PRESS RELEASE : England’s longest national trail to be renamed the ‘King Charles III England Coast Path’ [May 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 1 May 2023.
- Trail 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.
As Prince of Wales, His Majesty 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.
The plans will see the England Coast Path renamed the ‘King Charles III England Coast Path’ after an unveiling on 10 May, leaving a lasting legacy to be enjoyed by people around the entire English coastline.
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 Cornwall.
Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey said:
“The King is a dedicated champion of nature in our country. He spearheaded efforts to move to more environmentally friendly farming techniques and through his Prince’s Foundation has sought to highlight how education can foster responsible stewardship towards the planet and the natural environment.
“The Coronation marks the beginning of a new chapter in our national story and it’s fitting that nature and the public will benefit from these lasting commemorations for years to come.”
In line with the spirit of sustainability championed by His Majesty, signage featuring the new name will only be installed as new stretches of the trail are established, with existing signage retained elsewhere along the route until it requires replacing.
The next two sections of the King Charles III England Coast Path to open will be in Filey, North Yorkshire, and Crosby Beach, Liverpool. Both sections will be opened on the 10 May. Please contact Defra press office for media attendance at the unveiling.
His Majesty has held number of patronages of wildlife conservation charities, including the Wildlife Trusts. As Prince of Wales he has also worked to encourage the private sector to work to respond to climate change and increase their focus on sustainability with more than 500 CEOs part of his Sustainable Markets Initiative, including the heads of some of the world’s biggest financial institutions.
Through our 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. Find out more about the events or plan your route along the coastal path at England Coast Path – National Trails
