A new coastal path, named for England’s King Charles III, will be the world’s longest of its kind once it’s complete, at over 2,700 miles.
Over 2,000 miles of the path are already open, much of it based on existing paths along the shore, with another 556 miles currently being worked on. The last 78 miles needs a further government act that is expected soon.
The project, sponsored by Natural England, has been in the works for 16 years, and was renamed for the king in 2024 for his coronation. Included in the project is not only the paths themselves, but a new legal structure for land between the path and the ocean.
Now defined as ‘the coastal margin’ it will be open to the public except for pieces that are privately owned. There’s also a ‘roll-back’ rule built in, allowing the path to be shifted if the land it sits on erodes or slips into the ocean.
The entire length will be signposted as seen above; nearly all will be open by the end of this year.
