King Charles III England Coast Path: Iwade to Grain
Find out about the progress of improving coastal access – including maps, process and timing – in Kent.
Introduction
Natural England is working to improve public access along a 36 mile (58 km) stretch of the Kent coast between Iwade and Grain.
Officers from Medway Council and Kent County Council are providing Natural England with expert local advice during the establishment of the route.
Some sections are open to the public, some are still under development.
This page has information about the stage of progress for each section of the stretch.
Information about open sections of the route
You can view open sections of the route on the National Trails website.
You can see the status of all sections of the route in the table.
| Report number and title | Stage 5 (approved) | Open to the public |
|---|---|---|
| IGR 1: Ridham Dock (Iwade) to Kingsferry Bridge | 18 August 2020 | open |
| IGR 2: Kingsferry Bridge to Raspberry Hill | 18 August 2020 | not yet |
| IGR 3: Raspberry Hill to Funton Brickworks | 18 August 2020 | not yet |
| IGR 4: Funton Brickworks to Lower Halstow | 14 March 2025 | not yet |
| IGR 5: Lower Halstow to Shoregate Creek | 18 August 2020 | not yet |
| IGR 6: Shoregate Creek to Otterham Quay | 14 March 2025 | not yet |
| IGR 7: Otterham Quay to The Strand Leisure Park | 18 August 2020 | open |
| IGR 8: The Strand Leisure Park to Frindsbury | 12 November 2020 | open |
| IGR 9: Frindsbury to Burnt House Farm | 18 August 2020 | open |
| IGR 10: Burnt House Farm to Stoke Creek Crossing | 18 August 2020 | open |
| IGR 11: Stoke Creek Crossing to Grain Crossing | 18 August 2020 | open |
| IGR 12: Grain Crossing to Grain Esplanade | 18 August 2020 | 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 to the public
Ridham Dock to Kingsferry Bridge
This 1.5 mile (2.4km) stretch of the England Coast Path (ECP) is now open to the public. Coastal access rights came into force along this section of the Iwade to Grain stretch on 18 August 2020, by order of the Secretary of State.
Otterham Quay to Grain Crossing
This 23.5 mile (38km) stretch of the KCIIIECP is now open to the public.
Coastal access rights came into force along this section of the Iwade to Grain stretch on 5 October 2023, by order of the Secretary of State.
Following the approval of this section, a variation to the route became necessary.
Changes to the approved route at Canal Road, Strood (IGR-VR15)
On 28 March 2024, the Secretary of State announced their decision to approve this variation report.
Stage 5: Open (not yet available for public use - work to establish the route is being planned or currently taking place)
Kingsferry Bridge to Otterham Quay
On 14 March 2025 and 18 August 2020 the Secretary of State approved these sections of the King Charles III England Coast Path in Kent.
Grain Crossing to Grain Esplanade
On 18 August 2020 the Secretary of State approved this section of the King Charles III England Coast Path in Kent.
Natural England will publish further details of these approved routes in due course.
Find out more about the King Charles III England Coast Path
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 required such as signs and gates.
When preparations are complete, new access rights will be brought into force along the route and adjoining spreading room.
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 authority managing sections that are open to the public
If you need to contact the authority managing open sections of this stretch of the KCIIIECP, use the contact forms on the National Trails website contact us page.
Contact the coastal access team for sections not yet open to the public
Contact Natural England with any comments, suggestions or queries you have about improving coastal access.
King Charles III England Coast Path delivery team (south east)
Natural England
Floor 9, International House
Dover Place
Ashford
Kent
TN23 1HU
Email: southeastcoastalaccess@naturalengland.org.uk
Telephone: 0300 060 3900
See the map that follows for information about progress on improving coastal access in other parts of south east of England.
Updates to this page
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The page has been updated following the approval of the proposals for sections IGR4 and IGR6.
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Page updated to show variation report for Canal Road, Strood (VR15) has been approved.
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Page updated to show the Otterham Quay to Stoke Marshes section of this stretch is now open to the public.
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Page updated to show the Ridham Dock (Iwade) to Kingsferry Bridge section of the stretch is now open to the public.
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Page updated with details of the variation report VR15.
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Page updated to show that report 8 has received Secretary of State approval.
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Added table showing the reports which make up the collection. Page updated to show that 9 of the 12 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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Date amended: access expected to be ready in 2020.
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Updated page to show that work has reached stage 2 and 3.
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First published.