King Charles III England Coast Path: Harwich to Shotley Gate
Find out about the progress of improving coastal access – including maps, process and timing – in Essex and Suffolk.
Introduction
Natural England is working to improve public access along a 39 km stretch of the Essex and Suffolk coast between Harwich and Shotley Gate.
Officers from Essex County Council and Suffolk County Council are providing Natural England with expert local advice and helping to make sure there is full consultation with local interests during the development of the route.
This page has information about the stage of progress for each section of the stretch.
Information about the route
You can see the status of all parts of this stretch in the table.
| Report number and title | Stage 5 (approved) | Open to the public |
|---|---|---|
| HSG 1: Harwich to Ray Lane, Ramsey | 31 August 2021 | not yet |
| HSG 2: Ray Lane, Ramsey to Stone Point, Wrabness | 18 September 2025 | not yet |
| HSG 3: Stone Point, Wrabness to Hopping Bridge, Mistley | 18 September 2025 | not yet |
| HSG 4: Hopping Bridge, Mistley to Brantham Hall Farm | 31 August 2021 | not yet |
| HSG 5: Brantham Hall Farm to Lower Holbrook | 18 September 2025 | not yet |
| HSG 6: Lower Holbrook to Shotley Gate | 18 September 2025 | not yet |
If you’re planning a walk on the King Charles III England Coast Path (KCIIIECP), check our interactive access maps for details of local access restrictions and coast path diversions which may therefore apply at certain times.
Coastal access rights normally apply to all land that is coastal margin - including any land seaward of the route - unless it falls into a category of excepted land or if an access restriction applies to the land.
The maps in Natural England’s original proposals to the Secretary of State are still available to view. They show the route of the KCIIIECP along this stretch of coast as it was proposed at that time. They also show the adjoining land that is coastal margin.
Any variation needed after a stretch has been proposed, approved or opened is achieved through rollback or a modification or variation report that you can comment on. Modification and variation reports are published on GOV.UK and details will be added to this page.
Use the link that follows for guidance on your rights and responsibilities if the KCIIIECP passes through your land.
Stage 5: Open (not yet available for public use - work to establish the route is being planned or currently taking place)
Ray Lane, Ramsey to Hopping Bridge, Mistley (HSG2 and HSG3) and Brantham Hall Farm to Shotley Gate (HSG5 and HSG6)
On 18 September 2025, the Secretary of State approved these sections of the King Charles III England Coast Path in in Essex and Suffolk.
Schedule 6 notice
On 25 July 2023, the independent planning inspector issued a schedule 6 notice in response to an objection they received concerning the proposals for land at Ray Lane, Ramsey to Stone Point, Wrabness (see report HSG2).
The notice is still available to view.
Harwich to Ray Lane, Ramsey (HSG1) and Hopping Bridge, Mistley to Brantham Hall Farm (HSG 4)
On 31 August 2021, the Secretary of State approved these sections of the King Charles III England Coast Path in in Essex and Suffolk.
Natural England will publish further details of the approved route in due course.
Next steps
Work is now underway to prepare the new stretch of coast path for public use. The first step is to contact owners and occupiers of the affected land to discuss the design and location of any new infrastructure which is needed, such as signs and gates.
When preparations are complete, new access rights will come into force along the route and adjoining spreading room
Find out more about the England Coast Path
See information about all stretches in preparation around England’s coast.
The coastal access scheme gives details of the process being followed to improve access to the coast.
Contact the coastal access team
Contact Natural England with any comments, suggestions or queries you have about improving coastal access.
Email: EssexCoastalAccess@naturalengland.org.uk
Telephone: 0208 026 5954
Post:
Coastal Access Team (Essex)
Natural England
Eastbrook
Shaftesbury Road
Cambridge
CB2 8DR
See the map below for information about progress on improving coastal access in other parts Essex.
Updates to this page
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Page updated to show that reports HSG2, HSG3, HSG5 and HSG6 have been approved.
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Added paragraph about a schedule 6 notice issued in response to an objection received by the 'appointed person'.
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Added table showing the reports which make up the collection. Page updated to show that 2 of the 6 reports have received Secretary of State approval.
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Page updated to show this stretch is now at stage 4.
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Changed expected date for publication of the reports to early 2020.
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Removed the sentence giving a date for when access is expected to be ready. Publication of the report is expected in autumn 2019.
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Publication of report now expected in spring 2019. Access expected to be ready in 2020.
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Updated page to show that work on this stretch has reached stages 2 and 3.
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First published.