From
the BBC» :
King opens world's longest coastal path around England
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2,689 miles and 18 years in the making, King Charles III opens his namesake coastal path
King Charles has inaugurated a new footpath stretching around the entire coast of England.
At 2,689 miles long, it is the longest managed coastal walking route in the world, according to Natural England, the government body which created it.
Its name is quite a trek too - King Charles III England Coast Path - but for the first time it creates a continuous trail, allowing walkers to explore England's shoreline step by step.
Along the way, it passes through some of the country's most beautiful and varied landscapes, from salt marshes and sandy beaches to cliffs, dunes and historic coastal towns.
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Among the highlights is the iconic chalk downland of the Seven Sisters in East Sussex, which also forms part of a newly designated National Nature Reserve being announced by Natural England.
The King inaugurated the coastal path and the new nature reserve at a reception hosted by the South Downs National Park Authority. He later walked a section of the newly completed path at Seven Sisters, joined by Natural England Chair Tony Juniper and Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds.
Juniper said the path "is a testament to how public enjoyment, conservation, heritage, history and community can come together, helping make life better for millions of people."
Much of the new coastal route already existed, but more than 1,000 miles of new paths have been created, and many other sections upgraded. Paths have been resurfaced, stiles removed, boardwalks built and bridges installed.
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A new boardwalk over salt flats near Portsmouth has been built for the path
The project was initiated during Gordon Brown's government, and it has taken 18 years and seven prime ministers to get to this stage.
About 80% of the route is now open and most of the rest of the path is due to be completed by the end of the year.
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