England's Coast to Coast Becomes National Trail
The Coast to Coast path across northern England has officially become a National Trail this spring. The classic hiking route traverses wild landscapes and historic villages, with the upgrade bringing improved waymarking and amenities to make the journey more accessible for international visitors.
The route was originally devised by the famed British fellwalker and author Alfred Wainwright, who first published his guide to the 190-mile journey in 1973. For decades it remained an unofficial, largely unsignposted trail, pieced together from existing footpaths and informal arrangements with landowners. The campaign for official designation was championed for years by The Wainwright Society and received a major political boost from Rishi Sunak, the MP for a constituency the trail passes through. The announcement to upgrade the path was made on August 12, 2022, committing £5.6 million to the project. This funding is being used by Natural England to improve the trail's quality and accessibility. The project includes creating new public rights of way, upgrading path surfaces (such as laying stone flags over boggy areas), and replacing stiles with more accessible gates. Upon its official opening in spring 2026, the newly designated "Coast to Coast Path National Trail" will be approximately 197 miles long. The upgrade ensures the entire route will be recorded on Ordnance Survey maps for the first time, marked by the distinctive acorn symbol of a National Trail. The walk traverses three of England's iconic national parks: the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales, and the North York Moors. The tradition for walkers is to dip their boots in the Irish Sea at St Bees at the start and, upon finishing, in the North Sea at Robin Hood's Bay. Prior to its official status, the path already attracted over 6,000 walkers who complete the full route each year, contributing an estimated £7 million annually to the local economies along its path.
