Latest news with #CrestTrail
The Guardian
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘It's life-affirming to walk': South West Coast Path hopes for visitor uplift from Gillian Anderson film
They walk the path for a variety of reasons. For the challenge, the exercise, the views. To find companionship or seek solitude. Some walk with a sense of escaping problems, others with the idea of striding towards a goal. Many more are expected to head to the South West Coast Path, the 630-mile route around the shores of Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and Dorset as the film The Salt Path hits cinema screens. The movie, starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs, is based on the book of the same name by Raynor Winn telling the story of how she and her husband, Moth, took to the path after being forced from their home and found peace, resilience and healing. A gala screening takes place close to the path at the Lighthouse Cinema in Newquay, Cornwall, on Tuesday before its UK release on 30 May – and the hope is that more people will be inspired to walk it. People such as Jennifer Lessard, 45, from New York, who was found walking a stretch of the path in Torbay, south Devon. 'It's just so beautiful,' she said as she looked across a tree-lined bay. She plans to walk the path a few sections at a time during the visits to the UK. 'It may take me 20 years,' she said. Though in the US she has mammoth paths such as the Pacific Crest Trail to go at, the South West Coast Path is a bit more manageable. 'I feel safe here walking by myself,' Lessard said. But it is grand enough to be a challenge (if you walk the whole thing it is the equivalent of ascending Mount Everest four times). 'It's life-affirming to walk,' said Lessard. 'And I like the pubs at the end of the day. I'm into real ale.' British twins Roy and Paul Saxton, 75, were also walking this Devon section. They live more than 300 miles apart and get together for walking holidays. 'It's a great way for us to meet and catch up,' said Roy. Psychologists have noted that walking is a good time to have difficult conversations – you are side by side but not engaging with eye contact. 'It's very sociable,' said Paul. 'You meet such lovely people.' Martyn Green, 38, and his dog Rolo, were doing 30 miles of the path in a day. He is pretty much a full-time walker of the UK's coastal paths, recording his adventures on TikTok. 'I don't have any permanent abode; I float,' he said. Usually next to the sea. 'I love it – you never see anyone unhappy on the beach. When you're close to water you tend to be happy.' Tourism leaders in the south-west are looking forward to a boost in walker numbers on the back of the film. Jon Hyatt, the chair of Visit Cornwall, said there had been 'significant' interest from domestic and international audiences. 'Last week we welcomed two influencers from the Netherlands on a Salt Path-themed visit, timed with the film's premiere there,' he said. Emma Thomasson, CEO of Visit Exmoor, said the film showcases locations across the area. 'We hope and expect that this will inspire a broad range of visitors from home and abroad. It's a great opportunity to show what's here for everyone.' Julian Gray, the director of the South West Coast Path Association, the charity that looks after trail, said the film was timely as there had been a downturn in visitors in recent years. Factors such as rising prices, the increased interest in travelling overseas since the pandemic and the loss of foreign seasonal workers post Brexit have put tourism in south-west Britain under pressure. 'I think the film will raise awareness of the path and give us a chance engage with people about the transformational nature of trails,' said Gray. On any given day about 25,000 people may be walking the path (though so spaced out it never feels busy). It brings in £500m a year to the south-west economy and the public health benefits are judged to be worth tens of million more. There are lots of positives. The charity has noticed that more lone women, younger people and families are walking the trail. The charity is working hard on equity of access, making sure that people such as refugees and older people get a chance to walk it. But the costs of maintaining it are high, and rising steeply. It costs about £1,600 per mile, per year, to keep the path in good shape and clearly signed – more than £1m. Seven years ago it cost £1,100 a mile. The climate emergency is putting huge pressure on the trail. 'What we're seeing with climate change is a speeding up of the frequency of storms and an increase in their intensity,' said Gray. 'We're having to deal with erosion and diversions far more often.' It took three months to clear part of the path when Storm Darragh hit in December, bringing down trees and causing stretches to crumble. Wildfires have affected the path in Zennor in Cornwall and Bolberry Down, near Salcombe. Gray said: 'I see the film as an opportunity to engage with people on how they can make a difference to protect and enhance this world-class trail. If we want it for future generations, we need people to keep supporting us.'
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Yahoo
Storms tore up two of America's most iconic trails. Federal cuts have disrupted repairs
CAMPO, Calif. (AP) — Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail is a challenge, especially for adventurers making the entire run from Southern California to Canada, and Eric Kipperman's job is to greet them at the start and lay bare the difficulties ahead. He has lately begun warning that the journey may be even tougher. Following cuts by the Trump administration, plans to clear downed trees and rebuild storm-battered stretches in 2025 have been scrapped. 'This year, we're going to have less trail work done on the trails, so just know that going into your hike, safety is the most important thing,' Kipperman told a group of backpackers from Europe and the United States at the trailhead near Campo, California, an hour's drive east of San Diego. He cautioned there is 'no trail' at all in parts of the 2,650-mile (4,265 kilometers) path through California, Oregon and Washington state. The cutbacks are not just on the West Coast. Ahead of the busy summer hiking season, funding freezes and mass layoffs also are disrupting repairs on the East Coast's Appalachian Trail after nearly 500 miles (800 kilometers) were damaged by Hurricane Helene, underscoring how President Donald Trump's dramatic downsizing of the U.S. government is touching even the nation's remote backcountry where vacationers, wanderers and escapists alike retreat to leave modern life behind. Wildfires and more intense storms due in part to climate change have been taking a toll on the legendary trails. The federal cuts threaten their very existence, according to the Pacific Crest Trail Association and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, which oversee their preservation in partnership with the government and receive millions in federal dollars. The U.S. Forest Service called the situation 'dynamic and evolving' in an email to The Associated Press, but said they are committed to ensuring public safety and access to recreation areas that are vital to local economies. The Trump administration has let go some 3,400 workers at the U.S. Forest Service, and nearly 1,500 at the National Park Service, including trail repair specialists. The associations said the cuts also led to the rescinding of job offers for seasonal crews with technical skills to rebuild boardwalks, bridges and campsites and train thousands of volunteers. Courts have ordered federal agencies to rehire thousands of workers, but some say they are not coming back. 'For hikers, they're going to be crawling, navigating, working their way through downed trees across the trail that won't get cut out,' said Justin Kooyman, director of the Pacific Crest Trail operations. 'It's going to make for a little more rough and tumble.' A backlog of projects While the trails are not in total disarray and many hikers may not see any damaged areas, maintenance is critical to their existence, the associations say. More than 20 miles (32 kilometers) of the Appalachian Trail remain closed following Helene and downed trees could fuel wildfires. Last month, the Appalachian Trail turned 100 years old. The footpath stretches 2,193 miles (3,530 kilometers) between Georgia's Springer Mountain and Maine's Mount Katahdin. Its founder, the late forest scientist Benton MacKaye, saw a need for a place to escape stress following the end of World War I and the 1918 flu epidemic. The Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail officially became the country's first National Scenic Trails under the 1968 National Trails System Act. Completing them has come to symbolize the strength of the human spirit, inspiring books and movies. Only a fraction are thru-hikers, a term for those who walk the trails from end to end. Many don't succeed and several people have died trying. Most users hike for a day or two to enjoy the breathtaking beauty. 'I am so concerned with what seems to be a general lack of appreciation for what these protected outdoor spaces can bring to not just our physical well-being but to our souls,' said Sandi Marra, head of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. 'If we lose these things, we are really going to be lost as a species, and definitely as a country.' The Pacific Crest Trail Association said it is operating with a third less federal grant money than anticipated. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy said at least $1.5 million is at risk from federal downsizing. The National Park Service said its funding has continued for the Appalachian Trail as it works to 'address challenges collaboratively and seek solutions' to support the footpath's 'enduring legacy." Both trails already had a backlog of projects. Wildfires have scorched nearly 250 miles (400 kilometers) of the Pacific Crest Trail in recent years. The disruption exacerbates the deteriorating conditions and the spread of invasive plant species, which will ultimately increase costs, said Megan Wargo, head of the Pacific Crest Trail Association. Cutting back The Pacific Crest Trail crosses searing desert and traverses forests of giant sequoias, the world's largest trees, before climbing by snow-covered peaks in the rugged Sierra Nevada. After snaking over 50 mountain passes, it ends in Washington's remote Pasayten Wilderness at the Canadian border. As the trail's popularity grew through social media and the bestselling memoir 'Wild' that inspired a Hollywood film, drawing less experienced backpackers, the association hired what they call 'crest runners." Kipperman is one of two at the southern end. Their duties include greeting hikers at the Mexican border, checking their permits and providing safety tips before they set off. The crest runners normally work from March until August, covering the hottest, riskiest months for that section. Last year, a crest runner also worked the northern end at the Canadian border. But this year they only will be at the southern end until mid-May unless more federal funds are unfrozen. Kipperman, whose trail name is 'Pure Stoke," is infectiously cheery as he rattles off the dangers from rattlesnakes to dehydration and distributes bags for discarded toilet paper. He steers clear of discussing politics and instead talks about protecting water quality, burying human waste, packing out trash and building safe campfires. 'Remove the ego. Address the situation. See if going forward is really the right thing for you,' Kipperman said, warning hikers to beware that Mile 225 or so is washed out. Plowing ahead After hearing Kipperman's spiel, backpacker Joshua Suran said he planned to try helping restore the trail where possible. Marias Michel of Germany trudged over, concerned about the weight of his backpack draped with gear, water bottles and a pair of Crocs. After quitting his job, he said he needed to do the trail, calling it 'a resetting, a big detox.' He was aware of the federal cuts but said he couldn't worry about that. 'I'm just going to be learning by doing because I don't want to be too much up here,' Michel said, pointing to his head. 'I want to test myself. No expectations. It's an attempt until you make it."
Associated Press
06-04-2025
- Associated Press
Storms tore up two of America's most iconic trails. Federal cuts have disrupted repairs
CAMPO, Calif. (AP) — Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail is a challenge, especially for adventurers making the entire run from Southern California to Canada, and Eric Kipperman's job is to greet them at the start and lay bare the difficulties ahead. He has lately begun warning that the journey may be even tougher. Following cuts by the Trump administration, plans to clear downed trees and rebuild storm-battered stretches in 2025 have been scrapped. 'This year, we're going to have less trail work done on the trails, so just know that going into your hike, safety is the most important thing,' Kipperman told a group of backpackers from Europe and the United States at the trailhead near Campo, California, an hour's drive east of San Diego. He cautioned there is 'no trail' at all in parts of the 2,650-mile (4,265 kilometers) path through California, Oregon and Washington state. The cutbacks are not just on the West Coast. Ahead of the busy summer hiking season, funding freezes and mass layoffs also are disrupting repairs on the East Coast's Appalachian Trail after nearly 500 miles (800 kilometers) were damaged by Hurricane Helene, underscoring how President Donald Trump's dramatic downsizing of the U.S. government is touching even the nation's remote backcountry where vacationers, wanderers and escapists alike retreat to leave modern life behind. Wildfires and more intense storms due in part to climate change have been taking a toll on the legendary trails. The federal cuts threaten their very existence, according to the Pacific Crest Trail Association and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, which oversee their preservation in partnership with the government and receive millions in federal dollars. The U.S. Forest Service called the situation 'dynamic and evolving' in an email to The Associated Press, but said they are committed to ensuring public safety and access to recreation areas that are vital to local economies. The Trump administration has let go some 3,400 workers at the U.S. Forest Service, and nearly 1,500 at the National Park Service, including trail repair specialists. The associations said the cuts also led to the rescinding of job offers for seasonal crews with technical skills to rebuild boardwalks, bridges and campsites and train thousands of volunteers. Courts have ordered federal agencies to rehire thousands of workers, but some say they are not coming back. 'For hikers, they're going to be crawling, navigating, working their way through downed trees across the trail that won't get cut out,' said Justin Kooyman, director of the Pacific Crest Trail operations. 'It's going to make for a little more rough and tumble.' A backlog of projects While the trails are not in total disarray and many hikers may not see any damaged areas, maintenance is critical to their existence, the associations say. More than 20 miles (32 kilometers) of the Appalachian Trail remain closed following Helene and downed trees could fuel wildfires. Last month, the Appalachian Trail turned 100 years old. The footpath stretches 2,193 miles (3,530 kilometers) between Georgia's Springer Mountain and Maine's Mount Katahdin. Its founder, the late forest scientist Benton MacKaye, saw a need for a place to escape stress following the end of World War I and the 1918 flu epidemic. The Appalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail officially became the country's first National Scenic Trails under the 1968 National Trails System Act. Completing them has come to symbolize the strength of the human spirit, inspiring books and movies. Only a fraction are thru-hikers, a term for those who walk the trails from end to end. Many don't succeed and several people have died trying. Most users hike for a day or two to enjoy the breathtaking beauty. 'I am so concerned with what seems to be a general lack of appreciation for what these protected outdoor spaces can bring to not just our physical well-being but to our souls,' said Sandi Marra, head of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. 'If we lose these things, we are really going to be lost as a species, and definitely as a country.' The Pacific Crest Trail Association said it is operating with a third less federal grant money than anticipated. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy said at least $1.5 million is at risk from federal downsizing. The National Park Service said its funding has continued for the Appalachian Trail as it works to 'address challenges collaboratively and seek solutions' to support the footpath's 'enduring legacy.' Both trails already had a backlog of projects. Wildfires have scorched nearly 250 miles (400 kilometers) of the Pacific Crest Trail in recent years. The disruption exacerbates the deteriorating conditions and the spread of invasive plant species, which will ultimately increase costs, said Megan Wargo, head of the Pacific Crest Trail Association. Cutting back The Pacific Crest Trail crosses searing desert and traverses forests of giant sequoias, the world's largest trees, before climbing by snow-covered peaks in the rugged Sierra Nevada. After snaking over 50 mountain passes, it ends in Washington's remote Pasayten Wilderness at the Canadian border. As the trail's popularity grew through social media and the bestselling memoir 'Wild' that inspired a Hollywood film, drawing less experienced backpackers, the association hired what they call 'crest runners.' Kipperman is one of two at the southern end. Their duties include greeting hikers at the Mexican border, checking their permits and providing safety tips before they set off. The crest runners normally work from March until August, covering the hottest, riskiest months for that section. Last year, a crest runner also worked the northern end at the Canadian border. But this year they only will be at the southern end until mid-May unless more federal funds are unfrozen. Kipperman, whose trail name is 'Pure Stoke,' is infectiously cheery as he rattles off the dangers from rattlesnakes to dehydration and distributes bags for discarded toilet paper. He steers clear of discussing politics and instead talks about protecting water quality, burying human waste, packing out trash and building safe campfires. 'Remove the ego. Address the situation. See if going forward is really the right thing for you,' Kipperman said, warning hikers to beware that Mile 225 or so is washed out. Plowing ahead After hearing Kipperman's spiel, backpacker Joshua Suran said he planned to try helping restore the trail where possible. Marias Michel of Germany trudged over, concerned about the weight of his backpack draped with gear, water bottles and a pair of Crocs. After quitting his job, he said he needed to do the trail, calling it 'a resetting, a big detox.' He was aware of the federal cuts but said he couldn't worry about that. 'I'm just going to be learning by doing because I don't want to be too much up here,' Michel said, pointing to his head. 'I want to test myself. No expectations. It's an attempt until you make it.'
