A day of summer activities is being held at Chapel St Leonards on the Lincolnshire coast this June to celebrate the King Charles III England Coast Path.
The event, being hosted by Natural England and partners, takes place next Saturday 17th June at the North Sea Observatory in Chapel St Leonards between10am to 4pm.
Suitable for people of all ages and abilities, the day will include a variety of free activities ranging from arts and craft, mindfulness, trike riding and live music. There will also be guided walks along the coast, readings by expert storytellers and a chance to find out more about the coast’s wildlife including occasional sightings of grey seals.
Neil Constable, a programme manager for Natural England, said:”This is a fantastic opportunity to come and find out more about the path and its rich local environment. So whether you’re a seasoned walker or new to the coast path and would like to find out more, we’re very much looking forward to welcoming you.”
The stretch of the England Coast Path at Chapel St Leonards increased access to the magnificent Lincolnshire coastline with a 16-mile route from Skegness to Mablethorpe when it opened in 2019.
Encompassing the tourist hotspot of Skegness, wild sand dunes and the world’s first official cloud-spotting area, Lincolnshire’s first open stretch of the King Charles III England Coast Path enables people to explore the trail and the diverse wildlife that can be found along the line of the route.
The route takes into account the area’s important coastal habitats, including the seascapes and unique habitats of Anderby Marsh, Chapel Pit and Wolla Bank Reedbed. Walkers can enjoy the adjacent sand dunes, clay pits and beaches, where a range of bird species, such as the bearded tit and reed bunting thrive.
Flocks of knot, sanderling, and dunlin may be spotted patrolling the edge of the waves, and visitors may see oystercatchers. Grey seals, one of the rarest seals in the world, can be spotted bobbing in the water and the small natterjack toad can be heard croaking on a summer evening. In spring, areas are awash with purples and pinks as the unique flowers of the sands bloom including sea lavender, sea aster and thrift.
Users can also enjoy views of the Chapel Point to Wolla Bank Site of Scientific Special Interest (SSSI) at very low tides which shows evidence of sea level changes over the past 11,000 years.
There is also access to the world’s first official cloud spotting area at the Anderby Creek Cloud Bar.
Opening access to the coast is part of the Government’s ambition to connect people with nature, and is key to achieving the aspirations of the Government’s 25-Year Environment Plan.
When completed, the new national trail will stretch all the way around the coast of England and will be about 2,700 miles long. It will take people through some of the finest landscapes in England, linking iconic places and heritage on the coast with less well-known areas and unlocking access to some parts of our coast for the first time.
The King Charles III England Coast Path will connect people with nature, enabling all to access the natural environment and experience the health and wellbeing benefits that it can bring.
