Can I make a path like this?

[ChesterGreySideboard]

My garden is more of a bit of tamed woodland than a garden. I love it. I want a real tumbledown lost garden kind of look than a formal space.

There is a path leading through the garden made out of paving slabs. I don’t really like it that much.
I’ve also got a load of gravel I don’t need.
I want to make a path that is more like a foot path than a garden path, if you see what I mean.

Can I lift the paving slabs and put down the gravel? Will that work?
Whenever I look online all the paths are formal.

I think gravel will get scuffed into adjoining grass unless you have something to retain it in place. In fact it's likely to disappear, overgrown with grass, weeds etc. How about lifting the slabs and actually growing grass? Or dump the slabs and get a few irregular shaped pieces as stepping stones? Look for garden paths on Pinterest, there's loads of different ideas.

There isn’t really any grass, just moss.
It’s very deep shade.
I want to gravel to add a bit of solidity to the soil rather than sit on the surface if you see what I mean.

This is the path in question

Well in that case maybe lift slabs, ascertain how deep you want the gravel, scrape soil until the depression is deep enough, line sides with plastic (sorry! But it's flexible) lawn edging, then fill with the gravel. You won't see much, if any plastic, and the gravel will be contained. It'll be easier like this to put in a bend or two, make it look more natural. Sorry I can't think of anything else. Hope it works out for you.

Actually, your path looks nice as it is, and there's a good covering of green. I've been meaning for years to make myself a path like yours! (Just never got around to it) I just plod around on grass as have no path at all.

Thanks.
I’m not completely offended by it to be fair.

To give it some context here it is from different angles.

The bit in the foreground is not great, but the stepping stone look further on is a good compromise between au natural and a durable path. I would endeavour to make the foreground the same as the rest. Maybe reseed the grass there, also. Love the willow! Overall, looks nice and private. Lovely, in fact.

It’s tricky as some of it is steps where I really do need to keep the paving stones.

I might keep it and change the path in the middle here instead.

I think that if you lay a deep bed of sand and a little cement the gravel will be fine. Don’t use the fine horticultural gravel though, you need something more robust. Alternatively purple slate makes a lovely path but I would still lay it on sand.

Well I took up one of the slabs today to find this chap asleep under it.
So I’ll put that project on hold for a while.

This was a slab on the straight run at the bottom of the garden. Seems like it’s concrete underneath. The slabs on the curved path are straight onto the soil.