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A new footpath winding around the whole coast of England is being formally opened.

At 2,689 miles long, it stands as the longest officially maintained shoreline path in the world, per the public agency that established it.

The trail's title is quite a trek - the England Coast Path named for King Charles III - but for the first time, it establishes a seamless pathway, enabling ramblers to explore England's seaside mile by mile.

A Route of Stunning Vistas

On its journey, it meanders through some of the country's most spectacular and eclectic landscapes, from estuaries and sandy beaches to cliffs, sand dunes and historic coastal towns.

Among the highlights is the iconic chalky landscape of the Seven Sisters in East Sussex, which also is included in a recently announced National Nature Reserve.

Nearly Two Decades in the Development

A significant portion of the recently completed shoreline path had been established, but over 1,000 miles of additional routes have been created, and many other segments enhanced. Trails have been repaired, gates taken out, wooden walkways installed and crossings installed.

The project was set in motion during a past leadership, and it has taken 18 years and several governments to reach this stage.

Approximately 80% of the path is now available and the bulk of the remaining sections is due to be finalised by the end of the year.

"It is wonderful - the best thing I'll do in my professional career," stated the project lead the endeavour.

Ease of Access and Adventurous Features

Creating the route required fresh laws as well as an extended period of careful planning and significant labour along the coast to create a well-defined and continuous trail.

Across various stretches, updated permissions have opened areas that was once private to the public - including sandy shores, sand dunes and cliff edges between the trail and the ocean.

Accessibility for those with reduced mobility has been upgraded so that additional individuals can experience sections of the trail.

Discontinuities in the existing network of footpaths have been filled with a focus on bringing the route right alongside the sea and joining sections of shoreline that had not previously been linked by a single path.

However in a handful of locations, hikers must briefly step away from the trail. In the north-western region, for example, a boat across the a river is needed to continue on the route.

A particular section in south Devon is especially demanding. At the River Erme, there is not a crossing or ferry, and the property away from the coast is not public. Ramblers must therefore wade and ford the river within an hour around the tide being out.

"That's all part of the adventure," says the project lead.

Planned for a Warming Climate

The trail has been planned with the heavier rains and rising seas that climate change is likely to cause at the forefront.

For the first time in the country's statutes, there is a clause for the trail to be moved inland – called "moved back" – if the shore is worn away or changes.

This enables the path to adjust to the changing shoreline and seeks to ensure that the seaside trail is unbroken and usable for posterity.

Not long ago have demonstrated how dynamic the trail can be. A significant stretch of the path on the cliff tops outside Charmouth in Dorset was severed after severe storms caused a landslide.

"That section was closed and a detour was put in place," said a team lead for that area. "We quickly arranged a short move with the property owner, and within a short time the path was open again."

A Transformational Feat

A leading ramblers' group has been lobbying for enhanced rights of way to England's shoreline for many years. A director labels the new path as "game-changing".

"This establishes a strip of access land from the path to the high water mark, so that allows you can leave the trail to go and roam the beaches," the representative notes. "It allows for picnics - and on an set of islands you can really experience our coast."

A Broader Vision

The trail also opens up the prospect of a continuous seaside trek around the whole UK coastline.

The freshly opened England trail joins up with the Wales Coast Path - an long path encircling the Welsh coastline. It was completed over a decade ago and was the first path in the globe to follow an complete national coastline.

There is no single official coastal trail in Scotland, though much of the coast is open to the public thanks to long-standing "right to roam" legislation. Calculations of its mainland coastline vary but it is often put at 5,500 miles.

Combined, a non-stop shore hike around Britain would therefore total some 9,000 miles. With an average pace of 15 miles a day, it would need {almost two years|n