National Trails 'going to get worse', says charity

The eagle-eyed among you and those in the know may have spotted the iconic acorn symbol while out walking, hiking, cycling or horse riding, letting you know you are on a National Trail.

There are 16 of the long-distance footpaths and bridleways in England and Wales, supported by Natural England and Natural Resources Wales, to choose from.

But campaigners have said the budget to maintain the routes, such as the Thames Path, has not been looked after and the consequences are beginning to show.

The Thames Path follows its namesake for 185 miles (298km) through Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Surrey and London.

But several parts of the route are currently subject to closures and long diversions.

The National Trails UK charity chief executive, Polly Martin, said it was a "symptom of our under-investment over decades" and that "unfortunately, the infrastructure is only going to get worse".

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it has increased overall investment in National Trails, allocating an extra £3m to improve accessibility, and £500,000 to help with coastal erosion.

Parts of the Thames Path have been revamped, such as the £15.1m Benson Weir upgrade, though the site was closed for more than three years for safety reasons.

Rambler John Chase told the BBC he was frustrated by a diversion further downstream, between Shiplake and Henley-on-Thames, that has been in place for nearly four years.

The bridge at Marsh Lock needs completely replacing and it is creating an extra three-mile (4.8km) diversion before it rejoins the path, up steep hills and past main roads.

"The diversion is necessary but, of course, it's not such an intrinsically beautiful place," said Chase.

Henley and Thame MP Freddie Van Mierlo said more money has to be raised to repair a bridge linking the path.

"It's also true that Defra was a loser when it came to the Spending Review," he said.

"They were never going to fix problems like this if we keep on cutting the agencies that are supposed to fix them."

Natural England and the EA have added the restoration of the bridge, which has been subject to multiple campaigns to get it reopened, to their "projects for nature" initiative in an attempt to outsource funds for repairs from investors.

The BBC understands £500,000 has been allocated to draw up plans for the bridge.

Temple Footbridge near Marlow, Buckinghamshire, has also been closed since 2023. Other diversions are in place in Goring and Staines.

Under a national framework, supported by Natural England and Natural Resources Wales, a variety of organisations, including the Environment Agency (EA) and local highways authorities, are responsible for the upkeep of the National Trails.

The Thames Path Partnership said the £160,000 it is given by Natural England was not enough. It said the estimated spend on the Thames Path in 2026 is about £5m.

In 2025, the 2,689 mile-long King Charles III England Coast Path was inaugurated by King Charles III last year.

This March, the Coast to Coast trail, taking walkers from the Irish Sea to the North Sea, opened.

Elsewhere in the south of England, the South West Coast Path Association estimates that the cost of maintenance to its trail is up to £1m a year.

Coastal erosion is contributing to costs, which do not include work needed to improve the route.

Martin said: "As a network, the National Trails, including the Thames Path, have had a 30% cut in their funding over the last decade and, at the same time that's been happening, the National Trails network has doubled.

"So, while the network has grown, the funding that was promised by government hasn't grown alongside it."

A Defra spokesperson said: "Our countryside, rivers and green spaces are a source of great national pride.

"We are creating nine new National River Walks, have increased overall investment in National Trails, and launched £33m Access for All funding to open up our national trails, forests and protected landscapes."

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