South Essex walking
Discussion
Anyone know much about nice walking in south Essex? Let's say from Malden down.
I've walked (bit by bit) the whole of the Kent coast and all of the way up the south side of the Thames to London. Now I'd like to do something similar in Essex. I love rivers and marshlands so the walks don't have to be right at the edge, but preferably by the coast or a river. The south of Essex would be easiest for me to get to from home but I could perhaps book a hotel for 2-3 days and do a few walks in succession. I'm aware there might be issues with safety and accessibility in some places though and it would be nice if I didn't have to work around tide times.
Heybridge basin? Foulness Island? River Crouch or even much closer to London by the landfill sites?
One point is that I'm not particularly after wilderness and big sea views. For me, best bits of my previous walks have been where man meets nature such as docks, sea defences and power stations.
Cheers.
I've walked (bit by bit) the whole of the Kent coast and all of the way up the south side of the Thames to London. Now I'd like to do something similar in Essex. I love rivers and marshlands so the walks don't have to be right at the edge, but preferably by the coast or a river. The south of Essex would be easiest for me to get to from home but I could perhaps book a hotel for 2-3 days and do a few walks in succession. I'm aware there might be issues with safety and accessibility in some places though and it would be nice if I didn't have to work around tide times.
Heybridge basin? Foulness Island? River Crouch or even much closer to London by the landfill sites?
One point is that I'm not particularly after wilderness and big sea views. For me, best bits of my previous walks have been where man meets nature such as docks, sea defences and power stations.
Cheers.
Wallasea Island might fit the bill - you can start from the marina or, if adventurous at Burnham and (I think) there is still a little ferry that you can call up to take you to Wallasea. Last time I went they were putting the spoil from a london tunnel probably the Elizabeth line to create wetlands - that may have stopped now but was very interesting. You can walk right round to Foulness island - Foulness is MOD land so I think you may need permission to get on it.
Or start at Benfleet and walk along the sea wall with Hadleigh Castle on your left through Two Tree Island and Hadleigh through Leigh Old Town - (beers), Chalkwell, Southend and Thorpe Bay bay ending up at Shoeburyness where they have converted the old Garrison to modern homes. Benefit of this is rail stations at both ends so you can get back easily.
Or start at Benfleet and walk along the sea wall with Hadleigh Castle on your left through Two Tree Island and Hadleigh through Leigh Old Town - (beers), Chalkwell, Southend and Thorpe Bay bay ending up at Shoeburyness where they have converted the old Garrison to modern homes. Benefit of this is rail stations at both ends so you can get back easily.
Randy Winkman said:
Heybridge basin?
For me, best bits of my previous walks have been where man meets nature such as docks, sea defences and power stations.
Heybridge Basin is the start of the Chelmer and Blackwater Canal. 14 miles that ends in Chelmsford. Plenty of man-meets-nature along the way (though lots of open countryside as well. Made a film about it during lockdown - covers the entire route:For me, best bits of my previous walks have been where man meets nature such as docks, sea defences and power stations.
https://youtu.be/W4f9AN_kbig
Watt Tyler County Park in Pitsea is on the Thames Path walk that will take you (and, I believe, around) DP World in Tilbury, the scale of which is incredible when you're up close. That also extends through Thurrock, under the QE2 bridge to the Rainham Marshes. There's some interesting spots along the way (the Tilbury Forts, the Church they used in the Funeral Scene in Four Weddings, etc) but isn't the most picturesque walk.
Tempted to use The Broomway to Foulness? Here's Tom Scott's video if you fancy trying it: https://youtu.be/mM7C_Pw7OL8
Thanks to everything suggested so far. Including the suggestion of Wallasea from Southendpier (nice name). I'm going to get out the OS maps and look into them all.
With regards OS maps, as well as MOD land, does anyone know of any places were it looks like you should be able to walk but cant?
An any suggestions for a place to have a base for 2-3 days. Heybridge and Maldon look OK but would probably be as far north as I'd be going. Perhaps Burnham on Crouch? I guess that wherever I chose I'll have to accept I'll be one side or the other of a river which will affect how I get to the start of each walk. But I could still do 1/2 days north of the Crouch and 1/2 south of it.
With regards OS maps, as well as MOD land, does anyone know of any places were it looks like you should be able to walk but cant?
An any suggestions for a place to have a base for 2-3 days. Heybridge and Maldon look OK but would probably be as far north as I'd be going. Perhaps Burnham on Crouch? I guess that wherever I chose I'll have to accept I'll be one side or the other of a river which will affect how I get to the start of each walk. But I could still do 1/2 days north of the Crouch and 1/2 south of it.
Randy Winkman said:
An any suggestions for a place to have a base for 2-3 days. Heybridge and Maldon look OK but would probably be as far north as I'd be going. Perhaps Burnham on Crouch? I guess that wherever I chose I'll have to accept I'll be one side or the other of a river which will affect how I get to the start of each walk. But I could still do 1/2 days north of the Crouch and 1/2 south of it.
There's not much that will be convenient to you on the south of the Crouch but Burnham's a nice town. There's a foot ferry that sometimes runs from there to Canewdon or South Fambridge on the south side of the Crouch. Loads of vineyards along that stretch and Battlesbridge has a brilliant Antiques Centre. So assuming the ferry's running, you could do the north of the Crouch, then the south bank along to South Fambridge and you've got yourself a nice circular walk.Burnham's a Sunday destination for Bikers and drivers of interesting cars so if you're there on a Sunday, you'll see a good selection of interesting machinery! If one of them is a Red S2 Elise.... that's likely to be me!
As for accommodation, pickings are slim but good. Ye Olde White Heart Hotel and the Royal Burnham Yacht club are worth a look. Some interesting places on Air B&B too. The Prince of Wales pub in Stow Maries have some lovely little rooms as well (great pub too!). https://www.prince-stowmaries.net/accommodation/
Your search may throw up The Oakland Hotel in South Woodham Ferrers. If all day drinking with tattooed middle-aged women is on your agenda, then grab a room!
Enjoy!
StevieBee said:
Randy Winkman said:
An any suggestions for a place to have a base for 2-3 days. Heybridge and Maldon look OK but would probably be as far north as I'd be going. Perhaps Burnham on Crouch? I guess that wherever I chose I'll have to accept I'll be one side or the other of a river which will affect how I get to the start of each walk. But I could still do 1/2 days north of the Crouch and 1/2 south of it.
There's not much that will be convenient to you on the south of the Crouch but Burnham's a nice town. There's a foot ferry that sometimes runs from there to Canewdon or South Fambridge on the south side of the Crouch. Loads of vineyards along that stretch and Battlesbridge has a brilliant Antiques Centre. So assuming the ferry's running, you could do the north of the Crouch, then the south bank along to South Fambridge and you've got yourself a nice circular walk.Burnham's a Sunday destination for Bikers and drivers of interesting cars so if you're there on a Sunday, you'll see a good selection of interesting machinery! If one of them is a Red S2 Elise.... that's likely to be me!
As for accommodation, pickings are slim but good. Ye Olde White Heart Hotel and the Royal Burnham Yacht club are worth a look. Some interesting places on Air B&B too. The Prince of Wales pub in Stow Maries have some lovely little rooms as well (great pub too!). https://www.prince-stowmaries.net/accommodation/
Your search may throw up The Oakland Hotel in South Woodham Ferrers. If all day drinking with tattooed middle-aged women is on your agenda, then grab a room!
Enjoy!
Hello again Randy.
Im still doing my essex borders walk (6 years in the going...) following the idea in this book:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Frontier-Country-Around-E...
started at Waltham abbey down the Lea into old Essex (London) and then along the Thames.
I resumed again this summer as my personal situation allowed a few free Saturdays and picked up from Coal House and have now reached Rochford.
Industry you like? then the stretch from Barking under the QE2 bridge and along past tilbury fort to Coalhouse would be of interest to you. There are some 'gritty' bits and some that veer inland but on the whole its pretty interesting, seeing old docks, power stations, refuse sites being greened over etc.
the stretch from Coalhouse fort to Pitsea (wat tyler country park) is ok in parts, but a bit of a drag walking towards london gateway, but the marshes beyond are splendidn in their isolation ( i met zero people on a fine june saturday from the port to pitsea, although the sea wall grass will be even lusher now and a bit of a pain to march through as little traffic (dry june was bad but the washed July will have made it a veritable jungle. If you dont mind that - trousers rather than shorts it has a certain charm of isolataion but you have to double back quite a bit if following the creeks.
the next stretch is a bit nicer imo from pitswa past the isolated bowers gifford church and across new nature reswerse to benfleet and then circling Canvey - again very isolated and peaceful surprisingly in stretches and then the industry of coryton, a refresher at the Lobster Smack (as per thre book) then the human zoo that is Canvey folk at the beach on a warm saturday which is entertaining, then back to isolation and fine views up towards southend as you round the end of the island.
the next stretch is mostly pavement sea wall, fine if you like that but through leigh on sea and southend sea front to shoebury, I've grown up with that so not particularly interesting.
the next stretch Shoebury to Rochford is again pretty boring with some nice bits, the sea wall is very quiet once you find it and you find yourself a short swim from where you were a couple of hours before often such is the layout of creeks. foulness provides a modicum of interest from afar but i dindt get permission to walk there or use the broomway (and didnt fancy it TBH) as its al a bit samey and boring.
really depends what you are after Maldon is lovely little town with some nice pubs, rough people, but a lot of charm and would make a great base but not for the above. the sea wall walks from maldon i like the admittedly at times bleak beauty of the blackwater estuary (both in summer and winter both sides) so am biased. The Bradwell area is a bit boring again imo along the coast around dengie although st peters on the wall provides interest if thats your kind of thing. Bradwell has decent pubs and refreshments at the yacht clubs who mostly welcome passers by.
the blackwater navigation walk from Chelmsford to heybridge basin as mentioned above is nice enough mostly, gentle, nothing spectacular and a couple of ok pubs at the end (and a bus back to chelmsford is easy enough).
I was walking near Burnham with the dog this Saturday and i find it lacks vareity on the sea wall but burnham itself is a nice little town, no where good to eat unless at the RCY, but i think the walking in the surrounds doesnt warrant it as a base, but it does have the benefit of an infrequent train.
the walking from battlesbridge towards the sea along both sides of the crouch is of more interest.
Feel free to PM me for more. i've forgotten what the op said so probably rambled on too far, al ot depends on your transport, if you want out and back, loops or will use taxis/public transport.
I know you said no further north than Maldon, but really the county is not that big and further north it improves so if you considered colchester way, Mersea, area there are plenty of water taxis to ferry you around interesting places.
Im still doing my essex borders walk (6 years in the going...) following the idea in this book:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Frontier-Country-Around-E...
started at Waltham abbey down the Lea into old Essex (London) and then along the Thames.
I resumed again this summer as my personal situation allowed a few free Saturdays and picked up from Coal House and have now reached Rochford.
Industry you like? then the stretch from Barking under the QE2 bridge and along past tilbury fort to Coalhouse would be of interest to you. There are some 'gritty' bits and some that veer inland but on the whole its pretty interesting, seeing old docks, power stations, refuse sites being greened over etc.
the stretch from Coalhouse fort to Pitsea (wat tyler country park) is ok in parts, but a bit of a drag walking towards london gateway, but the marshes beyond are splendidn in their isolation ( i met zero people on a fine june saturday from the port to pitsea, although the sea wall grass will be even lusher now and a bit of a pain to march through as little traffic (dry june was bad but the washed July will have made it a veritable jungle. If you dont mind that - trousers rather than shorts it has a certain charm of isolataion but you have to double back quite a bit if following the creeks.
the next stretch is a bit nicer imo from pitswa past the isolated bowers gifford church and across new nature reswerse to benfleet and then circling Canvey - again very isolated and peaceful surprisingly in stretches and then the industry of coryton, a refresher at the Lobster Smack (as per thre book) then the human zoo that is Canvey folk at the beach on a warm saturday which is entertaining, then back to isolation and fine views up towards southend as you round the end of the island.
the next stretch is mostly pavement sea wall, fine if you like that but through leigh on sea and southend sea front to shoebury, I've grown up with that so not particularly interesting.
the next stretch Shoebury to Rochford is again pretty boring with some nice bits, the sea wall is very quiet once you find it and you find yourself a short swim from where you were a couple of hours before often such is the layout of creeks. foulness provides a modicum of interest from afar but i dindt get permission to walk there or use the broomway (and didnt fancy it TBH) as its al a bit samey and boring.
really depends what you are after Maldon is lovely little town with some nice pubs, rough people, but a lot of charm and would make a great base but not for the above. the sea wall walks from maldon i like the admittedly at times bleak beauty of the blackwater estuary (both in summer and winter both sides) so am biased. The Bradwell area is a bit boring again imo along the coast around dengie although st peters on the wall provides interest if thats your kind of thing. Bradwell has decent pubs and refreshments at the yacht clubs who mostly welcome passers by.
the blackwater navigation walk from Chelmsford to heybridge basin as mentioned above is nice enough mostly, gentle, nothing spectacular and a couple of ok pubs at the end (and a bus back to chelmsford is easy enough).
I was walking near Burnham with the dog this Saturday and i find it lacks vareity on the sea wall but burnham itself is a nice little town, no where good to eat unless at the RCY, but i think the walking in the surrounds doesnt warrant it as a base, but it does have the benefit of an infrequent train.
the walking from battlesbridge towards the sea along both sides of the crouch is of more interest.
Feel free to PM me for more. i've forgotten what the op said so probably rambled on too far, al ot depends on your transport, if you want out and back, loops or will use taxis/public transport.
I know you said no further north than Maldon, but really the county is not that big and further north it improves so if you considered colchester way, Mersea, area there are plenty of water taxis to ferry you around interesting places.
Randy Winkman said:
With regards OS maps, as well as MOD land, does anyone know of any places were it looks like you should be able to walk but cant?
missed this but yes, the sea wall and path is breached past brandy hole near hullbridge on the south bank of the crouch towards south fambridge, this jumps out as its completely impassable and not obvious on the map as the footpaths is shown unbroken.i havent done that strech in a few years but its a PITA when the OS explorer says a proper footpath, newer maps may show the path going inland, but mine show it going over broken up pieces of land which seemed odd till i got there...the ford at hullbridge is impassable as well (as per the book i referenced unless you want to get muddy and wet).
Also on the dengie, not on the sea wall but on the marshes themselves the footpaths often traverse large ditches and are not passable but you get no indication from the OS map for that (a path leading to the coast from dots and melons farm has painful memories with an aged spaniel who got spooked by wind turbines...)...again another reason i dont recommend unless you want splendid isolation as the nuclear power station is of no interest its just a grey box...
OS maps thought are typically fine foe the MOD land and where industry stops you eg at shoebury and on the thames proper up stream from shoebury and you do have to go inland at various points, but it can add to the interest. Google and some other online maps show permissive or other paths existing that simply don't, eg between mucking flats and the far end of coalhouse fort (this particular path will open up one day once the waste management zones are made safe).
theplayingmantis said:
Randy Winkman said:
With regards OS maps, as well as MOD land, does anyone know of any places were it looks like you should be able to walk but cant?
missed this but yes, the sea wall and path is breached past brandy hole near hullbridge on the south bank of the crouch towards south fambridge, this jumps out as its completely impassable and not obvious on the map as the footpaths is shown unbroken.i havent done that strech in a few years but its a PITA when the OS explorer says a proper footpath, newer maps may show the path going inland, but mine show it going over broken up pieces of land which seemed odd till i got there...the ford at hullbridge is impassable as well (as per the book i referenced unless you want to get muddy and wet).
Also on the dengie, not on the sea wall but on the marshes themselves the footpaths often traverse large ditches and are not passable but you get no indication from the OS map for that (a path leading to the coast from dots and melons farm has painful memories with an aged spaniel who got spooked by wind turbines...)...again another reason i dont recommend unless you want splendid isolation as the nuclear power station is of no interest its just a grey box...
OS maps thought are typically fine foe the MOD land and where industry stops you eg at shoebury and on the thames proper up stream from shoebury and you do have to go inland at various points, but it can add to the interest. Google and some other online maps show permissive or other paths existing that simply don't, eg between mucking flats and the far end of coalhouse fort (this particular path will open up one day once the waste management zones are made safe).
Tin Hat said:
We went on a walk relatively near here, we decided to eat at the Plough and Sail in Paglesham.
Please don’t spoil your walk with a meal there.
Owned by the Oliver family (Jamie being a nephew IIRC) I haven't eaten there for a long while - i seem to remember it was the kind of place that subbed Margarine for butter.Please don’t spoil your walk with a meal there.
southendpier said:
Tin Hat said:
We went on a walk relatively near here, we decided to eat at the Plough and Sail in Paglesham.
Please don’t spoil your walk with a meal there.
Owned by the Oliver family (Jamie being a nephew IIRC) I haven't eaten there for a long while - i seem to remember it was the kind of place that subbed Margarine for butter.Please don’t spoil your walk with a meal there.
walked past and parked there a few times but never been in, always seem quite busy!
Homely Lasangne (sic) and paglesham pie not do it for you?!
theplayingmantis said:
southendpier said:
Tin Hat said:
We went on a walk relatively near here, we decided to eat at the Plough and Sail in Paglesham.
Please don’t spoil your walk with a meal there.
Owned by the Oliver family (Jamie being a nephew IIRC) I haven't eaten there for a long while - i seem to remember it was the kind of place that subbed Margarine for butter.Please don’t spoil your walk with a meal there.
walked past and parked there a few times but never been in, always seem quite busy!
Homely Lasangne (sic) and paglesham pie not do it for you?!
All served with the usual Essex charm and smiles, but I am not sure that the Tripadvisor images are awfully authentic, admittedly based upon our one and only visit…..
Many thanks again for the info above. It wasn't all in vain as I spent a few days walking in Essex and really enjoyed it.
I went further north than I'd planned as I decided I do the more southerly bits on day trips from where I live in NW Kent.
I went to Maldon, Northey Island, Mersea (West and East), Tollesbury, Hullbridge, Wallasea, Pagelsham and Hanningfield.
Enjoyed my walking and will no doubt go again. Was grateful for the tip about not expecting to keep walking down the Crouch past Bandy Hole. It gave me an excuse to turn back though and have a very good late breakfast at the Riverview Cafe.
Hullbridge
|https://thumbsnap.com/NN46j7aA[/url]
St Mary's church at Mundon
[url]
At Tollesbury Marina
Near Pagelsham
[url]
I went further north than I'd planned as I decided I do the more southerly bits on day trips from where I live in NW Kent.
I went to Maldon, Northey Island, Mersea (West and East), Tollesbury, Hullbridge, Wallasea, Pagelsham and Hanningfield.
Enjoyed my walking and will no doubt go again. Was grateful for the tip about not expecting to keep walking down the Crouch past Bandy Hole. It gave me an excuse to turn back though and have a very good late breakfast at the Riverview Cafe.
Hullbridge
|https://thumbsnap.com/NN46j7aA[/url]St Mary's church at Mundon
[url]At Tollesbury Marina
Near Pagelsham
[url]Pleased you enjoyed it. It's a lovely and interesting part of the world.
Didn't realise you were going a far as Mersey. That's an interesting place. If you head there next time, there's a foot ferry over to Brightlingsea from where you can walk along the River Colne to Winvehoe or Colchester.
Didn't realise you were going a far as Mersey. That's an interesting place. If you head there next time, there's a foot ferry over to Brightlingsea from where you can walk along the River Colne to Winvehoe or Colchester.
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