Queen Victoria's retreat blocks national coast path

English Heritage said it could not overcome challenges with the original route

The managers of a rural retreat once loved by Queen Victoria have blocked the King Charles III England Coast Path from crossing its land.

English Heritage, which manages Osborne House estate on the Isle of Wight, has refused to allow a 300-metre stretch of the national trail to pass along its beach.

Rambling clubs have said the decision will force walkers to travel on "unpleasant and dangerous pavements beside busy roads".

English Heritage said it could not overcome the "unique security and conservation challenges posed by the path".

The Ramblers, Britain's walking charity protested against the decision in May.

Walking charity, the Ramblers said the alternative route unveiled by Natural England on 27 August added two miles to the walk between East Cowes and Wootton and would send people along the A3021.

Jack Cornish, their director of England, said: "We urgently need English Heritage to rethink its stance on this.

"Instead of supporting the completion of this iconic coastal route, walkers - including families with young kids - are being forced on to unpleasant and dangerous pavements beside busy roads, miles from the sea.

"It is common sense: The King Charles III England Coast Path must follow the coast."

National Trails say the King Charles III England Coast Path will be the longest managed coastal path in the world. Once completed it will cover the whole coast of England and will be around 2,700 miles long.

David Howarth, former area chair of Isle of Wight Ramblers, said the opportunity to showcase the Isle of Wight should not be squandered.

He said: "The new National Trail is a gift to the Island."

Natural England's proposed new route will travel along the A3021 road

English Heritage said: " The unique security and conservation challenges couldn't be overcome. As a registered park and garden, Osborne is exempt from the coastal path scheme but we very much wanted to see if we could find a way of facilitating the path.

"Unfortunately, the risk the path would pose to the security of the site – including Osborne's irreplaceable collection... was just too great. We appreciate that this will be disappointing to some and we want to explore with the Ramblers how else we could open up Osborne to its walkers."

Natural England is running a public consultation on the plans until 22 October.