New resources have been launched to help more people enjoy Somerset’s coastline, including the stretch around Apex Park and Burnham-On-Sea, thanks to a project designed to make the King Charles III England Coast Path more accessible to all visitors.
Somerset Council’s Accessible Coast initiative has introduced a suite of leaflets and interactive 360° virtual tours that highlight key coastal walking routes and provide essential information on accessibility, parking and public toilets.
The resources cover five areas of the coast: Minehead to Blue Anchor, Watchet, East Quantoxhead and Kilve, Apex Park and Burnham-On-Sea, and Brean Down.
Each route has been assessed and graded on an accessibility scale from 1 to 5, helping visitors choose paths that match their needs and confidence levels.
The virtual tours allow people to preview terrain, explore points of interest and check features such as gradients, surfaces and barriers before setting out. Five accompanying leaflets offer detailed maps, accessibility guidance and safety tips.
Isobel Pring, speaking on behalf of the Somerset Trail Partnership, said: “What feels easy for one person may feel very hard for someone else. It’s been an interesting experience to look at the Coast Path from so many perspectives and understand that sometimes things only need a minor change to open an area to more visitors. We hope these resources will give everyone the confidence to enjoy a coastal ramble.”
Ian Lewis from 360 South West, who created the virtual tours, added: “Working on this project has been a truly rewarding experience for us, and we’ve enjoyed bringing the Somerset coastline to life through these virtual tours. It’s been a pleasure to contribute to showcasing such a unique and beautiful part of the country in an accessible and engaging way.”
The resources have been developed by the Somerset Trail Partnership with funding from the Protected Landscapes Partnership’s Access for All programme. They are available online at somerset.gov.uk/access-for-all, with printed leaflets also being distributed to local visitor information centres and libraries.
The 360° imagery will also appear on Google Street View, although without the accompanying accessibility information.
For more information about Somerset’s Accessible Coast visit www.somerset.gov.uk/access-
