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The King Charles III England Coast Path: how much is open in November 2026
The longest coastal path in the country was inaugurated in March, but a fair stretch of it is still waiting for work or a decision. The official figures for November 2026, and what they mean for a winter walk by the sea.
As of 10 November 2026, government figures show 2,219 miles of the King Charles III England Coast Path complete and open to the public, out of 2,690 miles of route submitted for approval. A further 403 miles are approved with work on the ground under way or awaited, and 68 miles are still waiting for a government decision. In plain terms, roughly four-fifths of the coast is now walkable on the new National Trail, and the rest is in the pipeline.
The figures, and where they come from
Natural England and Defra publish a progress table on the GOV.UK collection page for the England Coast Path. The version updated on 10 November 2026 reads:
- Total mileage submitted to government: 2,690
- Complete and open for public use: 2,219
- Approved, with route work under way or awaited: 403
- Awaiting a government decision: 68
The same page describes the finished trail as about 2,700 miles. It previously expected completion by spring 2026, subject to the spending review. That date has passed and no replacement date is given, which is honest if not especially helpful.
The opening and the name
The King inaugurated the trail on 19 March 2026 at Seven Sisters in East Sussex, as the National Trails website records. It was a ceremonial opening rather than a ribbon across a finished path. Stretches open one at a time, each on a date agreed after the government has approved the route for that length of coast.
The National Trails site divides the coast into eight areas: the North West, the South West Atlantic and Channel coasts, the South, the North East and East Coast, Lincolnshire, East Anglia and the South East. Its maps are the best way to see which parts of a given area are open before you plan a weekend.
A setback in Dorset
One section has gone backwards this autumn. According to an update on the GOV.UK page dated 4 November 2026, the approval for the stretch from Kimmeridge to Highcliffe (chapter 6 of that report) was quashed by a High Court order, so that section is undetermined again. Existing rights of way along that coast are not affected, but the new trail and its coastal access rights will not arrive there until a fresh decision is made.
It is a reminder that a coast path is not only a line on a map but a legal process, with landowners entitled to object and challenge. The same balance between access and land management runs through our earlier piece on how rights of way work.
What "coastal margin" means on the ground
The coast path is more than a trail. Where it is open, there is usually a right of access to the land between the path and the sea as well, called the coastal margin. GOV.UK explains that this generally lets you enjoy beaches, dunes and foreshore, and that the margin can extend inland in some places.
Not everything in that strip is open, though:
- Excluded land includes cropped fields, buildings and their courtyards and gardens.
- Restricted land often covers saltmarsh and mudflats, frequently for nature conservation reasons, and may be closed or limited at certain times.
- Your own safety is your responsibility. The guidance warns that parts of the margin may be steep, uneven or unstable, and asks walkers to follow local notices.
Winter on the coast
Check tide times before any stretch that uses beach or foreshore. The National Trails site links to the Met Office for tides, and an incoming tide in a cove with cliffs behind is no place to be on a short December afternoon.
Planning a winter section
The coast is a good place to walk in the darker months. Paths drain faster than inland clay, the light over the sea lasts a little longer into the afternoon, and many seaside towns are quiet and cheap. Some suggestions for choosing a stretch now:
- Pick sections marked as open on the National Trails maps and avoid those still awaiting establishment work, where signage and gates may be incomplete.
- Favour linear walks with a bus or train back. Many coastal settlements are linked by rail or regular buses even in winter.
- Allow extra time for cliff paths after rain. Chalk and clay both turn slick, and the cliff edge is no place to hurry.
- Carry an Ordnance Survey map as well as an app. Our guide to reading an OS map covers how the trail and access land appear on Explorer sheets.
Dogs and wildlife
Restrictions on the coastal margin often exist because of nesting birds, wintering waders and seal colonies. Winter brings its own set: large flocks of geese and waders roost on estuary mud and saltmarsh, and repeated disturbance costs them energy they cannot spare in cold weather. Keep dogs close where signs ask, and look out for local seasonal notices. The Countryside Code covers the basics, and on the coast the most useful habit is simply to keep to the path through sensitive areas.
What to expect next
The remaining 471 miles break into two groups. Most of them, the 403 approved miles, need physical work such as new gates, signs, steps and occasionally bridges before they open. The rest, the 68 miles awaiting a decision, depend on ministers working through objections and reports. Both groups move a few stretches at a time, and the GOV.UK page is updated as they do.
For anyone with a long-distance plan, a full walk around the coast is already possible in practice, using existing rights of way to link the open sections, but the National Trail itself will keep growing over the coming year. If you have a favourite stretch near home, it is worth looking at the progress table every few months. A new section opening on your doorstep is one of the better pieces of walking news you will get this winter.