Walk 16 – Canvey Island

Walk 16 – Canvey Island (Essex)

Map: L/R 178

Distance: About 8 miles – this is a circular walk

Difficulty: easy - flat

Terrain: mostly paths and pavements but some marshy areas

Access: park in or near the centre of the town

Public transport – Buses from nearby areas run to the centre of Canvey

This walk requires careful navigation along the roads to and from Canvey centre. A compass in conjunction with the map may be helpful. Canvey Island (origin reputed to be – The Island of Cana’s people) is very flat and much is built on land reclaimed from the sea. It has been inhabited since Roman times and was a popular seaside resort from the early 1900s until around 1970 when cheap overseas package holidays were introduced. It is still a destination for holidays and day trips but there is also a large amount of industry, mainly related to the petro-chemical trade. The island is linked to the mainland by a bridge over Benfleet Creek.

Head to the west and walk to the Dutch Village and museum which are marked on the map.  In the 1620s a number of Dutch workers were brought here to use the skills gained in Holland and build a land wall to protect Canvey. They also drained the area and reclaimed some land which had been regularly flooded in the past. As part of the deal the 200 Dutch workers were granted a large part of land to settle. The two preserved cottages (one of which is now a museum) were part of this development. About 1/3 of the town's roads have names of Dutch origin.

Walk in a southerly direction then along a road that goes south west past the oil refineries. Join the path here and walk westwards to the jetty at Shellhaven Point, this projects one mile into the estuary. Beyond this are the Coryton Oil Refineries. Canvey was the first site to receive liquefied natural gas. Surprisingly, there were several walkers along this stretch on a cold, foggy, February day. There is not much to be gained from walking further along this path so turn around and retrace your steps, walking eastwards. On the walk the marshy coastline is prominent and an area called Canvey Wick (a wick is a shed in which cheese is made and this was an occupation on the island) has been designated as a public community space nestled amongst the industrial surroundings.

The path follows the sea wall and passes The Lobster Smack pub. This very old pub was rebuilt in the 1700s as The World’s End and was later renamed. It is rumoured to be the hostelry made famous in Great Expectations by Dickens. It was a haunt for smugglers who would ship in and out from the sea wall.

Continue eastwards and past some rather basic looking mobile homes which have the tanks of the oil depot as a back drop. After the oil terminal is some sort of beach environmental garden in need of some TLC when I saw it. The land adjacent to the sea wall gradually becomes more pleasing with green space on one side and the metal gates of the sea protection on the wall. These were built in 1953 after the flood disaster which claimed 300 lives on the east coast including 58 here in Canvey. In just 15 minutes the sea broke through the original wall and was above the window sills of most buildings. Some people drowned in their beds, others died from exposure on the roof tops. Do not miss the flood memorial which is in the Memorial Gardens opposite the sea front; some interesting sculptures and facts are found here. Walk past the usual amusements and, if it is low tide, you will see a man made pool exposed (typical of other resorts such as Broadstairs).

Further along is Canvey Island FC ground. The club became famous in the 2000s for winning the FA trophy and defeating professional clubs to get to the third round of the FA cup. Continue in an easterly direction past Leigh Beck to Canvey Point. A footpath is marked on the map but I decided not to walk to the end when I sank down past my boot top into the marsh! Follow the footpath back along the eastern edge of the marsh towards Canvey (it follows a road/houses on the left, I do not think much can be gained from walking across the marsh to the north of this). On this final part of the walk you will be looking at reclaimed land which now has football pitches and public open space.

Navigate your way back to the centre of Canvey.

Snaps show: flood memorials; caravan park Canvey; interesting fact board; flood defences; Canvey Wick; The Lobster Smack Pub.

Walk 15 – Tilbury to Stanford Le Hope (Essex)

Walk 15 – Tilbury to Stanford Le Hope (Essex)

Map: L/R 178 (the very start is on L/R 177 but it is easy to find your way without going to the extra expense of another map.)

Distance: About 6 miles

Difficulty: easy - mostly flat

Terrain: reasonable but can be very marshy in places

Access: Park near Tilbury Fort in Fort Road and there is plenty of parking in Stanford Le Hope

Public transport – 30 minute rail service to Tilbury ferry from Tilbury centre. A bus service runs from Stanford Le Hope back to Tilbury at least every 2 hours but there may be others. Mon – Sat only.

This is the point where the walk moves to the other side of the Thames. It is a matter of debate where coastal walking ends and river walking begins. There seems to be no hard and fast rule. The tidal range doesn’t help; if this rule is followed then the walk would go through London all the way down to Teddington! Battersea and Chelsea suggest the coast goes at least this far and there was once a popular man made beach near Tower Bridge. However, I feel this is stretching the idea of a coastal walk a bit far and feel (along with one or two books) that Gravesend is a sensible place to finish and Tilbury a good place to start on the northern side.

Park in the most westerly car park (if you can) near the sea wall and just east of Tilbury Docks. Wherever you begin you should be able to walk along the sea wall path to the Worlds End pub. This used to be the ferry house for the ferry between Gravesend and Tilbury. It is a Grade 2 listed building built 17/18 centuries with timber frames. The ferry still runs.

Looking back towards the west there is the Port of Tilbury which opened in 1880 and was a major port for goods and passengers. Not as busy as before but it is still an important port. Near to here is the unwelcome edifice of Tilbury Power Station.

Continue walking eastwards to Tilbury Fort, it is very close to the path. If it is open it is worth a visit and the audio commentary provides a helpful guide. The seventeenth century fort has a unique double moat on the landward side. A variety of guns are on display including some from World War 2. The fort has never seen action but bloodshed occurred in a bizarre cricket match in 1776. A fight started between Essex and Kent players, one of the Kent team stole a gun from the guardroom and killed an Essex player; the commanding officer and an elderly invalid were also killed. The players rapidly left the scene!

The fort is the scene of Queen Elizabeth 1^st famous speech to her army before facing the Spanish Armada: “I have the body of a weak and feeble woman……..”

Continuing the walk, Gravesend and, further along, Cliffe can be seen on the opposite bank with East Tilbury marshes on the land side. The banks are stony and muddy. The sea wall is ‘rich’ in graffiti some dating back to the 1980s miner strikes. I wonder if it is still there?

Further along there is a much more congenial area surrounding Coalhouse Fort. This was built in the 19^th century by General Gordon of Khartoum. It was derelict but there are plans to regenerate the area. These buildings were called Palmerston Forts (Lord P. was prime minister at the time) to defend against a possible invasion by the French. Most of the other coastal forts of this time have been destroyed.

The walk continues eastwards alongside the aptly named Mucking Marshes. I diligently followed the path to the jetty near Mucking Flats and planned to walk up the track marked on the map and make my way in to Stanford Le Hope. This was a bad idea, explained underneath, so I suggest taking the path near the 079 eastings map line and going back to East Tilbury or along the roads to Stanford Le Hope.

I pursued the walk marked on the map to a small beach area south of Mucking Flats. These turned out be only just accessible and very marshy. I got through a gap in the fence on to the track which heads inland on the map. This whole area turned out to be a massive refuse tip. I sunk to my knees in stinking mud at one point. It was a Sunday so the tip was closed and the way out was blocked by barbed wire fencing against intruders from the road. Alternatives were jumping a stream (risky) or walking down a railway line (also risky) until I got to a road. I chose the latter by which time it was getting dark. My welcome at a Stanford Le Hope pub was less than warm, only when I was picked up did I realise why when my wife complained about the smell!

The author Joseph Conrad lived and wrote his books at Stanford Le Hope.

Snaps show: two views of Tilbury Fort; graffiti; Coalhouse Fort; rubbish tip at Mucking Flats.

Walk 14 – Cliffe to Gravesend

Walk 14 – Cliffe to Gravesend (Medway)

Map: L/R 178

Distance: About 6 miles

Difficulty: easy - mostly flat, hilly around Cliffe

Terrain: reasonable but can be very muddy in places

Access: Road parking at Cliffe – car parks or road parking at Gravesend

Public transport – A 133 runs from Chatham to Cliffe. (Mon-Sat). Rail station and several buses from Gravesend to various destinations – the 417 operates 3 times a day between Gravesend and Cliffe and return (Mon-Sat)

A pleasant walk with a bit of interesting history at the end. 

Take the path out of Cliffe and follow the Saxon Shore Way crossing a narrow piece of land between Cliffe Pools. This is a large RSPB reserve with 235 species of birds. Unlike the last walk you are very unlikely to be on your own at this point!

Walk away from the pools and continue until you reach Cliffe Fort at the entrance to Cliffe Creek. This was built in the 19^th century to defend London against invasion along the Thames. It is now owned by a local aggregate works (stone, gravel etc. used for building) and is derelict and inaccessible. The fort is also known as a site for the Breman torpedo the first effective weapon of this type and was used to defend at the fort for 15 years at the end of the nineteenth century. (Update the path here has been closed recently due to erosion - may now be open but needs checking).

Near here is a lop sided memorial stone. This marks the limit of the Thames Watermen who used to ply their trade taking goods from ships to quayside using flat bottomed barges called ‘lights’. The trade has largely died out because of the introduction of container ships.  

From the lightship at Higham Saltings you can look back to the fort although this is dwarfed by the aggregate works. The walk towards Gravesend presents a few possible hazards. Part of it can be very marshy and this makes for slow going. Do not stray from the path near the danger area marked on the map as the path is in fairly close proximity to a firing range. In addition, the walk passes through a number of industrial areas including quarries and jetties. I missed the path out to Gravesend and had to climb up a vertical ladder on the tall riverside wall with the (slightly) amused encouragement of some workmen. Across the river Tilbury power station is prominent.

One of the first landmarks approaching Gravesend (the name coming from Greve – a small wood not a burial grave) is the Royal Terrace Pier. This was built in 1844 and was often used by day trippers mainly in the nineteenth century. It was given its royal status in 1863 after Princess Alexandra arrived here to marry the then Prince of Wales.

Further along is the Port of London Authority building. The Port of London stretches 150 km. from the tidal limit of the Thames at Teddington to the North Sea. Pilot ships operate out of Gravesend guiding ships along the river.

The Clarendon Royal Hotel faces the river and was in a sorry, dilapidated state when I saw it despite being a listed building. It was built in 1665 for the Duke of York (later James 11) – Clarendon was his father in law. It became a hotel in the 1840s and was popular with aristocrats. UPDATE: 2013 - have just seen a Channel 4 programme called Four in a bed. The hotel has been completely refurbished and updated and is open for business.

Opposite this building is the Tudor Blockhouse. This is the only remaining part of one of the artillery forts built by Henry V111 to defend the Thames.

Further along at Bawley Bay is St Andrew’s Mission House. This was built by the daughter of Beaufort (the man who classified wind speeds) in 1840. It was originally set up to raise the spiritual and moral condition of the waterside community including the families living in coal hulks moored off the town. Gordon of Khartoum used it as a reading room to teach poor children.

As you walk along the riverside you will come to the Town Pier, the oldest remaining cast iron pier in the world. Thousands of tourists once used the pier to alight from London and explore the once famous Gravesend pleasure gardens.

If you have time, take a walk into town and find St George’s Church. This is where you will find the statue of Pocahontas. In 1617 she was rowed ashore and buried here. Her story is well documented and people from all over the world visit here – many claiming to be her descendants! Charles Dickens is strongly associated with the area. Musicians may like to know that Rimsky-Korsakov the composer was posted here in 1862 when in the Russian navy and wrote part of his first symphony.

This is the final part of the coastal walk before crossing to the north side of the Thames.

Snaps show: St Helen's Church, Cliffe; Cliffe Pools; the pier at Gravesend; The Clarendon Royal Hotel, Gravesend.

Walk 13 - Allhallows on Sea to Cliffe on Isle of Grain/Hoo Peninsula

Walk 13 - Allhallows on Sea to Cliffe on Isle of Grain/Hoo Peninsula (Medway)

Map: L/R 178

Distance: About 10 miles

Difficulty: easy - mostly flat

Terrain: great care needed can be very muddy, marshy and can get flooded.

Access: Road parking at Allhallows on Sea and Cliffe

Public transport – A 191 bus runs from Chatham to Allhallows on Sea, a 133 runs from Chatham to Cliffe. (Mon-Sat)

CAUTION. Check the tides before starting this walk. Do not attempt if the tide is coming in  or due in over the next few hours. I nearly got stranded and got wet up to my waist. Could have been disastrous

This is a rather strange, eerie and lonely walk. It is easy to understand why Dickens used these marshlands as the atmospheric settings for some of his novels. I met just one person on this walk, a council employee who was surveying all the stiles and tracks. He had been doing it for a few days and said I was the first walker he had seen! Some of the derelict farm buildings and shepherd’s dwellings were 'creepy' and he was glad to get away from these areas.

Leaving Allhallows, walk to the west on the footpath. It is mainly along this stretch that the parts of the path have broken up and you need to walk on the beach. A pill box and other World War 2 defences can be seen on the beach. Across the river, Southend and the oil refineries near Canvey Island can be spotted. The flat featureless St Mary’s Marshes are adjacent to this part of the walk and stretch inland towards High Halstow.

Approaching St Mary’s Bay a sign on a post announces that ‘Curlews, convicts and contraband’ are in the direction of the arrow. The curlews refer to the rich bird life found here, the convicts are the prisoners who were once held in the ‘hulks’ anchored in the estuary and contraband the goods smuggled in from boats across these lonely marshes.

Further along is Egypt Bay where prison ships were once moored in the Napoleonic wars. Several ‘fleets’ or marshland creeks or ditches can be seen along this section of the walk. This area is renowned for being very cold in the winter – I can confirm this!

The sun can catch the water and make interesting photographs sometimes highlighting the debris that can be found washed up on to the shore; a keep left sign and artistic looking seaweed hanging off groynes and fences were two of the more unusual sights.

About a mile or so south of Lower Hope Point there is a short pier. I suggest you walk up the track just north of here and follow the footpath into Cliffe. This avoids duplicating part of the next walk.

St Helen’s Church at Cliffe is a large building with some grand memorials reflecting the strategic importance of the settlement (along the Thames) in 1558. Known as The Cathedral of the Marshes. An enthusiastic vicar insisted I went in and looked around - it is certainly attractive and unusual.

The (failed) building of a canal at Cliffe and the coming of the railway (now closed) boosted the village in Victorian times together with a cement works which closed in 1970. In 2002 the area was identified as a possible site for another London airport. There was much protest from wildlife groups and villagers and the idea was dropped in 2003. Recently the idea has reared its head again.

Snaps show: pier near Cliffe marshes;The British Pilot Pub at All Hallows on Sea; sign and views on walk between Cliffe and All Hallows.

  

Walk 12 - Grain, Allhallows on Sea and Yantlet Creek on Isle of Grain/Hoo Peninsula

Walk 12 -  Grain, Allhallows on Sea and Yantlet Creek on Isle of Grain/Hoo Peninsula (Medway)

Map: L/R 178

Distance: About 8 miles

Difficulty: easy - flat

Terrain: reasonable but can be muddy on the tracks

Access: Car park at Grain - road parking at Allhallows on Sea

Public transport – Not the best. A 191 bus runs a few times a day from Chatham to Grain during the week, it goes via Allhallows which is about a mile from Allhallows on Sea (Check with Traveline for latest times)

This walk is made up of two short walks, both require backtracking. Take the path south from Grain, quite a pleasant walk to start with. Eventually you reach Grain Power Station a large oil fired blot on the landscape. (update - now demolished). Further down is a jetty where the path ends. Looking over the water Grain Tower can be spotted, this was part of a fort built to defend the River Thames in the mid 1800s. The fort has been demolished but the tower, rumoured to have secret tunnels connecting to the land, was used in both World Wars. A huge net was attached to it to prevent German U boats getting up the Thames.

Return to the starting point and carry on to the northern part of the path passing the beach at Grain. There is a commercial sand pit at the end backing on to a military range where red flags fly to warn of activity. Erosion has taken its toll on this part of the coast. All the area around here is marshland and in bygone times malaria (then known as marsh fever) was rife. Grain (Greon) means gravel. Return to starting point at Grain. Drive to Allhallows on Sea or, hopefully get a bus or possibly a taxi to The British Pilot pub.

The aforementioned pub was renamed (as far as I can tell) after a British pilot who baled out here after fighting with a German plane over the Thames. The settlement takes its name from the nearby village of Allhallows which is centred on a 12^th century church. In the 1930s there was an attempt to make this place the premier resort in Europe – publicity of the time suggested that it would far surpass Blackpool. The idea was promoted by Southern Rail who built a branch line here. Unfortunately, World War 2 put paid to these plans and the railway was closed in 1961. Nevertheless, as can be seen, there is now a large holiday and caravan park.

Take the path to the east and head towards Yantlet Creek. This creek was once a fortified trade route operating from Roman times. You will come across two memorials. One is in the marsh and should be approached with caution especially as it marks the spot where an artist and naturalist drowned in 1975. It was laid by the Dickens County Protection Society. The walks around the Hoo Peninsula reflect the landscape known to Dickens and feature in many of his stories.  The second memorial commemorates the flood defences built here between 1975 and 1985 – underlining the fact that there is more to London’s flood defence than the Thames Barrier. 

Return to Allhallows on Sea.

Snaps show: container ship seen across the marshes; Yantlet Creek; Grain power station; shorelines near Grain; Allhallows on Sea.

Walk 11 - Frindsbury to Hoo St Werburgh on the Hoo peninsula

Walk 11 -  Frindsbury to Hoo St Werburgh on the Hoo peninsula (Medway)

Map: L/R 178

Distance: About 6 miles

Difficulty: fairly easy – mostly flat a few hills going inland

Terrain: easy, pavement and mud/grass track

Access: Car parks at both ends

Public transport – Strood Rail Station at the Frindsbury end, bus 191 will return you to Strood from Hoo St Werburgh

Follow the footpath/cycle path to the north east through Frindsbury. Arriving at a reasonably pleasant paved area you get a good view back across Limehouse Reach to the places visited on the previous walk. The path goes inland soon after this as access to the commercial area on the bank is not possible.

Follow the path back onto the riverside until you get to Upnor Castle. This is well worth a visit. The Elizabethan castle was of great strategic importance. Latterly it was used as an armoury and explosive store. The floors are wooden so that sparks would not ignite the explosives and there is a fascinating spiral staircase. Further information can be gleaned from an audio commentary provided at the entrance.

Follow the path along until you get to a children’s boating/sailing centre. If the tide is out then the next section can be walked along the coast, if not there is an alternative route inland. Carry on past the marina at Hoo St Werburgh. Kingsnorth Power Station dominates the landscape beyond here. It is an oil/coal fired power station that was due to be closed in 2016. (Update - it has) The owners decided to build a replacement and this caused a great deal of protest, including a climate camp, from environmental groups. News came through recently that the plans have now been shelved.

Further down the path is a small airport with a few hangars. When I walked past there was a keep left sign at the edge of the grass – how did it get there and why? Further on is a view across the marshes towards the cranes, refineries and jetties near Elphistone Point. Container ships moving in and out of Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey are a regular sight.

Return along the bank and cut back inland to Hoo St Werburgh. Hoo indicates a coastal peninsula and this village is one of several in the area to have it as part of its name. St Werburgh was the daughter of King Wulfhere of Mercia born around 640; she was a nun who lived in Hanbury, Staffs. Her body was moved several years after she died and was miraculously found to be intact. This was thought to be a sign of divine favour and her tomb became a place of pilgrimage. The church here has a unique coats of arms belonging to King James 1 and Queen Elizabeth 1 – they can be seen inside.

If you have a car it would be worth taking a trip to nearby Cooling where the unused church of St James has several small children’s graves clustered together. These provided the inspiration for the start of Great Expectations – as did the nearby marshes – setting for the horrific end of Magwitch.

Snaps show: circular staircase at Upnor Castle; the airfield near Stoke Ooze with the keep left sign; Lower Upnor looking towards the marina at Hoo St Werburgh; child graves at St James Cooling.

Walk 10 Chatham to Rochester via St Mary’s Island

Walk 10  Chatham to Rochester via St Mary’s Island (Medway)

Map: L/R 178

Distance: About 7 miles

Difficulty: easy – mostly flat.

Terrain: easy but quite a bit of tiring pavement walking

Access: Car parks in Rochester and Chatham

Public transport - plentiful trains and buses to both places

This walk involves some retracing of steps. There is a lot to visit and see in the area and this would require a 2/3 day stay to fully visit the various attractions.

Leaving Chatham railway station follow the cycle path marked on the map northwards leading out of the town. You will pass the historic dockyard with its many links with British and local history; it has been here for 400 years and used extensively for boat building including Nelson’s flagship The Victory. If you decide to visit, it will need the best part of a day to do it justice. Do not miss the rope making!  There are also many connections with Dickens in the area, including in Chatham; Charles arrived when he was 5 after his father got employment here. Perhaps unfairly, the town has become associated with the origin of the word ‘chav’ although it is far from certain that this is correct. Some believe it was connected with Chatham girls and a certain style of hair and clothes, others thought it originated as an abbreviation of ‘Chatham average’. It is quite possible that there are more historic origins elsewhere.

Continue onto the more minor road that crosses to St Mary’s Island – marked as a cycle path on the map. You will pass a tall mast with a bell at the top. This was taken from a ship in 1859; from 1898 the bell was used to summon workers to the old dockyard. The structure was moved here in 2001. Near here is Dickens World, a light hearted look at Dickens characters and settings (Update - now closed).

Walk on to St Mary’s Island where you will find access to a path on the west side that goes around most of the island. Nineteenth century convicts created the island from marshland. Many had been kept as prisoners on the hulks in the Medway. Conditions were tough and this led to a revolt by 1000 convicts in 1861. When complete the area was used as an extension to the dockyard. A view of Upnor Castle (more of this on a future walk) on the opposite bank, and many moored boats, provide a pleasant outlook.

Continue around the island towards the east past many newly constructed houses of various colours. An historic river crossing point marked with a sculpture is near this development. This marks a crossing which has existed from Roman times until the early twentieth century. Follow the road and paths until you reach the bridge on the eastern end of the island, cross back onto the mainland and follow the road into Rochester.

There is much to see and do in Rochester. It was called Durobrivae by the Romans, meaning the stronghold by the bridge. Many parts of the area feature in Dickens stories e.g. the town is known as Cloisterham in The Mystery of Edwin Drood. The town museum/Dickens Centre is well worth a visit. A walk guide from the museum helps you to explore the town and spot places such as the original inspiration for Miss Haversham’s house in Great Expectations. The cathedral has an altar in the crypt dedicated to Ithanor the first English bishop. The castle with its Norman keep provides panoramic views across the area including the Medway. The audio guide is very informative.

Take a walk towards the river and bridge ( actually made up of 2 bridges). The old bridge carrying westbound traffic was originally a Victorian swing bridge but was not successful and was rebuilt in 1914. The other part carrying traffic eastwards was once a rail bridge. It is worth walking over it and looking both ways along the river. The rail bridge is impressive.

Follow the road route back to Rochester Station or car parks.

Snaps show: Rochester Cathedral taken from Rochester Castle;  Rochester Bridge; view over the Medway towards Strood; one of the ships at Chatham Dock Yard.