The King Charles III England Coast Path was officially launched
today (Thursday 19 March) by His Majesty the King at an event
held at Seven Sisters in Sussex.
In total 1,000 miles of new path has been created and 1,700 miles
improved around the country, allowing people to walk the
beautiful headlands, cliffs, beaches, and dunes that make up the
English coast. New signage and infrastructure such as bridges and
boardwalks have been installed, helping to make the path
accessible to all, regardless of age or mobility.
All new and existing paths are now of National Trail standard and
will help to attract more income from tourism for coastal
communities as people come to visit the path.
His Majesty was accompanied on the walk by the Chair of
Natural England, Tony Juniper and the Environment Secretary,
.
Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England,
said:
“Following 16 years of hard work from the Natural England team we
are delighted to reach this landmark point for the King Charles
III England Coast Path. It is testament to how public enjoyment,
conservation, heritage, history and community can come together,
helping make life better for millions of people. It also presents
a fitting tribute to His Majesty's lifelong contribution to the
natural world.
“Through this incredible national trail people from around the
country and around the world will be able to enjoy the natural
beauty of the English Coast and the feelings of wellbeing that
this brings. It will reconnect people with the outdoors, support
nature recovery, provide economic benefits and create a more
inclusive, sustainable future.”
Environment Secretary said:
“We have one of the most stunning coastlines in the world and the
King Charles III England Coast Path gives people a new way to
explore it.
“This is the longest managed coast path in the world, creating
amazing opportunities for people to visit spots of natural beauty
in our coastal towns and villages.”
One of the key features of the King Charles III England Coast
Path is its ability to ‘rollback' with coastal erosion. This
means that the path can be easily moved inland to adapt to the
changing shape of the coast and ensure access
rights remain in place for the future.
This launch is the culmination of more than 16 years of work from
Natural England and over 50 coastal local
authorities, landowners and others across the country,
including Wildlife Trusts, the National Trust and access
organisations such as the Ramblers Association,
Disabled Ramblers and British Mountaineering
Council.
The event kicks off a year of celebration of our coast with a
range of visitor experiences being made available across the
year. Named in honour of His Majesty, a lifelong champion of
the natural world, both the King Charles III England Coast Path
and the King's Series of National Nature Reserves stand as
enduring commitments to protecting nature and public
access.
The England Coast Path became the King Charles III England Coast
Path in 2023 to celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty King
Charles III.
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