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North Somerset Tidal Trail is a new segment of the England Coast Path national trail, a 2,700 mile route that will follow the entire coast of England.
The path is being opened in sections and will, when completed, be the longest coastal path in the world.
North Somerset’s new 13.4 mile section runs between Beach Road car park in Sand Bay to Brean Down fort.
The route along the west bank of the River Axe is seasonal and will only be open 16 April – 15 July each year, as waterbirds such as redshank feed and roost in this area during the overwintering period.
To conserve the bird’s energy and reduce disturbance to them, Natural England made the difficult decision to close the path while they are present to give them the best chance of survival. Alternative routes will be available during closed periods.
Once you've reached the end of the North Somerset Tidal Trail section, you could continue on and walk the Brean Down to Minehead section, which is already open and where the South West Coast Path begins.
Works are currently under way on other sections of the trail in North Somerset, between Clevedon and Portishead, and we are waiting to hear from the Secretary of State about the final section between Clevedon and Woodspring Priory.
Establishing the England Coastal Path through North Somerset has been a long-term aspiration of both us and Natural England.
We are committed to providing sustainable travel routes across North Somerset to provide health and wellbeing benefits for residents and encourage more active travel.
The routes also aim to improve access to our beautiful countryside and support the council’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030.