King Charles III England Coast Path: Aust to Brean Down
Find out the progress of improving coastal access – including maps, process and timing – in the Severn Estuary.
Introduction
Natural England is working to improve coastal access along a 48 mile (80 km) stretch of the Severn Estuary between Aust and Brean Down.
Officers from South Gloucestershire, Bristol, North Somerset and Somerset are providing Natural England with expert local advice during the establishment of the route.
Some sections are open to the public whilst others 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 current status of the collection in the table.
| Report number and title | Stage 5 (approved) | Open to the public |
|---|---|---|
| ABD 1: Severn Bridge to New Passage | 23 June 2022 | Open in part: from Old Passage to New Passage |
| ABD 2: New Passage to New Pill Gout | 9 July 2020 | Open |
| ABD 3: New Pill Gout to Avonmouth Bridge | 9 July 2020 | Open |
| ABD 4: Avonmouth Bridge to Portishead Marina | 9 July 2020 | Open |
| ABD 5: Portishead Marina to Wain’s Hill, Clevedon | 9 July 2020 | Open |
| ABD 6: Wain’s Hill, Clevedon to Huckers Bow | 7 May 2024 | Not yet |
| ABD 7: Huckers Bow to Birnbeck Pier | 9 July 2020 | Open in part: from Beach Road car park to Birnbeck Pier |
| ABD 8: Birnbeck Pier to Uphill Beach | 9 July 2020 | Open |
| ABD 9: Uphill Beach to Brean Cross Sluice | 9 July 2020 | Open |
| ABD 10: Brean Cross Sluice to Brean Down Fort | 9 July 2020 | Open |
If you are 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 apply at certain times.
On 25 July 2019, Natural England submitted a collection of reports to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs setting out the proposals for improved access to the coast between Aust and Brean Down in the Severn Estuary.
The maps in Natural England’s original proposals to the Secretary of State, which are still available to view, show the route of the KCIIIECP along this stretch of coast, as was proposed at that time and the adjoining land that is coastal margin, some of which has been determined by the Secretary of State. The period for making representations and objections about the report closed on 19 September 2019.
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.
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
Old Passage to Wain’s Hill, Clevedon
This 23.1mile (37.2km) stretch of the King Charles III England Coast Path (KCIIIECP) is now open to the public.
Coastal access rights came into force along this section of the Aust to Brean Down stretch on Thursday 20 July 2023, by order of the Secretary of State.
Following the approval of this section a variation to the route was necessary.
Change to the approved route between Sheepway Lane and Portbury Wharf (ABD-VR8)
A minor change to the approved route for length ABD 4: Avonmouth Bridge to Portishead Marina was required. Work on a new high-voltage electricity connection will affect this section until 2025, requiring proposals to divert the route away from this work.
On 31 August 2021, the Secretary of State announced their decision to approve this variation report.
Beach Road car park (Sand Bay) to Brean Down Fort
This 13.4 mile (21.5km) stretch of the King Charles III England Coast Path (KCIIIECP) is now open to the public.
Coastal access rights came into force along this section of the Aust to Brean Down stretch on Thursday 16 June 2022, by order of the Secretary of State.
Stage 5: Open (not yet available for public use - work to establish the route is being planned or currently taking place)
Severn Bridge to Old Passage
On 23 June 2022 the Secretary of State approved this section of the King Charles III England Coast Path on the Severn Estuary.
Wain’s Hill, Clevedon to Beach Road Car park (Sand Bay)
On 7 May 2024 and 9 July 2020 the Secretary of State approved this section of the King Charles III England Coast Path.
Natural England will publish further details of these approved routes 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 King Charles III 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 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
Contact Natural England with any comments, suggestions or queries you have about improving coastal access.
Coastal access delivery team (Somerset, Avon and Dorset)
Natural England
Horizon House
Deanery Road
Bristol
BS1 5AH
Email westcoastalaccess@naturalengland.org.uk
Telephone: Natural England enquiry team - 0300 060 3900
See the map that follows for more information about progress on improving coastal access in other parts of the west of England.
Updates to this page
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Page updated to show this stretch has been approved in full and work is now at stage 5.
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Page updated to show the Old Passage to Wain’s Hill, Clevedon section of this route is now open to the public.
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Page update to show that length 1 (ABD1) has been approved.
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Page updated to show the Beach Road carpark (Sand Bay) to Brean Down Fort section of this stretch is now open to the public.
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Page updated to show the variation report VR8 has been approved.
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Updated the page with information about the variation report between Sheepway Lane and Portbury Wharf (VR8).
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Added table showing the reports which make up the collection. Page updated to show that 8 of the 10 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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Removed the sentence giving a date for when access is expected to be ready. Publication of the report is expected in summer 2019.
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Dates amended: publication of report now expected in 2019. Access expected to be ready in 2020.
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Work on this stretch of coast has reached 'stage 2: develop'.
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First published.