England Coast Path access starts Wallasea to Burnham
From today, Wednesday 25 March 2026, the coastal margin between Wallasea Island and Burnham-on-Crouch opens for public access. The change is made by the Access to the Countryside (Coastal Margin) (Wallasea Island to Burnham-on-Crouch) Order 2026, published on legislation.gov.uk. Signed by Hayman of Ullock, a DEFRA minister, on 24 March 2026, the Order comes into force the following day. If you walk, teach geography or law, or manage land along the River Crouch, this is a practical, real‑time example of how rights of way are switched on in England.
What actually changes is simple but important. The Order appoints 25 March 2026 as the day the “access preparation period” ends for this stretch. Under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (as updated by the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009), that is the legal moment when the mapped coastal margin becomes access land and the public right to walk begins-subject to the usual restrictions designed to protect people, farming and wildlife.
Where does the route go? Natural England divided the Wallasea to Burnham-on-Crouch section into five reports (WIB1–WIB5), all submitted on 29 January 2020. The Secretary of State approved WIB1 (Wallasea Island to Ferry Road, Hullbridge) on 23 April 2021, and approved the remaining four on 6 March 2024: from Hullbridge to Battlesbridge; Battlesbridge to Clementsgreen Creek; Clementsgreen Creek to The Quay, North Fambridge; and North Fambridge to Burnham-on-Crouch. Those approvals, made under section 52(1) of the 1949 National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, fix the line of the England Coast Path here.
Quick explainer for your students (and all of us): a Statutory Instrument (SI) is a form of secondary legislation. Parliament passes an Act that sets the framework; ministers then use SIs to apply the detail-like appointing a date. In this case, the SI was “made” on 24 March 2026 and “comes into force” on 25 March 2026. The effect is to switch on access rights today for this specific stretch.
What “coastal margin” means in practice: it’s a band of land that runs with the trail and can include some beaches, dunes and cliff‑top areas. Not everything within sight of the sea is included, and some places remain off‑limits as “excepted land” (for example, private gardens or buildings). Natural England’s published guidance explains these categories and the on‑the‑ground mapping that shows where you can and cannot go.
If you’re walking, your right is to be there on foot. Cycling, riding, lighting fires or camping are not part of the access right. Follow waymarks, read local notices, keep dogs under effective control and be particularly careful near livestock and ground‑nesting birds. Conditions on estuaries can change quickly-check tide times and stay on the waymarked route where advised. GOV.UK pages for the England Coast Path carry any temporary restrictions or diversions for safety or conservation.
If you manage land, today’s change means access rights now apply across the mapped coastal margin. Where there is a clear need-for example, lambing, essential works or safety-Natural England can authorise restrictions or exclusions. Your civil liability does not generally increase because of these rights, but do check DEFRA and Natural England guidance for the specifics and keep any agreed signage and infrastructure in good order. The Explanatory Note to the Order also confirms no fresh impact assessment was required because the policy costs and benefits were assessed when Parliament passed the 2009 Act.
Coasts are dynamic, so the route can move. Natural England uses a “roll‑back” approach, which allows the path to shift if erosion or flooding affects it, without restarting from scratch. Digital maps are updated when this happens and on‑site waymarks show the live line-use both before leading a group or planning fieldwork.
For media literacy, let’s read the primary source together. The SI number (2026/337) and title tell you exactly what it does and where. The front shows the made date and the coming‑into‑force date; the signature shows ministerial accountability; the Explanatory Note at the end summarises the legal effect in plain English. Cross‑check this with Natural England’s approved reports to see how policy, law and mapping join up.
What next? If you’re teaching rights of way, this Order is a ready‑made case study you can bring into class this week. If you’re planning a walk, check the official map and local signage before you set off. And if you’re a land manager, speak with Natural England or your local access authority early if you think a restriction may be needed. Today is the start line, not the finish.