The markers, which can be seen from Ware, on the Dorset/Devon boundary, all the way to Abbotsbury, are permanent installations.

Countryside access improvement officer, Tara Hansford, of Dorset Council said, “All too often today, the details that create a sense of local interest and character are lost and replaced by mass-produced monotonous infrastructure. This project reintroduces more of the ‘local’ and ‘distinctive’ interest back into our surroundings. It’s a collaboration between local landowners, local artists and craftspeople in response to the local landscape and its rich cultural history.

“Each piece is unique, with an air of mystery about it – alluding to its local context – to wet the walkers’ appetites, encouraging them to investigate more into what it might mean and unearth a bit of local history. For many people walking along the coast path the focus is often on the seascape – looking out onto that amazing mass of ocean and the beautiful narrow strip of coastal headland.  This project hopes to also encourage the walker to look inland and gain a better awareness about the landscape they are walking through and curiosity to explore and learn more about the Dorset parishes along the coast path.”

The artists and craftspeople involved in the project are Alex Brooks, Ed Brooks, Emma Molony, Greta Berlin, Isla Chaney, Delphine Jones, Brendon Murless, Alice Blogg, Sarah Hough and Andrew Whittle.

The installations were made possible thanks to local landowners Lyme Regis Golf Course, the Loosemore family, the Cook family, the Extons of Downhouse Farm, the Yeates family, Tamarisk Farm and National Trust.

The project is part of Dorset Coastal Connections, a connected portfolio of 18 projects along the Dorset coast which aims to support and boost the economies of Dorset coastal areas. It couldn’t have been achieved without the input and support of local landowners and grant funding from the Coastal Communities Fund and partner organisations, coordinated by the Dorset Coast Forum.