2,700-mile King Charles III England Coast Path launches today

Natural England marks the official launch of the 2,700-mile King Charles III England Coast Path on March 19; about 2,100 miles are currently open and all route proposals have been submitted to the Secretary of State.

Natural England marks the launch of the King Charles III England Coast Path on March 19. The route is planned to cover about 2,700 miles of English coastline. The project began as a government proposal in 2008 and has taken 18 years to reach this stage. Work continues in places where erosion, breached sea walls and other practical issues require adjustments. Key facts: - The coast path is a planned 2,700-mile route; roughly 2,100 miles are currently open to the public, described as about 77% complete. - Natural England reports that 100% of the route proposals have been submitted to the Secretary of State. - The project has cost around £28 million and received the King’s name in 2023. - More than 25,000 landowners were approached about access, and around 2.5% raised objections that were dealt with through the formal process. - New infrastructure includes local works such as a Southmoor boardwalk built from recycled plastic bottles to improve accessibility. - The route is designed to be flexible in law and can be redrawn where coastal change, erosion or breaches make adjustments necessary. Summary: The launch formalises a long-running effort to expand public coastal access and completes the administrative step of submitting all route proposals. Natural England says most infrastructure work will be in place by the summer, but maintenance and further adjustments are expected as the coastline changes. The path’s legal flexibility means sections can be altered in response to erosion or storm damage, so some level of ongoing work is likely.