood, head of operations for Cumbria Tourism, said: ‘We believe there will be real benefits for the county’s visitor economy from World Heritage inscription – for example, just a one percent increase in cultural visitors could boost our economy by about £20 million.’

Steve Ratcliffe, director of sustainable development for the Lake District National Park Authority, added: ‘World Heritage is a huge opportunity for global recognition that will finally, and rightly, put the Lake District on the global map. It will raise its cultural profile, showcase the special relationship between farming and this stunning landscape which will continue to evolve, and create a real sense of community pride.’

There are 1,007 UNESCO sites across the world including East Africa’s Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, Bath in Somerset, and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/32365888@N05/3462538821">A not so small pond</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)