England Coast Path

rdf:langString England Coast Path

rdf:langString The England Coast Path is a proposed long-distance National Trail that will follow the coastline of England. When complete, it will be 2,795 miles (4,500 kilometres) in length. The trail is being implemented by Natural England, a non-departmental public body of the UK government responsible for ensuring that England's natural environment is protected and improved. It also has a responsibility to help people enjoy, understand and access the natural environment. Although various National Trails already existed along England's coast, the first stretch of the official England Coast Path was opened at Weymouth Bay in Dorset in 2012. In December 2014 the UK Government, encouraged by the success of the Wales Coast Path, announced that more than £5 million of additional funding was being committed over the following 5 years, to complete the Path by 2020, a decade earlier than would have otherwise been possible. In the UK public access to the foreshore, below the line marking high tide, has existed for a long time. The intertidal zone is generally deemed to be owned by the Crown although there are some exceptions. In England ownership of land extends only to the high water mark, and the Crown is deemed to own what lies below it. Progress has slowed because of COVID-19 and because of a European court judgement in April 2018 regarding environmentally protected sites. Natural England now hopes to have all stretches approved and work underway by the end of 2021.