The E9 European long distance path, E9 path or European Coastal Path (French: ''Sentier Européen du Littoral'') is one of the

European long-distance paths The European long-distance paths (alternatively, abbreviated as E-paths) are a network of long-distance footpaths that traverse Europe. While most long-distance footpaths in Europe are located in just one country or region, each of these numbered ...

, running for from

Tarifa Tarifa (, Arabic: طريفة) is a Spanish municipality in the province of Cádiz, Andalusia. Located at the southernmost end of the Iberian Peninsula, it is primarily known as one of the world's most popular destinations for windsports. Tarifa ...

, Spain to

Narva-Jõesuu Narva-Jõesuu (; russian: Усть-Нарва, ''Ust'-Narva'', Нарва-Йыэсуу, Усть-Нарова) is a town in Ida-Viru County, in northeastern Estonia. Geography It is located on the country's northern Baltic coast of the Gulf o ...

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and t ...

. In 2019, the southern terminus was extended from Cabo de São Vicente in

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, In recognized minority languages of Portugal: :* mwl, República Pertuesa is a country located on the Iberian Peninsula, in Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Macaronesian ...

to Tarifa in Spain, the southern-most point of continental Europe, and also the starting point of E4 and E12.Tarifa, Spain

Portugal

The path follows the western coasts of

from Cabo de São Vicente. There are also some sections around Lisbon and it's possible that the Camino Portuguese Coastal Way could also become the E9.

Spain

The path follows the western coasts of

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' ( Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

. E9 often follows the GR footpaths in Spain.

France

The path follows the northern and western coasts of

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...

starting at Bray-Dunes on the Belgian border. The

GR 120 GR may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Film and television * '' Golmaal Returns'', a 2008 Bollywood film * '' Generator Rex'', an animated TV series * Guilty Remnant, a cult-like organization portrayed in '' The Leftovers'', an HBO telev ...

runs from

Dunkerque Dunkirk (french: Dunkerque ; vls, label=French Flemish, Duunkerke; nl, Duinkerke(n) ; , ;) is a commune in the department of Nord in northern France.Pas d'Authie, the GR 21 from Le Tréport to

Le Havre Le Havre (, ; nrf, Lé Hâvre ) is a port city in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region of northern France. It is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the river Seine on the Channel southwest of the Pays de Caux, ver ...

, GR 223 from Le Havre via

Cherbourg Cherbourg (; , , ), nrf, Chèrbourg, ) is a former commune and subprefecture located at the northern end of the Cotentin peninsula in the northwestern French department of Manche. It was merged into the commune of Cherbourg-Octeville on 28 ...

Avranches Avranches (; nrf, Avraunches) is a commune in the Manche department, and the region of Normandy, northwestern France. It is a subprefecture of the department. The inhabitants are called ''Avranchinais''. History By the end of the Roman period ...

where it divides into several smaller local trails. The GR 34 then continues from Mont St-Michel to Le Tour-du-Parc. The GR 8 re-starts the trail further south from Saint-Brevin-les-Pins to Sare in the

Pyrenees The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to ...

incorporating a short coastal section of the

GR 4 The GR 4 is a long-distance walking route of the Grande Randonnée network in France. The route connects Royan with Grasse. Along the way, the route passes through: * Royan * Saintes * Montbron * Aixe-sur-Vienne * Aubusson * Mont-Dore * Les V ...

England

The path follows the southern coast to

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymout ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

, and then following the English south coast as far as

Dover Dover () is a town and major ferry port in Kent, South East England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies south-east of Canterbury and east of Maidstone ...

, where another ferry crossing returns the route to

Calais Calais ( , , traditionally , ) is a port city in the Pas-de-Calais department, of which it is a subprefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's prefecture is its third-largest city of Arras. The p ...

in France. In England the path follows parts of the

South West Coast Path The South West Coast Path is England's longest waymarked long-distance footpath and a National Trail. It stretches for , running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harbour in Dorset. Because it rises ...

, the Solent Way, the

South Downs Way The South Downs Way is a long distance footpath and bridleway running along the South Downs in southern England. It is one of 16 National Trails in England and Wales. The trail runs for from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne in East Su ...

and the

Saxon Shore Way The Saxon Shore Way is a long-distance footpath in England. It starts at Gravesend, Kent, and traces the coast of South-East England as it was in Roman times as far as Hastings, East Sussex, in total. This means that around Romney Marsh the ...

paths. The British route itself includes an alternative route via the

Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight ( ) is a Counties of England, county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the List of islands of England#Largest islands, largest and List of islands of England#Mo ...

Belgium

The path then follows the coast of

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...

Netherlands

The path follows the coast of the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. Here it follows the Dutch

North Sea Trail The North Sea Trail is a transnational long-distance hiking trail along the coast of the North Sea. The route passes through seven countries and 26 partner areas. The aim of the project is to promote sustainable tourism and to keep alive the com ...

, which includes 5 successive trails: *from

Sluis Sluis (; zea, label= Zeelandic, Sluus ; french: Écluse) is a town and municipality located in the west of Zeelandic Flanders, in the south-western Dutch province of Zeeland. The current incarnation of the municipality has existed since 1 Janua ...

(border with Belgium) to

Hook of Holland Hook of Holland ( nl, Hoek van Holland, ) is a town in the southwestern corner of Holland, hence the name; ''hoek'' means "corner" and was the word in use before the word ''kaap'' – "cape", from Portuguese ''cabo'' – became Dutch. The English t ...

*Hook of Holland to Haarlem *Haarlem to

Den Oever Den Oever (; in English, the ''shore, the coast'') is a village in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Hollands Kroon, and lies about east of Den Helder. Overview The village was first mentioned in 1432 as ...

(there is an alternative route to

Den Helder Den Helder () is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Den Helder occupies the northernmost point of the North Holland peninsula. It is home to the country's main naval base. From here the Royal TESO ...

, but the European route continues along the

Afsluitdijk The ''Afsluitdijk'' (; fry, Ofslútdyk; nds-nl, Ofsluutdiek; en, "Closure Dyke") is a major dam and causeway in the Netherlands. It was constructed between 1927 and 1932 and runs from Den Oever in North Holland province to the village o ...

) * Zurich to

Lauwersoog Lauwersoog is a seaside village and harbour in the province of Groningen, located in the northern part of the Netherlands. It is part of the municipality of Het Hogeland. It was established on 23 May 1969. The ferry to Schiermonnikoog departs fro ...

*Lauwersoog to Bad Nieuweschans (the border with Germany).

Germany

The path crosses the base of the

Jutland Jutland ( da, Jylland ; german: Jütland ; ang, Ēota land ), known anciently as the Cimbric or Cimbrian Peninsula ( la, Cimbricus Chersonesus; da, den Kimbriske Halvø, links=no or ; german: Kimbrische Halbinsel, links=no), is a peninsula of ...

peninsula, before following the coast of the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain. The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and fr ...

Poland

Braniewo Braniewo () (german: Braunsberg in Ostpreußen, la, Brunsberga, Old Prussian: ''Brus'', lt, Prūsa), is a town in northern Poland, in Warmia, in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, with a population of 16,907 as of June 2021. It is the capital ...

Żarnowiec Żarnowiec ( csb, Żarnówc, German ''Zarnowitz'') is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Krokowa, within Puck County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It lies close to Żarnowieckie Lake, approximately west of Krokowa ...

, * Coastal Trail, *

Świnoujście Świnoujście (; german: Swinemünde ; nds, Swienemünn; all three meaning " Świna ivermouth"; csb, Swina) is a city and seaport on the Baltic Sea and Szczecin Lagoon, located in the extreme north-west of Poland. Situated mainly on the island ...

Lithuania

The Baltic Coastal Hiking is part of the long distance hiking route E9 along the Baltic Sea coast. In Lithuania, the trail is known as Jūrų takas and is 216 km long. The route takes about 10-12 days to walk and is divided into about 20 km long stages. The highest point of the trail in Lithuania is Curonian Spit. Other highlights along the route are the Nemunas Delta and Seaside regional parks, and the coastal resorts of Nida and Palanga. The trail is marked with white-blue-white signs on stones, trees, and other natural objects. See mor
here

Latvia

The Baltic Coastal Hiking is part of the long distance hiking route E9 along the Baltic Sea coast. In Latvia, the trail is known as Jūrtaka and is 581 km long. The route takes about 30 days to walk and is divided into about 20 km long stages. Highlights along the route are the Slitere National Park, Kemeri National Park, and the coastal resort Jurmala. The trail is marked with white-blue-white signs on stones, trees, and other natural objects. See mor
here

Estonia

The Baltic Coastal Hiking is part of the long distance hiking route E9 along the Baltic Sea coast. In

, the trail is known as Ranniku matkarada and is 622 km long. The route takes about 30 days to walk and is divided into about 20 km long stages. The highest point of the trail in Estonia is the Rannamõisa cliff. Other highlights along the route are Matsalu National Park, the coastal resorts of Parnu and Haapsalu, and Western Estonian islands. The trail is marked with white-blue-white signs on stones, trees, and other natural objects. See mor
here
and at the External Links below.

References

External links

E9 on European Ramblers Association website

Baltic Coastal Hiking publications

Introduction to the E9

Long Distance Walker's Association website
{{European walking route Hiking trails in Portugal Hiking trails in Spain Hiking trails in France Hiking trails in Germany Hiking trails in Poland Hiking trails in Russia Coastal paths in the United Kingdom European long-distance paths