Consultation Opens for Coastal Path Refurb Ahead of 25th Anniversary

Consultation Opens for Coastal Path Refurb Ahead of 25th Anniversary Fife Coast and Countryside Trust is seeking input from local residents on plans to update the Fife Coastal Path with waymarking panels ahead of the 25th anniversary of its opening next year. The consultation will inform the Trust’s design of the 23 newly-constructed panels that will guide walkers along the 117-mile route. Each board will display a map and “up to three interpretation features,” which are planned to highlight the heritage and unique character of each location.  The Trust is seeking local suggestions on topics such as local history, folklore, industrial heritage, and wildlife. In an appeal to locals, Councillors Allan Knox and Jonny Tepp of the Tay Bridgehead ward described the consultation as “a chance to celebrate the places, history, wildlife, and community stories” of Fife. The project is receiving development funding from the Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund (RTIF) and delivery funding from both the Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). The RTIF and NRF are managed by VisitScotland and NatureScot respectively — both Scottish Government bodies — whilst the UKSPF is overseen by His Majesty’s Government. Removal of the old timber panels on the path is currently underway, with their posts either cut close to the ground or extracted entirely. The new ‘lectern-shaped’ signs are to be made from weathering steel (also known as Corten steel), chosen for its durability and aesthetic consonance with the surrounding environment once oxidised. On 7 October, the Trust noted that its installation team had reached Shell Bay, seven miles from Lundin Links, with around 125 waymarkers and 40 fingerposts raised. It noted that work was “progressing well, with the team continuing to move forward according to schedule.” Image Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons