A COUNCIL-backed festival designed to celebrate the spectacular coastline of Exmoor and West Somerset has been cancelled in only its third year due to a lack of funding.

The Somerset and Exmoor Coast Festival staged more than 80 events when it was first held in September, 2023.

It was organised as a way to showcase the area’s coastline and boost local businesses, many of which depend on seasonal trade.

Somerset Council announced only on Thursday (July 24) that a challenge to walk 80 miles in eight days would be returning between September 28 and October 5 as part of this year’s festival.

People were invited to walk from Porlock to Brean Down and at the same time raise money for coastal primary schools.

But, the council has now confirmed the wider festival will not be going ahead, citing a lack of funding from its partners.

The festival originally received financial support from the Hinkley Tourism Action Partnership, with EDF Energy also providing funding, to help promote local businesses and leisure facilities to offset the construction of Hinkley Point C nuclear power station.

The council said because of its ongoing financial battle against becoming bankrupt it could no longer put on the festival without continued funding from the partnership.

A spokesperson for the unitary authority said: “There will not be a Somerset and Exmoor Coast Festival this year.

“While we felt it was successful, it needed the funding that the Hinkley Tourism Action Partnership had supplied until last year.

“However, the members of the Somerset Trail Partnership for the King Charles III England Coast Path all agreed that we should repeat the ‘80 miles in eight days’ challenge.

“Exmoor National Park Authority has joined us to host the walk and we will be walking it in reverse this year, ie from County Gate to Brean Down.”

As with last year’s event, walkers who take part in the challenge will be raising money for the ‘Outdoor Guide Foundation Waterproofs and Wellies’ campaign, which provides waterproof clothing and wellington boots for primary school children.

Last year’s challenge raised £350 to buy 10 sets of waterproofs and wellingtons for children in West Huntspill Primary School, with the target this year being to raise £700 to support two schools.

Trail partnership spokeswoman Isobel Pring said: “Walking this spectacular stretch of coast on our newest national trail, we begin at County Gate and join shady woodland paths to reach Porlock Weir, before heading to the top of Exmoor and one of the wildest and most remote parts of our route.

“From Minehead, we head to Bridgwater through the villages, rolling hills, and towns of the Quantocks and the salt marshes of the Steart peninsula.

“Exploring the estuaries of the Rivers Parrett, Huntspill, and Brue, we join one of the longest sandy beaches in Europe to reach Brean Down with its stunning coastal views.”

Anybody who wants more information about the challenge or to sign up for any of its eight stages should visit the festival website.