A coast path dedicated to the King has been diverted by the charity which runs Queen Victoria’s favourite summer retreat.
Instead of enjoying a leisurely walk along the charming Isle of Wight beaches, those on the King Charles III England Coast Path must divert inland onto the A3021, which features ‘unpleasant and hazardous sidewalks’.
English Heritage, which oversees the Osborne House estate on the island’s northern side, has prohibited the pathway from passing through the estate, claiming it would ‘negatively affect’ the organization’s conservation efforts and pose a security threat.
This body, responsible for the management of nearly 400 historic sites nationwide, further stated that the path — once fully established, stretching around 2,700 miles — would jeopardize its collection of 10,000 royal artifacts.
Osborne House, a favorite holiday retreat for Queen Victoria, is where she and Prince Albert would bathe their children and teach them swimming on its adjoining beach.
Jack Cornish, Director of England for the British walking charity The Ramblers, has criticized English Heritage for their decision and even suggested the possibility of a judicial review regarding this matter.
He said: ‘We urgently need English Heritage to rethink its stance on this.
‘Instead of facilitating the completion of this iconic coast-hugging route, walkers, including families with young children, are being redirected to unpleasant and risky sidewalks along bustling roads, far from the ocean,’ he stated.
A coast path dedicated to the King has been diverted by the charity which runs Queen Victoria’s favourite summer retreat (pictured: the beach by Osbourne House on Isle of Wight)
Instead of strolling along picturesque Isle of Wight sands, walkers on the King Charles III England Coast Path will be forced inland onto the A3021
Protesters from The Ramblers charity pictured with placards. Campaigners have suggested solutions to keep the beach route alive, including fencing or nighttime closures of the path
‘It is common sense: The King Charles III England Coast Path must follow the coast.’
Kate Ashbrook, Vice President of the Ramblers, added: ‘The path is absolutely abysmal because it goes along a busy A road.
‘There is very little footway – some of the way there is no footway, and it goes for miles along that road. That is not a coast path.’
After seven years of dispute, Natural England, the Government agency overseeing the route, finally unveiled the proposed path between East Cowes and Wootton last month.
The new plans featured the two-mile diversion, which will take hikers along the A3021 and some country lanes.
Campaigners have suggested solutions to keep their dream beach route alive, including fencing or nighttime closures of the path, but English Heritage has so far refused to compromise.
Last year, the Isle of Wight Ramblers held a protest outside Osborne House and claimed they would consider a judicial review if there was no agreement over the footpath.
Campaigners have cited other high-profile heritage sites, including Blenheim Palace, Stourhead, and Balmoral Castle, as examples of how security problems can be resolved.
The Ramblers want the route to be ‘truly coastal’ and hug the sea throughout, while Natural England have now suggested the path cut inland onto the A road
Isle of Wight Ramblers have been holding protests and claimed they would consider a judicial review if there was no agreement over the footpath
Campaigners have cited other high-profile heritage sites, including Blenheim Palace, Stourhead, and Balmoral Castle, as examples of how security problems can be resolved
Osborne House’s historic beach should be enjoyed by the public, the Ramblers argue.
National Trails says the 2,700 miles of shoreline trail will make the King Charles III England Coast Path the longest managed coastal path in the world.
David Howarth, former Area Chair of Isle of Wight Ramblers, said: ‘The new National Trail is a gift to the Island.
‘We do not want to squander an opportunity to showcase all of our magnificent coast.
‘A route that closely follows the coastline benefits both users and landowners by minimising the need for additional public access areas, known as spreading room.’
Natural England has launched an eight-week public consultation on the plans and The Ramblers is urging people to contact English Heritage, Isle of Wight councillors, and MPs to support its campaign before the October 22 deadline.
Local residents have emphasised the £60 million annual boost the trail could potentially give to the Isle of Wight’s fragile economy.
Mike Slater, of the Isle of Wight Ramblers, said: ‘In 2009, Parliament passed legislation to establish the England Coast Path, a world-leading 2,700-mile facility for active tourism, for healthy recreation, and for the appreciation of nature and our heritage.
Osborne House’s historic beach should be enjoyed by the public, the Ramblers, pictured on a protest, argue
Natural England has launched a public consultation on the plans and The Ramblers is urging people to contact English Heritage, Isle of Wight councillors, and MPs to support its campaign
‘It recognises that on a crowded island we need to develop a smart approach to use our landscape to meet a range of different requirements.
‘The National Trust shows us how this can be achieved across many of its properties.’
English Heritage said: ‘ The unique security and conservation challenges couldn’t be overcome. As a registered park and garden, Osborne is exempt from the coastal path scheme but we very much wanted to see if we could find a way of facilitating the path.
‘Unfortunately, the risk the path would pose to the security of the site – including Osborne’s irreplaceable collection… was just too great.
‘We appreciate that this will be disappointing to some and we want to explore with the Ramblers how else we could open up Osborne to its walkers.’
