The new King Charles III England Coast Path

It’s an exciting time to be a walker in England, as a new trail has just opened: The King Charles III England Coast Path. This path has been over a decade in the making, and though some sections are still being completed, it was officially opened by the King himself on the 19th March 2026. When fully established, the route will cover the entire of the English coastline and become the longest managed coastal walking route in the world at around 2,700 miles long! The purpose of the trail is to encourage people from all walks of life to engage with the outdoors and do things that benefit their physical and mental wellbeing. Following the route around the country will take walkers across a vast array of landscapes including clifftops, beaches, estuaries, valleys and more, with sections to challenge avid hikers, and plenty for those who want a more gentle walk.

The Route

The King Charles III England Coast Path has been split into 8 main sections of the English coastline, with smaller individual waymarked sections all the way along.

It’s been designed to create the best possible continuous coastal route. In some places this means following existing trails such as the South West Coast Path, and in other places brand new routes have been created, to keep walkers as close to the sea as possible. These sections where new routes are being created are what is really exciting for areas like the Jurassic Coast that already have established paths.

The borders with Scotland and Wales have not received paths as they are inland, however if you’d like the challenge of walk the entire circumference of England, it’s still possible to loosely trace the outline of the country. Offa’s Dyke Path on the Welsh border, and the Harian’s Wall Path and Pennine Way close to the Scottish border would be your best trails to choose.

The Initiative

The creation of the King Charless III England Coast Path is part of a much wider national initiative to make England’s coastline more accessible, better connected and easier for people to enjoy on foot. The new paths being created will create access to parts of the coast that were previously cut off by private land, erosion or gaps in public rights of way.

Another key part of the initiative is encouraging healthier, more active lifestyles. Walking has long been known to be benefitial for people physically, especially for those who don’t or can’t partake in other forms of exercise. In more recent years we’ve also come to better understand the emotional and mental benefits of walking, particularly outside in nature.

Other aims are to boost visitors to undervisited coastal areas and promote sustainable, low impact tourist activities, all whilst getting people to appreciate the English coastline.

Walking Holidays in Dorset

If you’re feeling inspired by the new Coast Path and want to get out walking, a trip to Dorset could be perfect for you! Our group of Holiday Parks are all located on or very close to the Jurassic Coast, and are all surrounded by footpaths, trails and bridleways, making exploring the surrounding coast and countryside easy. Our Parks are also dog-friendly, and you can bring up to 3 dogs with you per booking, as we know they’re the keenest walkers of the whole family! Many of Dorset’s beaches are dog-friendly all year round too, but it’s worth checking in advance.

If you need a little inspiration, the South West Coast Path is a great place to start while the remaining sections of the new King Charles path are finished. Each of our Parks also has its own Nature Trail – short routes designed to be family friendly and encourage visitors to appreciate wildlife and nature surrounding the Park. If you’re after something a bit more ambitious, why not try the West Dorset Three Peaks Challenge, our very own route that tackles some of Dorset’s best climbs: Golden Cap, Thorncombe Beacon and Colmer’s Hill.