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Best Coastal Hikes in England

There are 169 hikes in England in our database that fit. They average 29.6 km and 651 m (2,136 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 262 km.

That is 8 percent of the 2,073 routes we map in England. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 29.6 km against 21.7 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 651 m (2,136 ft) on average versus 476 m (1,562 ft) across the wider area.

Coastal walking is exposed, open and completely different in every wind direction. These routes keep the sea in view for most of their length. The mix is broad: 36 are rated easy and 110 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day.

Trails

Expert

Norfolk Coast Path

England · United Kingdom

Distance
191 km
/ 119 mi
Elevation gain
4,196 m
Typical duration
51 hr
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Berwickshire Coastal Path

England · United Kingdom

Distance
47.8 km
/ 29.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,052 m
Typical duration
12 hr
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Saxon Shore Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
262 km
/ 163 mi
Elevation gain
5,754 m
Typical duration
70 hr
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Coast to Coast Walk (Richmond to Robin Hood’s Bay)England113 km2,490 m30 hrExpertApril to October
Coast to Coast Walk (Shap to Richmond)England84.0 km1,848 m22 hrExpertApril to October
Coast to Coast Walk (St Bees to Shap)England95.9 km2,110 m25 hrExpertApril to October
Norfolk Coast PathEngland191 km4,196 m51 hrExpertApril to October
Berwickshire Coastal PathEngland47.8 km1,052 m12 hrExpertApril to October
King Charles III England Coast Path: Southend-on-Sea to Wallasea IslandEngland59.1 km1,300 m15 hrExpertApril to October
King Charles III England Coast Path: Bamburgh to Scottish BordersEngland61.1 km1,344 m16 hrExpertApril to October
King Charles III England Coast Path: Brean Down to MineheadEngland96.9 km2,132 m25 hrExpertApril to October
King Charles III England Coast Path: Burnham-on-Crouch to MaldonEngland60.9 km1,340 m16 hrExpertApril to October
King Charles III England Coast Path: East Head to ShorehamEngland71.5 km1,572 m18 hrExpertApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Norfolk Coast Path, Coast to Coast Walk (Richmond to Robin Hood’s Bay), Coast to Coast Walk (Shap to Richmond). Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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