15 July 2022

You can now walk the coast path from Tilbury to Wallasea Island

You can now grab your boots and walk 150 miles along the Essex coastline. 85 new miles of England Coast Path have opened in Essex, giving half a million residents and seaside visitors better access to nature. 

This new section of path officially opened this week.  It spans from Tilbury to Wallasea Island, via Southend-on-Sea, taking in varied landscapes offering views of saltmarsh, vast grasslands and seaside towns. 

This is the 20th full stretch of the England Coast Path to be opened, bringing us another step closer to the completion of Britain’s newest National Trail.  Once completed it will become the longest walking route in the world at 2,700 miles. 

The Ramblers have long fought for our right to walk all around our island and Ramblers volunteers around the country have been working closely with Natural England and local councils to help open each section of the England Coast Path.  

Connecting more people to nature in Essex 

Speaking about the latest stretch, Marian Spain, CEO of Natural England said: 

“This stretch passes through areas rich in seaside heritage: industrial heartlands, coastal communities and nature reserves where precious wildlife, from flocks of wild geese to rare insects, thrive. 

Running from Tilbury to Wallasea Island via Southend-on-Sea it will directly connect half a million people to the coast allowing many more people to experience the benefits of connecting with nature.” 

Cllr Ben Maney, Thurrock Council Cabinet member for Highways and Transport, added: 

“The opening of these stretches has created 28,000 football pitches worth of access to land between the line of trail and the mean low water. The trail secures these areas as a right in law for the first time, increasing the amount of access to the waterfront in the countryside and seaside towns in the area.” 

 

Coast Path Countdown  

The England Coast Path, won through years of Ramblers campaigning, is an inspirational project to create the world’s longest continuous coastal trail, stretching around the entire English coastline.   

With the opening of these latest stretches, 684 miles of the England Coast Path are now open.   

Throughout the summer, we’ll be celebrating more miles of the England Coast Path opening, as we look forward to connecting and completing every section, creating routes all around Britain. As we mark this momentous win for walkers in Britain, we’re encouraging everyone to get out walking this summer.   

Join in our campaign by sharing your summer walking photos and videos using #CoastPathCountdown on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.  

Hear all the latest about the campaign: www.ramblers.org.uk/coastpathcountdown