King Alfred Pilgrimage route extension

That this House welcomes the extension of the King Alfred Pilgrimage route from Selwood to the site of the Battle of Ethandun and on to Chippenham, via King Egbert's Stone, the plains near Iley Oak, Bratton Camp and Edington; notes that the route has been designed to follow as closely as possible the path taken by King Alfred in 878, drawing on the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Asser's Life of King Alfred and modern historical and archaeological scholarship, so that walkers can experience the Saxon landscape of Somerset and Wiltshire; commends Social Circles CIC, a Langport-based community interest company working to improve the prosperity, health and mental wellbeing of residents in rural Somerset, particularly in villages and communities across the Somerset Levels and Moors, together with the volunteers and organisations who have helped shape the route; praises their efforts to promote the pilgrimage locally, nationally and internationally; calls on funders to support the next stage of the project, including a route passport scheme, branded waymarkers and educational projects with rural schools across Somerset that help young people understand the landscape and history of their own county; and further calls on the Government to recognise the value of heritage walking routes to rural tourism, health and wellbeing, including through expanding social prescribing and a national strategy for walking networks.