The England Coast Path is our most ambitious National Trail – a continuous trail around the entire coast of England. Once complete, it will be the world’s longest continuous coastal trail, at 2,700 miles. 

 

The Ramblers campaign to open the England Coast Path 

The Ramblers campaigned for years for better access to our coastline. For more than a decade, Ramblers volunteers worked together with Natural England to create the best possible route for walkers.  

Ramblers volunteers and campaigners are the heroes at the heart of our work opening the way for everyone, and the England Coast Path wouldn’t be happening without them. 

We began campaigning in 2004, so it’s been a long journey. The project has had its ups and downs, with government commitment to the path waning at times over the years. We’ve had to keep campaigning to ensure the government remained committed to completing the path. 

Since work began on the England Coast Path in 2010, our brilliant coastal access volunteers around England have been working tirelessly with Natural England to put forward the best route for walkers.  They’ve been walking, surveying and mapping out every stretch of the path. The work won’t stop until all stretches of the path are open. 

 

Coastal walking around Great Britain 

Great Britain already has some incredible trails on the coast. The Wales Coast Path was the first path of its kind to stretch around a country’s entire coastline and is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.  

While Scotland doesn’t have an official coast path, thanks to their fantastic access rights and walking trails, it’s possible to head out on great coastal walks there too.  

New places to walk on the coast 

Although we can of course already walk lots of the English coastline, the England Coast Path, when complete will join up all our coastal routes.  

Not only will people be able to walk along the England Coast Path; it also opens up new areas of open access land. It gives us the freedom to explore land surrounding the path, such as clifftops and beaches, all the way to the water’s edge.   

In some places, we will gain new access, as well as being clearly sign-posted all the way, making it easy to follow. Most excitingly, we will finally be able to walk all the way around our island. 

Walking the whole of the England Coast Path 

When completed, the England Coast Path will be 2,700 miles long, which will offer a huge range of routes to connect and explore.  

Whilst the official path is not open yet, many people have already walked and run long distances of the British coast. Here are some examples to inspire us all: 

• In 2013, Ramblers Cymru President Will Renwick became the youngest person to walk the entire Wales Coast Path.  

• In 2015, Elise Downing became the first woman and youngest person to run the coast of Britain. 

• More recently, in 2020 Chris Howard a Cambridge based walker walked around the British coastline for charity. 

It is only a matter of time before someone walks the newly completed England Coast Path in its entirety.  

We will be celebrating everyone having the opportunity to explore new areas of the coast, no matter how far you walk. 

Join in our Coast Path Countdown 

Nothing beats the feeling of walking towards a stretch of beach on the sunny day and whether we live by the sea or visit for holidays, we all have a stretch of the coast that’s close to our hearts.  

We’re celebrating the countdown to every mile of the England Coast Path opening, stretch by stretch. Find all the latest progress: www.ramblers.org.uk/coastpathcountdown 

Opening the way for everyone to walk is a huge community effort. It takes all of us to help make it happen. You can help make a difference. Support our work of protecting the places we love to walk, like our coast path. Donate today.