King Charles III England Coast Path

The King Charles III England Coast Path (KCIIIECP) is a long-distance National Trail running around the coast of England. In Hampshire a 90 mile stretch of the Path is open and forms part of a nationwide project that will eventually become the world’s longest coastal walking trail at over 2700 miles. As well as following the path itself, walkers will often have the right to explore beaches and coastal margins, opening up new opportunities to enjoy the country’s diverse seascapes.

In Hampshire you can now walk from Calshot to Emsworth via Southampton and Portsmouth along the Coast Path, and then on for a further 120 miles to Rye Harbour in East Sussex. This has created a 210 mile uninterrupted section of the KCIIIECP along the South Coast.

England Coast Path in Hampshire

The Calshot to Portsmouth section starts at Calshot Spit where you can visit Calshot Activities Centre.

Please note that the Hythe ferry is not currently in operation. For details on the alternative route, please visit the National Trails website. Walkers can also take the Number 9 bus to Southampton Town Quay. From there, continue towards Woolston and the nearby Netley Abbey, the impressive remains of a 13th‑century monastery, as well Royal Victoria Country Park.

Continuing on to Hamble, you can view the remains of St Andrew’s Castle at low tide. This 16th‑century Henrician fort was built by Henry VIII to defend the Solent. Hamble Common/St Andrews Castle - Historic England.

Walkers can cross the River Hamble using the Hamble-Warsash Pink Ferry or alternatively follow a route that takes you inland through Bursledon and Lower Swanwick.

The path then leads onto the beautiful Hook-with-Warsash Local Nature Reserve. Please be aware that spring tides can sometimes block the route here; follow the signed alternative path on the ground or check the National Trails website for updates.

A particular highlight in winter Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, which the trail passes as you head towards Gosport.

Beyond Gosport, the path continues to historic Portchester, overlooking Portsmouth Harbour. Here you can visit Portchester Castle or explore Wicor Nature Reserve.

From Portchester the route takes you around historic Portsmouth and on to Farlington Marshes Nature Reserve managed by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. As one of the Trust’s oldest reserves, Farlington Marshes offers expansive coastal habitats supporting internationally important populations of wading birds and wildfowl.

Leaving Farlington, the trail leads into Havant, passing Southmoor Nature Reserve, where new boardwalks and bridges offer easy access. This is a landscape shaped by ongoing coastal change and makes an excellent standalone walk—simply park at the bottom of Southmoor Lane.

Heading east, the King Charles III England Coast Path crosses the Langstone Bridge onto Hayling Island. The path can be enjoyed west to east or vice versa. Key features include Hayling Billy, Sinah Common, the beaches of South Hayling, Sandy Point and Northney. The west side follows Langstone Harbour, while the east side leads into the Chichester Harbour National Landscape. The Chichester Harbour Conservancy website provides a range of useful information, including details of linking walks.

Walkers may wish to stop at The Ship Inn or The Royal Oak, the two pubs in Langstone, before continuing on to St Thomas à Becket Church at Warblington. The Church Path links the church and Warblington Castle with Emsworth. The fields around the church are an important wintering site for dark‑bellied Brent geese. The coast path runs through these fields, so please keep dogs under close control and avoid disturbing the birds when they are present.

Upon reaching Emsworth, the Hampshire section of The Coast Path ends, and the route continues into West Sussex, where you can follow the trail around Thorney Island and the remainder of Chichester Harbour.

Coastal Margin

The Coast Path creates an uninterrupted walking route around the coast, but it also creates a coastal margin which will allow ‘open access’ to the coast to people on foot.

The margin includes all land between the trail and the sea and gives rights of access on foot for people.

In the coastal margin, you’ll usually have new rights to enjoy areas like beaches. Some areas will not have such rights because they’re:

• excepted land, such as cropped land or buildings and their courtyards or gardens
• not suitable for public access, such as a saltmarsh or mudflat (section 25 exclusion)
• not suitable for public access due to nature conservation or heritage preservation (section 26 exclusion)

Details on the location of the coastal margin and any exclusions can be found here Natural England - Open Access & Coastal Access Maps.

Be sure to use the coastal code when walking along the coast – our colleagues at Bird Aware Solent have some great advice. Follow the Countryside Code when walking further afield.

Planning and development along the coast

If you are a homeowner, landowner, developer or local authority planning works that may affect the King Charles III England Coast Path, please contact [email protected] to discuss your proposals.

Any changes to the route of the coast path require formal approval from the Trail Partnership and Natural England, and in some cases the Secretary of State. As with public rights of way, it is an offence to obstruct or close the coast path.

Next steps

The final Hampshire section of the trail — from Highcliffe (Dorset) to Calshot — is expected to open within the next year.

The Solent to Sussex Trail Partnership will continue to manage and maintain the trail, supported by the Hampshire Countryside Service and volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering to help care for the King Charles III England Coast Path in Hampshire you can find out more about becoming a path warden.

King Charles III England Coast Path beyond Hampshire

To view the official trail map, locate facilities along the route, or explore sections of the path outside Hampshire please visit the National Trails website.