England’s longest national walking trail is to be renamed the ‘King Charles III England Coast Path’. The trail, including the South West Coast Path will be fully walkable by the end of 2024, connecting communities across England.
The Government will leave a lasting public legacy for people and nature with the renaming of the England Coast Path to celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. The plans will see the England Coast Path renamed the ‘King Charles III England Coast Path’ after an unveiling on 10 May.
The King Charles III England Coast Path will be a 2,700-mile long National Trail around the whole of the English coast, passing through some of our finest countryside and some of England’s most stunning, dynamic and internationally famous coastal scenery.
Natural England has worked in partnership with local authorities to open 794 miles of the route so far and the trail will be fully walkable by the end of 2024 – connecting communities from Northumberland to Cumbria via the South West.
Selaine Saxby, MP for North Devon, said:
“The renaming of the English and South West Coast Paths to the King Charles III England Coast Path is a fantastic way to commemorate the coronation of a King so well known for his love of England’s natural environment. I hope the completion of the path and increased connection along our coasts encourages even more people to enjoy everything that coastlines like North Devon’s have to offer.
“2023 also marks Year of the Coast and I will be walking from Lynton and Instow to highlight the amazing scenery and businesses that run all along our coastline. As part of the walk I will be raising money for RNLI Ilfracombe as they do such important work keeping our coastline safe for us all to enjoy”
2023 is the Year of the Coast and a series of events and projects are being held across the UK to celebrate the importance of our coastline and to highlight common concerns across coastal communities and what can be done to ensure they have the same opportunities as the rest of the country.
The initiative will promote our coastal towns as sustainable year round destinations, with a diverse range of businesses and activities. It will bring more visitors to coastal communities by showcasing the very best experiences and assets along the world’s most inspiring coastline.
As Prince of Wales, His Majesty has always expressed a deep love and concern for England’s wildlife, natural and rural places, frequently reflecting on his love of walking and its role in promoting a healthy mind and body.
Through the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan we want to be the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we inherited it and in this Coronation year even more people will get out and experience our incredible wildlife and landscapes. To celebrate the path’s gradual completion, a series of events will be held across England throughout the summer of 2023.
