Britains coastline - soon to be open to the public. Picture by Beccajp

We will soon have access to the whole of Britain's coastline

By LFTO News Team

Outdoor headlines

12 November 2009 15:01

This is thanks to the Marine and Coastal Access Bill which was given the final seal of approval today.

The new bill means there will be an uninterrupted path along the whole of Britain's coastline.

There will also be accessible land around the path, meaning walkers can legally wander off to nearby beaches or cliffs.

There are points at which this won't be practical, such as where private homes lead to the sea or where industrial areas get in the way, but the plan is to do this where possible.

Scotland already has coastal access rights and the Welsh Coastal Path will be completed in 2012 so it's a case of opening up the coast in England.

Currently, 66% of England's coastline is open to the public and building the new path system is expected to take 10 years.

The BMC and the Ramblers have both been campaigning tirelessly to get the coast open to the public.

Dr Catherine Flitcroft, who has led the campaign for the BMC says the issue of opening access to our coastline is even more important than having open access to the Lake District.

"It's a national issue and a national vision and we're delighted the act has now been passed," she says.

"For us it's about getting permanent access to the fantastic natural resources we have in this country.

"As well as the walking, coastal climbing for us is very important and the bill gives us a guarantee that we will have access to crags across the country."

Natural England now has the task of talking to landowners and agreeing to a suitable route for the path.

The act will also pave the way for the formation of various marine parks.

Click here to take a look at Natural England's coast path gap map