The mental health and wellbeing benefits of walking the South West Coast Path

This episode was recorded during Mental Health Awareness Week and delves into the increasing body of research, both quantitative and qualitative, that shows how people's mental and physical wellbeing is enhanced when spending time outside in nature, most specifically, when walking the South West Coast Path - a coastal wild belt providing a valuable space between land and sea.

Rachel talks with Dr Carolyn Petersen, a social science and environment researcher at the University of Exeter. Carolyn has a long-standing research interest in the coast and the South West Coast Path, including health and wellbeing, coastal communities, tourism, managed realignment (the Otter estuary) and nature-based solutions. She has completed two reports about the health and wellbeing benefits of walking the SWCP for the association and will share the insights from these reports as well as her own relationship with the path.

Rachel then chats with Paul Sharpe, an SWCPA fundraiser and 2022 SWCP completer, and David Morris, SWCPA Trustee.

Paul has been an SWCP walker since 2007. A lifelong wildlife enthusiast, wildlife gardener, birder and botanist. As a graphic designer for 37 years, Paul's world fell apart when the Covid pandemic hit, the business closed, all 40 employees were made redundant, and depression developed after shocking treatment from his employer. A stream of tough events followed, that left him in a dark place with no idea of what to do next. Walking the SWCP was his only plan.

David's career has been in community engagement, mental health and social inclusion with local and central government, social care, NHS, voluntary, and university sectors. He is committed to contributing to the association’s aim to maximise the value of the path, and the blue and green space it represents for health, wellbeing and recovery.