English Heritage blocks coastal route at Osborne House, forcing inland diversion on Isle of Wight

English Heritage has refused to allow the King Charles III England Coast Path to cross the grounds of Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, forcing a proposed two-mile diversion inland onto the A3021 and country lanes. Natural England, the government body overseeing the project, unveiled the route between East Cowes and Wootton last month after seven years of deliberation; the refusal by the charity that manages the former royal retreat was cited as the primary reason the path will not follow the shoreline at that location.

The charity, which looks after almost 400 historic sites including the former holiday home of Queen Victoria, said allowing the coastal route through Osborne House would "negatively impact" its conservation work and pose a security risk to the estate and its collection of about 10,000 royal items. English Heritage said the site, a registered park and garden, is exempt from the coastal path scheme but that it had sought ways to facilitate access before concluding the risks were "just too great."

Campaigners and walking charities criticised the decision and said the inland diversion undermines the purpose of the new National Trail, which is intended to be a continuous coastal route. Jack Cornish, director of England for The Ramblers, said the organisation was urging English Heritage to "rethink its stance" and suggested it might pursue a judicial review if no compromise is reached. "Instead of supporting the completion of this iconic coastal route, walkers — including families with young kids — are being forced onto unpleasant and dangerous pavements beside busy roads, miles from the sea," he said.

Ramblers vice president Kate Ashbrook described the proposed A3021 route as dangerous and not representative of a coast path because parts of it lack adequate footway. Isle of Wight campaigners and Ramblers volunteers have staged protests outside Osborne House and encouraged members of the public to respond to Natural England's eight-week consultation, which is open until Oct. 22. The organisation and local residents point to potential tourism benefits, saying a completed coastal trail could add up to an estimated £60 million a year to the island's economy.

Natural England's plans for the King Charles III England Coast Path envisage a managed shoreline trail of roughly 2,700 miles, which would make it one of the longest coastal routes of its kind in the world. The agency's draft for this section routes walkers inland to avoid passing through private estate land. The proposed inland route runs along the A3021 and through some minor country lanes to meet the coast at points east and west of Osborne.

Campaigners have proposed possible concessions to preserve a true coastal line, including the installation of fencing, controlled hours of access, or other security measures used at other heritage properties. They cited examples such as Blenheim Palace, Stourhead and Balmoral Castle, where public access has been arranged alongside security and conservation needs. David Howarth, a former area chair of the Isle of Wight Ramblers, urged English Heritage and Natural England not to "squander an opportunity to showcase all of our magnificent coast," arguing that a route close to the shoreline can also reduce pressure for further public access on privately owned land.

English Heritage acknowledged the disappointment the decision would cause and said it remained willing to explore how Osborne might be "opened up" to walkers in other ways. The charity emphasised the unique conservation status of the estate and the vulnerability of its collections as drivers of its decision.

The dispute highlights a broader tension between coastal access ambitions and the protection of sensitive historic properties. The England Coast Path, established in legislation in 2009, has proceeded in sections over more than a decade, with Natural England balancing public access, landowner rights and environmental and heritage protections as it completes the route.

For now, the proposed inland alignment remains the plan set out in Natural England's consultation. Interested members of the public and stakeholders can respond to the consultation before the deadline. English Heritage said it would continue discussions with The Ramblers and other local groups about alternative ways to provide access to the island's coastline while safeguarding the site's conservation and security concerns.