page_title: England Coast Path
section_title: Existing coastal trails
hierarchical_section_title: England Coast Path / Existing coastal trails
caption_attribution_description: English: Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland, England in 2006. Deutsch: Bamburgh Castle in der englischen Region Northumberland (2006).
context_page_description: The England Coast Path is a proposed long-distance National Trail which will follow the coastline of England. When complete, it will be 2,795 miles 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.
context_section_description: Existing coastal trails in England will be incorporated into the England Coast Path.  There is, however, work to be done in upgrading and standardizing access and signage on these.
  The following is a list of some of the existing coastal paths. Information about other paths can be found on the Long Distance Walkers Associations web page.
  Bournemouth Coast Path: 20 miles (32 km)
  Cleveland Way: 110 miles (180 km); only part of the Cleveland Way is coastal. First proposed in the 1930s, a formal proposal was submitted in 1953. The trail was officially opened in 1969. It was the second official National Trail to be opened.
  Cumbria Coastal Way: 185 miles (298 km)
  Durham Coastal Footpath (18 km/11 miles) passes through or close to Seaham Harbour, Dawdon, Easington, Dene Mouth, and Blackhall.
  Isle of Wight Coastal Path: 67 miles (108 km)
  Lancashire Coastal Way: 66 miles (106 km)
  Norfolk Coast Path: 45 miles (72 km). It was opened in 1986 and covers the North Norfolk Coast AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty).
  The Northumberland Coast Path runs 101 km/63 miles along the coast from Cresswell as far as Bamburgh. before heading inland to Belford and the Kyloe Hills, which offer panoramic coastal views. From here it joins St. Cuthbert's Way and returns to the coast at the causeway to Holy Island before continuing to Berwick-upon-Tweed, close to the Scottish border. It is part of the European North Sea Trail.
  Saxon Shore Way: 163 miles (262 km). The Saxon Shore Way was originally opened in 1980, but has since been re-established, and in parts re-routed and extended.
  Solent Way: 60 miles (97 km)
  South West Coast Path: 630 miles (1,010 km). The final section of the path was designated as a National Trail in 1978.
  Suffolk Coast Path: 50 miles (80 km)
  West Somerset Coast Path: 58 miles (93 km). In March 2016 the path was extended to run from Brean Down to Minehead.
caption: Bamburgh Castle, on the Northumberland Coast Trail
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