Skip to main content

England to Unveil the World’s Longest Coastal Hiking Path Later This Year

There’s nothing like a long walk in the woods to clear the mind, to reset, to detox from daily life. We would argue the longer, the better. For some serious trekkers, in fact, only a months-long thru-hike of one of the world’s longest trails (think the Appalachian or Continental Divide Trails) will do. This year, England will unveil one more: The world’s longest continuous coastal hiking path.

At nearly 2,800 miles, the England Coast Path will be the world’s longest managed, waymarked coastal path. Large portions of the route have long been open to the public. However, Natural England spent nearly a decade securing private land access, clearing new trails, renewing existing trails, and piecing those portions together to form a single, continuous trail that circumnavigates the entire country. It will connect the Lake District and the Formby sand dunes in the northwest to the breathtaking landscape of Scotland in the northeast to the charming seaside towns and resorts like Plymouth in the southeast to the Welsh border in the southwest.

Coastal Hiking Path
Christopher West/Getty Images

Plans for the England Coast Path started back in 2010 when Natural England spearheaded a campaign to connect the country’s entire coast. Hiking around England’s shores is already wildly popular for locals, and it’s become something of a bucket-list destination for foreign travelers. Natural England reported that nearly 30 million people trekked some portion of the country’s coast over just six months in 2019. The official completion of the path will no doubt make it more accessible and even more popular.

Recommended Videos

Natural England’s Chair, Tony Juniper, said in a statement, “Our flagship England Coast Path is taking people through some of the finest and most important landscape in England, opening up historic landmarks, natural wonders, and breathtaking scenery, enabling more visitors to experience, recognize, and value the benefits of our environment.”

Although an official date has yet to be announced, the England Coast Path is expected to open later this year. However, the big reveal will follow in 2021 when the “Year of the English Coast” will include scheduled events to promote the trail’s debut. With a focus on sustainability, the calendar will feature food & drink festivals, art & nature walks, and beach clean-ups. All the latest news about the path’s proposals, openings, and progress can be found on Gov.uk.

If very, very long-distance hiking is your thing, check out The Great Trail. This epic, cross-Canada trek spans almost 15,000 miles across 13 provinces and territories.

Mike Richard
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South…
Explore More with the Hike, Wennebago’s Rugged, Go-Anywhere Travel Trailer
camp-trailer

Airstream might be the world’s most iconic RV maker, but it’s towables are stratospherically priced. It’s also not the only game in town. For more than 60 years, Winnebago has been the go-to brand for the everyman -- for average folk looking to explore the open road. Lately, the Iowa-based manufacturer has jumped feet first into the rugged RV game. Its latest go-anywhere towable proves it’s now a serious contender both on- and off-road.

Winnebago’s 2021 Hike is designed to be a hardcore towable for travelers who appreciate getting far, far off the beaten path, literally. The two available models -- a 20.6-foot single-axle and a flagship, 25-foot double-axle variation -- are outfitted from the factory with a bevy of adventure-centric features. The exterior boasts a powder-coated steel “exo-skeleton” that works as a built-in rack system for hauling almost any recreational gear. Whatever your addiction -- paddleboards, kayaks, mountain bikes, skis -- the necessary equipment easily mounts to the Hike’s shell. Plus, a pickup truck-style, diamond-plate steel storage bin adds room for other small accessories.

Read more
These Xero Shoes saved space in my travel bag—and strengthened my feet
Three pairs of Xero Shoes best suited for travelers
A man wearing Xero shoes while standing on a mossy rock

Zero-drop minimalist footwear was once considered a niche specialty, but has gained popularity among enthusiasts of foot health and natural movement. And I'm one of their biggest fans -- as a full-time traveler, their packability and ability to increase foot strength is a win-win on the road. I've crafted a Xero Shoes review guide based on three pairs I've traveled with, so you can decide if any are worthy of your suitcase.

Why Xero Shoes? They've been in business for over 15 years, have engineered more than 50 unique pairs of shoes, and offer a whopping 5,000-mile sole warranty. In short, they've been in the barefoot game for a while, and balance reliable quality with innovation nicely.

Read more
Gear up dad’s game: The best golf gifts for Father’s Day this year
Got a golf dad? No problem! Score big with one of these golfing gifts
Man holding a golf club

This year, Father's Day falls on June 15, so mark your calendars and start planning your Father's Day gifts! Don't know what to give your golf-loving dad? No problem. We've compiled some of our top golfing gear for the past year, and they might just be a real hit for your golf-loving dad.

Here are a few of our favorite ideas for the golf-loving dad that might just be a real hit. These items are a compilation of some of our top golfing gear for the past year.
Bushnell Tour Hybrid

Read more