Walkers can now enjoy a spectacular new 13-mile stretch of the King Charles III England Coast Path after a new section officially opened along the Suffolk side of the Stour Estuary. The latest section, unveiled on Wednesday 29 July, links Cattawade with Shotley Gate, providing continuous access along one of Suffolk’s most picturesque coastal landscapes.
New Route Connects to Southwold
The newly opened trail follows the northern shoreline of the Stour Estuary, passing through Brantham, Stutton, Lower Holbrook and Harkstead before reaching Shotley Gate, where it connects with the existing England Coast Path all the way to Southwold. Situated within the Suffolk and Essex Coast and Heaths National Landscape, the route offers visitors sweeping estuary views and access to habitats internationally recognised for wintering birds, including Black-tailed Godwits and Dark-bellied Brent Geese.
History and Wildlife Along the Way
The route combines stunning scenery with centuries of history. Walkers will pass the site of Britain’s first commercial plastics factory, the former Xylonite Works, before reaching Stutton Ness, where a new section of path has been created away from the cliff edge to protect visitors from coastal erosion. A short detour near Erwarton leads to St Mary’s Church, which is linked to Anne Boleyn, whose heart is reputed to have been buried nearby following her execution in 1536. Further along the trail, the impressive Royal Hospital School dominates the skyline at Holbrook, while the route ends at Shotley Gate, home to the former HMS Ganges naval training establishment, where more than 150,000 recruits trained between 1905 and 1976.
Natural England Welcomes New Section
Hannah Thacker, Deputy Director for Norfolk and Suffolk at Natural England, said:
“This new section of the King Charles III England Coast Path opens up another stretch of Suffolk’s stunning coastline to walkers.
“The trail formalises permissive routes and creates some brand new sections of access, enabling people to walk along one of the county’s most beautiful estuaries.
Opening during the summer holidays, it’s a great day out for families, with regular bus services running to Shotley Gate from Ipswich.”
She added that the route includes ‘rollback’ provisions, allowing it to be moved inland if coastal erosion affects the shoreline in future, helping to safeguard long-term public access.
Continuous Coastal Route Expands
Councillor Morgan Brobyn, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Food, Waste and Rural Affairs, said the latest opening means walkers can now travel continuously from Cattawade to Southwold. He said:
“With around 120 miles of the King Charles III England Coast Path already open to the public in Suffolk, this latest stretch means that you can enjoy walking continuously from Cattawade to Southwold.
“There are now just a few miles of the path left to complete in Suffolk, giving residents and visitors access to so much of our county’s natural beauty.”
England’s Coastal Trail Nears Completion
The opening marks another milestone in the creation of the 2,700-mile King Charles III England Coast Path, which is set to become the world’s longest managed coastal walking route. The national trail was officially inaugurated by King Charles III earlier this year and is being delivered by Natural England with funding from the UK Government to improve public access around England’s coastline. The newly opened Suffolk section has also been designed with public transport in mind, with regular bus services connecting Ipswich and Shotley Gate, making the route easily accessible for both local residents and visitors.
Originally published by UKNIP.
