THE iconic Cotswold Way, one of Britain’s finest paths, is in need of new channels of funding as current income streams dwindle.

Maintaining the 102 mile National Trail costs more than £105,000 but current funding options, the largest part of which comes from the government via Natural England, have begun to reduce and new ideas are needed to keep providing the path.

Without proper funding the path is unlikely to close but its high standard of quality could suffer.

The trail is fortunate to have more than 350 part-time volunteers to maintain the path, including 25 wardens who have their own patch which they walk each month.

Wardens are encouraged into friendly competition to get the cleanest or best looked after patch.

James Blockley, Trails and Access Officer for Cotswold Area of Natural Outstanding Beauty (AONB), organises the National Trail and its volunteers.

“We rely so heavily on the volunteers and most of the budget goes towards helping them,” he said.

“We are looking at grants from various sources and, with the Cotswold Conservation Board, we’ve been looking at getting lottery funding. Corporate sponsorship is also something we are exploring.”

One way in which they are hoping to accrue funds is The Cotswold Way Hall of Fame where walkers are given a card which can be stamped at certain locations along the way.

The intrepid walkers can then submit a photo and brief run-down of their walk to the hall of fame and will be offered a quality brass pin badge or embroidered patch as a trophy of their achievement.

Walkers can also help by using the Visitor Giving Scheme. When paying for things with participating businesses they can choose to add a small fee which will go towards maintaining the path.

The £105,000 needed to fund the trail, which opened in 2007, does not include one-off projects such as the new AONB mobile phone app or infrastructure projects which are seen on a case by case basis.

“Of course we are concerned about the funding situation, but I wouldn’t want to give the impression that this is the end,” said James.

“The best thing people can do is just walk the trail and enjoy it, and if people do feel motivated to give something back then we’d love them to help.”