Natural England have published a map showing an overview of progress for the England Coast Path. The map shows the stretches of the English coast that are open to the public and those where work is still in progress.

Alongside this, the latest section of the 2,700 mile England Coast Path National Trail was opened on 9 February by Natural England, taking in parts of the Lake District National Park and Duddon Estuary.

The new path stretches 11 miles, beginning in Silecroft and finishing at Green Road Railway Station on the western side of the estuary. It completes the Copeland section of the trail, following the opening of the Whitehaven to Silecroft stretch in West Cumbria in 2021.

The newly opened section showcases an incredibly varied landscape, which offers fabulous, uninterrupted views out across the Irish Sea. Visitors can walk through extensive beaches and dunes, taking in the golden Duddon sands, vast areas of wildlife-rich saltmarsh, and the historic town of Millom. The famous Lake District mountains are also visible from the route, whilst the distinctive pudding-bowl fell of Black Combe keeps a close watch over the whole stretch. Natural England have also updated the progress on improving coastal access in the north west of England.

Visitor highlights of the 11-mile stretch include:

• Shaw Meadow and Sea Pasture SSSI at Silecroft, part of the Lake District National Park and the UK’s most northerly lowland heath famous for its summer orchids.
• A brand-new section of trail between Silecroft and Haverigg.
• Hodbarrow Lagoon RSPB Reserve, a former iron mine famous for its rare nesting seabirds and sea wall walk.
• Millom town, with its industrial, architectural and literature heritage – the poet Norman Nicholson lived in Millom and Wordsworth’s Duddon Sonnets include the area.
• The coastal railway, enabling linear walks along this stretch and much of the existing Cumbrian England Coast Path.
• Increased accessibility for all-terrain wheelchairs and walkers with reduced mobility, thanks to improvements in infrastructure.
• The Silecroft to Green Road stretch joins Allonby to Silecroft and Walney Island, bringing the total length of England Coast Path in Cumbria to 81 miles.

Once complete it will create a new National Trail all around England’s coast, which at 2,700 miles will be the longest continuous coastal walking route in the world. More information can be found here.