Whether you love piers, promenades and fish and chips, or cliff top views and wild sea swimming, we all have a stretch of the England’s – and indeed Sussex’s – coast that is close to our heart. This year the Ramblers is on a mission to complete England’s coastal path and to encourage everyone to discover it.
‘The King Charles III England Coast Path won’t just allow walkers to explore everything our coastline has to offer; it will also transform the way we enjoy it, giving us the freedom to explore the clifftops and beaches that surround the path,’ says Rebecca Birrane, head of walking experience at the Ramblers.
‘There’s nothing better than a walk by the sea to blow away the cobwebs. A brisk sea breeze can be exhilarating, while gazing out at the ocean can calm the mind like nothing else. We want everyone to be able to enjoy that, which is why we’re so excited about the England Coast Path. It’s opening up more amazing seaside places for us to walk and making it easier for people to experience the joys of coastal walking.’
Once complete the England Coast Path, which was renamed the King Charles III England Coast Path in 2023 to celebrate the King’s coronation, will be the longest continuous managed coastal trail in the world at 2,700 miles long and will offer a huge range of connecting routes.
But the creation of the country’s most ambitious national trail has required decades of campaigning, planning and work on the ground. ‘We first launched our campaign for the England Coast Path in 2004 with the goal of transforming how we can access our coastline,’ says Rebecca. ‘But it wasn’t until 2010 that work began. Since then, teams of dedicated Ramblers coastal access volunteers have been working hand in hand with Natural England to plan, map and build the best route, walking, surveying and mapping every stretch of the path,’.
As well as boosting levels of vitamin D, improving mood and reducing anxiety, when a study from London School of Economics and the University of Sussex asked participants to rate their mood in different locations, marine and coastal areas were found to be some of the happiest
Since work began, the walking charity has been tracking its progress through their coast path countdown, as mile by mile, work continues to connect the remaining stretches of the trail. This summer they are calling on people across the UK to embrace the freedom of long sunny days and make the most of the coast. With pretty coastal towns, wild rocky headlands and hidden coves, there’s much to explore.
‘Adventure isn’t the only thing to be gained from exploring our coastline: spending time by the sea can also be invaluable for our mental wellbeing.’ adds Rebecca.
‘The wellbeing benefits of spending time in green space are well known but studies have shown that these positive effects are even greater when we’re by the sea.’
As well as boosting levels of vitamin D, improving mood and reducing anxiety, when a study from London School of Economics and the University of Sussex asked participants to rate their mood in different locations, marine and coastal areas were found to be some of the happiest.
A survey by the National Trust discovered that the clean, fresh coastal air can have significant sleep benefits with coastal walkers in the UK sleeping 47 minutes longer after a walk by the sea. And nearly two-thirds of participants said that a coastal walk allowed them a distraction from the stresses of everyday life with over half reporting feeling more positive.
In Blue Spaces – How and why Water Can Make You Feel Better, Dr Catherine Kelly, University of Brighton, explores the importance of blue space – water environments – and its therapeutic benefits. ‘Research shows us that blue spaces are humans' preferred locations for walking beside. Besides the expected positive effects of exercise itself, walking by the sea engages most of our senses, which brings additional wellbeing benefits.
'Looking at the sea, listening to the sound of it, smelling the salty air all allow our breathing to slow down, and stress hormones to reduce. Being by the sea also often induces feelings of gratitude and joy and offers effortless mindfulness – pleasure from being in the moment, where we can forget about our worries.'
The best part? You don’t need a sea view to experience the benefits. Researchers from the University of Exeter found you’ll start to feel the benefits after just two hours a week by the seaside.
According to research carried out by Dr Lewis Elliot there, 271 million leisure visits are made to coastal environments in England each year. ‘The coast has long been used as an environment for holidays, convalescence, and physical activity. Our research has found multiple studies indicating that these environments hold significant benefits for supporting physical activity, increasing social contact, reducing stress, improving mental health, and potentially reducing health inequalities. Even short walks by the coast can improve psychological health.’
From beautiful beaches, wildlife hotspots, superb cycling trails, coastal walks and kitesurfing to stargazing, England’s Coast’s offers a line-up of the best stress busters to seek out, whatever the weather.
For summer walking tips, inspiration and routes including a free to download summer walking guide go to The Ramblers website.
For those that don’t want to walk alone, the Ramblers is Britain’s biggest walking community and has 500 groups across the country.
A Fantastic Coastal Walk to try this summer
The Seven Sisters, East Sussex – the ups and downs
Difficulty: moderate
Walking time: 4 hours
Distance: 8.2 miles
Description: Walk from East Dean to Seaford along the tops of precipitous white cliffs with sweeping sea views and a beautifully preserved smugglers’ beach, on paths with springy turf underfoot. A walk at sunset during the summer is particularly rewarding, when dramatic shadows are cast on the cliffs, picking out the runnels and huge vertical towers.
