STORY
Walkers and nature fans now have more reason to lace up their boots: Natural England and Suffolk County Council today officially opened 26 miles of new coastline access between Felixstowe Ferry and Bawdsey. The new stretch, part of the King Charles III England Coast Path, includes 11 miles of brand-new access rights around the Deben Estuary.
The new section links to existing paths from Shotley Gate to Felixstowe Ferry, extending continuous walking opportunities along Suffolk’s coast. Along the way, walkers pass through or close to towns and villages including Woodbridge, and traverse landscapes that shift from saltmarsh and estuary banks to farmland and protected habitats.
Hannah Thacker, Deputy Director for Norfolk and Suffolk at Natural England, said she is “personally looking forward to walking this stretch,” adding that it opens up a part of the Suffolk coast that was previously inaccessible to the public. The route is designed to balance public access with environmental protection: there are dog-on-lead zones, bird-watching hides, and fencing or path positioning to avoid disturbing sensitive habitats used by species such as dark-bellied brent geese and avocets.