A new section of the King Charles III coastal path has recently opened at Southmoor nature reserve between Langstone and Brockhampton. In October 2021, the already weakened sea wall was breached during a storm allowing the area to flood at high tide. Back in 2017 a plan was considered to allow such a breach to happen under the national policy of “managed realignment”. Breaching of existing sea defences allows the formation of new flood plains, salt marsh and wildlife habitats. It also provides a buffer to absorb wave energy and in theory can protect adjacent more developed areas. The plan did not proceed because of concerns about damage to underlying utilities. Nature has now taken charge and over recent years the flooded area has started to mature into a more natural state, creating a new biodiverse wetland. Breach of the seawall however has resulted in a breakdown of the coastal path which becomes impassable at certain states of the tide.
The King Charles III England Coast Path is a new 2700-mile National Trail around all of England’s coast. It is expected that the path will connect communities around the English coastline from Northumberland to Cumbria. Driven by the need to re-instate the coastal path as part of the King Charles route, Hampshire County Council working with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust (HIIWT) have created a raised walkway that tracks the northern perimeter of Southmoor. This excellent development now offers a very welcome “high tide” route as well as the possibility of a delightful circular walk when the tide recedes. The path along the western margin has been cleared and enhanced to allow mobility access and signage has been added.
The new route is very timely as a recent study published in the journal Ambio has judged Britain to be one the least “nature connected” ranking 57 out of 61 countries. This new route offers great local access to a beautiful environment. Experiencing nature has many recognised health benefits for both physical and mental wellbeing. People with a high degree of “nature connectedness” are more likely to adopt a positive approach to the natural environment.