The King Charles III England Coastal Path was officially inaugurated as the world’s longest coastal path last week, but on a breezy morning in Cleethorpes, you wouldn’t know it.
It’s 10am, and I head south, along a deserted, yet peaceful path of nature. With sand dunes and overgrown grassland to my left and the odd beach hut to my right, this isolated walk was part of something much bigger.
This coastal walkway may seem like any ordinary path, but if I continued my journey sticking to the path, and with enough determination, I would find myself in Cornwall.
Just last week, the king himself was at the Seven Sisters Cliff’s in East Sussex to inaugurate what is the world’s longest coastal path, spanning around 2,700 miles.
While parts of the the path are still undergoing work – about 20 per cent is still not open to the public – the majority of Lincolnshire’s pathway is fully opened, with the section between the Humber Bridge and Mablethorpe opening on May 15 last year and the section between Sutton Bridge and Skegness opening in September 2024.
“The [King Charles III] coastal path compliments other routes like the Pennine Way, Cleveland Way and Viking Way,” said Nigel Wass, Skegness and Horncastle’s Group Secretary for the Lincolnshire Ramblers. “It can only be a good thing.”
The 58-year-old has been involved with the Lincolnshire Ramblers for over forty years, and believes this national trail provides a new level of prestige for the area.
“I think a little bit of the PR gives it more gravitas, and the addition of the King’s title will bring in tourists,” he added.
“Before this path was created, you could go to the coast and work bits and pieces, but it never fully linked together.”
Despite the royal title, Nigel believes that the new path still faces many practical challenges.
“There will be many challenges with maintenance, signage and upkeep, especially in five to ten years down the line with erosion.”
National Trail guidance notes that walkers face an inland diversion near Gibraltar Point, due to a new bridge, which ‘should’ve gone in a year ago’, being constructed.
“[The bridge] will be a defining link because it will link all the coast around the wash, right the way to Boston and Kings Lynn, it will be a real gamechanger.”
Formerly known as the England Coast Path, the route was renamed in 2023, with Lincolnshire County Council being responsible for maintaining the counties 120-mile stretch of the trail.
Nigel said: “There definitely needs to be signage and more signage in the urban areas so you can sort of follow the route because sometimes it can get a little bit misleading,” seemingly foreshadowing a problem I was about to encounter in Cleethorpes.
Continuing with my walk down the coast, I popped into the Brew Stop, a family run cafe, right next to the King Charles III England Coastal Path, and despite its proximity, the news seemed to have not been as known to them
Georgina Stratford, 30, Cafe Manager said: “I had no idea that the King’s path was even right outside our doorstep,”
“It’s something to get people talking and to get people to come and have a look around and do some of the walk,” she added.
While this coastal route had been a popular destination for walkers, Georgina believes it could provide an extra boost on the seafront,
“It’s a popular walk anyway and it is an incentive to get people here and I feel like it could potentially boost how busy it is.”
The lack of signage of the trail was an issue, and without a mobile phone or a map, there is no indication that this pathway could lead you all the way north to Newcastle.
The absence of signage or news was prominent, with many locals and businesses unbeknownst to this Royal pathway, right outside their doorsteps.
Heading back towards the train station, I walked into Kingsway Bar, where Pub Manager, Shaun Wing thinks the lack of promotion is a missed opportunity.
“If people knew the path was known as that [the King Charles III England Coastal Path], then they would say ‘I want to walk the King’s Path,’” says Shaun.
The 60-year-old added: “the path can attract more, and if you’ve got more trade coming into the town, it would help small businesses.”
Five miles and ten thousand steps later, I was on my way to Cornwall, but, windswept, I made it back to the train station, questioning why I had been playing hide-and-seek with a royal coastal path.
Yet, the five-mile stretch of the path I covered was filled with beautiful scenes of the English coastline, beaches, grasslands and arcades – I wonder what’s in the other 2,695 miles.
