A section of St Bees footpath is likely to be closed until 2028 following a landslip.
A 3km stretch of the path – part of the King Charles III England Coast Path and Coast to Coast Path National Trail – between St Bees South Head and Fleswick Bay has been closed since December 2025 after a cliff face collapsed and another landslip further along the trail was reported.
An order for the closure of the route has been extended until January 29 2028 or until work is completed due to the likelihood of danger to the public.
Diversions havve been put in place.
It is not known what work will be carried out or if there is a timetable for repairs.
The order bans people from using the following sections of the footpath:
- Approximately 2,210m length of Public Footpath No.422003 between Grid References 294582 513416 and 295769 511808
- Approximately 587m length of Public Footpath No.422008 between Grid references 294210 513636 and 294582 513416
- Approximately 194m length of Public Footpath No.422013 between grid references 295769 511808 and 295909 511889
Cumbria Crack asked Cumberland Council what the plans were for the section of footpath affected.
It said: “Cumberland Council is aware of the disruption caused by the closure of a section of the public path at St Bees Head following recent landslips.
“To ensure walkers can continue to enjoy the area safely, an alternative route has been established around the affected section.
“This temporary diversion is available for users of both the King Charles III England Coast Path and the Coast to Coast National Trail.
“We are continuing to work closely with the relevant landowners and Natural England to assess the situation and explore options for reopening the closed section of the path as soon as it is safe to do so.
“The safety of walkers remains our priority, and we would ask members of the public to follow the signed diversion route and respect any temporary closures that remain in place.”
