ENTRIES are now open for the 2025 South West Coast Path Photographer of the Year contest. Anyone who has captured images along the nation’s favourite coastal walking route this year is invited to take part.

For 14 years, the competition has celebrated the 630-mile coast path’s extraordinary beauty, from dramatic headlands and golden beaches, as well as its wildlife, heritage and the people who call it home. It is organised by the South West Coast Path Association (SWCPA) - the charity that cares for, champions and improves access to the National Trail.

The 2023 and 2024 competitions culminated in striking large-scale exhibitions at London’s Paddington Station in 2024 and 2025, showcasing 21 standout photographs each time. Another public exhibition is planned for 2026, displaying entrants’ work to thousands of visitors.

The competition is free to enter, with submissions helping to raise awareness of the National Trail and highlight the environmental pressures facing it.

The 2025 categories are: People and Path; Urban Lines; Nature; Climate Change; Sky Shot, and Young Photographer of the Year (under 18).

“We know the South West Coast Path inspires thousands of people every year,” said SWCPA head of communications Aletha Mays. “This competition gives everyone — whatever their experience — the chance to share what the Trail means to them, while helping to shine a light on the landscapes, communities and wildlife that make it so extraordinary.”

Entries close at midnight on January 31, 2026. The overall winner will receive the coveted title of South West Coast Path Photographer of the Year and guaranteed inclusion in the 2026 exhibition. The main prize is to be confirmed in January 2026.

So grab your camera, head to the Coast Path and start snapping – the title could be yours. Find out more and submit entries here: www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/photographer-of-the-year