Walk 29 Kirby-le-Soken to Thorpe-le-Soken

Walk 29   Kirby-le-Soken to Thorpe-le-Soken

(First leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs in Kent to Berwick at the border with Scotland).

Map: L/R169

Distance: about 7 miles

Difficulty: easy, flat

Terrain: roads and paths, a few can be muddy

Access: Parking in the road at both villages

Public transport: Mondays to Fridays only, number 8 runs from Clacton to Kirby-le- Soken once an hour, and number 4 runs from Thorpe-le-Soken to Clacton also once an hour. (Always check latest information before going).

A short coastal walk near to Horsey Island. No or little access to the coast after Walton on the Naze until you get to Kirby.

This is a remote quiet walk, a contrast to parts of the previous one through Clacton and Walton. The scenery has its own unique attractiveness. Take the road out of Kirby-le-Soken (a typical English village in many ways) to the north and follow it up to the quay. A house with a wooden gate looks over a rather desolate scene – there was just one large sailing ship moored at the time I went. It does not take much imagination to understand why eighteenth century smugglers were prolific in this area.

The path winds its way along the marshes; Horsey Island can be seen in the middle distance. This is connected to the mainland by a causeway called The Wade but it is only accessible at low tide. The island features in The Secret Water by Arthur Ransome and is called Swallow Island in the book. Further to the north is Peewit Island which becomes Peewitland in the same book.

Keep following the path to the west and across the water is Skipper’s Island. Along with Horsey Island it is now a nature reserve managed by Essex Wildlife Trust but access is only by arrangement with the warden there. This island and Hamford Water also feature in Secret Water, the name is changed to Mastodon Island in the book.

Continue to Beaumont Quay. This is not used any more but the concrete structure is said to have been recycled from the old London Bridge. There are a few old cottages along the bank. One of these was owned by Sir William Gull, physician to Queen Victoria, who was supposed to have cured Prince Albert of typhus. It was also rumoured that he may have been Jack the Ripper!

Follow the roads back into the busy village of Thorpe-le-Soken. William Gull, mentioned above, is buried in the churchyard there. I understand that a 'Soken' was a special area in this part of the country where the original Saxon owners granted rights for the residents to make their own laws providing the church agreed.

Went on a very misty day so no photos.

Walk 28 Clacton-on-Sea to The Naze

Walk 28   Clacton-on-Sea to The Naze (Essex)

(First leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs in Kent to Berwick at the border with Scotland).

Map: L/R169

Distance: about 8 miles

Difficulty: quite easy, flat for the most part, hilly near The Naze

Terrain: roads and paths

Access: Parking in Clacton and on the Naze

Public transport: Buses 7 and 8 run from Clacton to The Naze – as always it is best to check before going.

Start the walk at Clacton Pier. Clacton was founded as a seaside resort in 1871. Originally the access was by steamship from Woolwich which docked at the pier (also built in 1871). Billy Butlin opened his second holiday camp in West Clacton in 1938 but it was closed in 1983 with the continued availability of cheap holidays abroad. The area is now given over to housing. In 1964 Clacton was the scene of a major battle between mods and rockers – no doubt conventional older men now! Scenes from two films, Kinky Boots and Starter for Ten, were filmed on Clacton Pier.

Further along to the east is Holland on Sea which looks to me like the posh part of Clacton. The path continues through more open space before passing through the ‘genteel’ Frinton on Sea. Large green spaces and a general well kept appearance give a positive impression. Originally the town had no pubs and was carefully planned in the early years of the twentieth century with tree lined avenues and open spaces. In 1851 the town had just 30 residents but just 60 years later had expanded with a railway, hotels, schools and street lighting. It was the last English target of the Luftwaffe in 1944. The walk along the promenade and on to Walton on the Naze goes past, what seem like, hundreds of beach huts.

Walton on the Naze was developed in the 19^th century and in some ways it is a smaller version of Clacton. The pier is the second longest in the world and one of the oldest to have continually operated amusements. An early local industry grew up around the harvesting of sea holly, a plant found on the sandy shores. Its roots were candied as a sweetmeat and said to have aphrodisiac properties!

Walking up on to the Naze a good view of the docks at Harwich can be enjoyed to the north. Naze derives from the old English ‘naes’ meaning nose presumably referring to the shape of the land. The tower is a significant landmark and is often open to visitors who can climb the steps to a viewing platform at the top. It was built by Trinity House in 1720 to aid sailors. The headland around it consists of 50 acres of scrub woodland and 200 acres of salt marsh to the north of the sea wall. Look out for the psalm on a stone reflecting on God and the mighty sea.

Snaps show: Promenade Walton on the Naze; kite flying at Clacton; Clacton Pier front; Walton on the Naze pier front.

Walk 27 Lee-over-Sands to Clacton-on-Sea

Walk 27    Lee-over-Sands to Clacton-on-Sea (Essex)

(First leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs in Kent to Berwick at the border with Scotland).

Map: L/R 168

Distance: about 7 miles

Difficulty: easy, flat

Terrain: roads and paths some of which can be muddy

Access: Parking near St Osyth Beach and in Clacton (you may be able to park in Lee over Sands, I did not try the narrow looking roads that go down there).

Public transport: Tricky. Trains and buses run from Clacton to Colchester and surrounding areas. Buses – the 17 and 18 go from Clacton through to St Osyth every hour Monday to Saturday. If you are going by bus you will need to navigate the paths across St. Osyth Marsh to Lee-over-Sands.

There is little or no access to the beach between Brightlingsea and Lee-over Sands.

If you have parked at St Osyth Beach walk westwards to Lee-over-Sands and back to St Osyth Beach. Apart from two old pill boxes it is mainly a flat, featureless landscape around the coast here and at nearby Colne Point. However, the walk has its own peaceful remoteness to enjoy.

At St Osyth Beach a caravan site and pub are both near to the sea wall. There is also a nearby naturist beach. Ositha (one of a few spellings) was a daughter of a King of the Angles who was beheaded by invading Danes in the seventh century. Legend suggests that she carried her head back to the church where she is buried in the main village of St Oysth. Talks of ghostly apparitions abound! The walk is paved from here and leads to Jaywick.

Jaywick was originally built as a cheap holiday village but became a residential town as people remained in the area. The west part has caravans and the first of a few Martello Towers built in the 19^th century to defy Napoleons invasion threats. One of the towers further along has been renovated into a heritage and cultural centre. The area has some pleasant, sandy beaches. To the eastern side of Jaywick there is a variety of chalet style bungalows facing the beach; some of these were in good condition but others were burnt out or derelict. I have since heard, that in March this year, East Jaywick was named as the most deprived area in England (this is probably further inland rather than at the sea front). In 1953, 35 people were killed in the floods. The film of Starter for Ten, was partly based in Jaywick.

Continue the walk to Clacton-on-Sea and the pier. This still retains the trappings associated with the old style resort with the usual amusements etc. The golden flat sands are broken up by groynes.

Snaps show: Lee over Sands and Colne Point; Osyth Beach; Martello Tower; Jaywick; two of walk into Clacton with chalets and further Martello Tower. 

Walk 26 West Mersea to Brightlingsea (Essex) via passenger ferry

Walk 26    West Mersea to Brightlingsea (Essex) via passenger ferry

(First leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs in Kent to Berwick at the border with Scotland).

Map: L/R 168

Distance: about 7 miles

Difficulty: easy, mainly flat

Terrain: roads and paths some of which can be muddy

Access: Parking at both ends

Public transport: The 67 bus runs from Colchester to West Mersea and 78X from Brighlingsea back to Colchester. With changes always on the cards it is wise to check these out before going.

Passenger ferry: Runs in the busy times every day e.g. in 2011, July 23 to September 24. From April 22 to October 30 it runs a scheduled service at weekends only. Contact number for the ferry is: 0781450169 or 01206302200 and up to date information on www.brightlingseaharbour.org/ferry.html

As can be seen from the above, going during the winter would mean a separate journey to Brightlingsea (although the ferry website states that a service may run out of season depending on the weather and crew availability).

Mersea Island is accessed to the north by a causeway called The Strood. The island’s isolated position made Mersea a popular haunt for smugglers; it is the most easterly inhabited island in the UK. Start the walk along the road near to the car park at the east end of West Mersea village. A small path takes you down on to the beach. Return to the road to continue the walk. If you are a fan of sea food a local establishment called The Company Shed on Coast Road sells and serves a variety of locally caught seafood including the local flat oyster. Nothing posh here, the focus is on the quality of food. The road eventually meets up with the coastal path passing by caravan and camping sites – it is a popular area for summer time visitors.

The path winds its way round past the mud and sand before turning inland up a track where you will pass St Edmund’s church. The rector here from 1870-1881 was Sabine Baring-Gould author of Onward Christian Soldiers. Next is East Mersea which is popular with visitors especially in the better weather (caravan and camping sites available at this end of the island too). Follow the road past Bromans Farm then the footpath to Cudmore Grove Country Park. This is an attractive well-cared for haven for nature, especially wildfowl. Continue along the path to the ferry.

On arrival at Brightlingsea take some time to stroll both ways along the front. The town is the only Cinque port outside of Kent and Sussex. It still swears allegiance to the mayor of Sandwich (Kent) in a 400 year old ceremony. The attractive town has a rich maritime heritage and a Bronze Age site was found here in 1990. It was expanded primarily for fishing (particularly oysters) and shipbuilding but only vestiges of these industries remain. Yachting is now very important and it is the home of international and national championships.

On the west beach are beach huts and nearby the recently restored, slightly leaning, Bateman’s Tower. This folly was built in 1883 by John Bateman to help his consumptive daughter recover. In the town, Jacobs Hall is reputed to be the oldest timber framed building in England.

Brightlingsea made the news in 1984 during the miners strike when there was an attempt to import coal – this was thwarted by pickets. In the 1990s live animals were exported to Europe from here amid strong protests about their transport conditions. The scale of the protests led them to be called ‘The Battle of Brightlingsea’.

Snaps: three views of Brightlingsea and two of West Mersea.

Walk 25 Goldhanger to Tollesbury (Essex)

Walk 25  Goldhanger to Tollesbury (Essex)

(First leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs in Kent to Berwick at the border with Scotland).

Map: L/R 168

Distance: about 11 miles

Difficulty: easy, flat - a little hilly at the end

Terrain: roads and paths some of which can be muddy

Access: Parking at both ends

Public transport: Goldhanger to Tollesbury buses now seem to go just on Saturdays - four journeys each way every 2 hours.

This is a peaceful walk with good views across the River Blackwater (although I went on a sunny day which helps).

Rejoin the walk at Goldhanger where the northern side of Osea Island can be seen. Follow the coast path around for about a mile or so to Joyce’s Marsh. This area has been the subject of considerable successful conservation work. The Blackwater Wildflowers Association has restored and improved the marsh so that it benefits wintering wildfowl, waders and other wildlife. Ancient Red Hills, relics of the Roman salt industry, have been preserved.

About a mile further on is Gore Saltings which was once an area where salt was extracted for the trade in Maldon. Further along, just past Mill Creek, was the site of the Kelvedon to Tollesbury Light Railway (marked on the OS map) which for 20 years of its life was extended to a pier near here. It was used for troops to access the river in World War 1 but was not functioning after 1921. The rest of the line went in the Beeching cuts of 1961. Tollesbury Pier was blown up in 1940 as protection against possible invasion.

Just before the path turns northwards at Shinglehead Point the Bradwell Power Station dominates the view of the opposite bank. Inland are Tollesbury Wick Marshes an area of special scientific interest because of the plants and birds. Progressing up this path West Mersea can be seen in the east.

The path works its way westwards to Tollesbury Marina. Sailing and fishing have always been popular here. Over 100 fishing smacks used to operate out of here and sail up Woodrolfe Creek to the sea. The catch has included sprats, scallops, crabs and oysters. At one time starfish were also caught and used for manure.

The Square in the village has some interesting old buildings including an old ‘lock up’.

Snaps show: Old Tollesbury Pier site; Joyce's Marsh; Tollesbury centre; Tollesbury marina; Shinglehead Point.

Walk 24 Maylandsea to Maldon and Goldhanger (Essex)

Walk 24  Maylandsea to Maldon and Goldhanger (Essex)

(First leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs in Kent to Berwick at the border with Scotland).

Map: L/R 168

Distance: about 12 miles

Difficulty: easy, flat

Terrain: roads and paths some of which can be muddy

Access: Parking at both ends

Public transport: Buses D1/D2 go every hour from Maylandsea starting/returning to Maldon. Maldon to Goldhanger buses now seem to go just on Saturdays - four journeys each way every 2 hours.

The walk starts at Maylandsea following north along the marshy Lawling Creek before turning west towards Maldon. The flat expanse of Northey Island, owned by the National Trust, is soon visible. A causeway connects the island to the river side and is covered by the tides twice a day. It is mainly salt marsh and tidal creeks and is very popular with bird watchers. There are two houses on the island, one in the form of a tower can be rented for holidays and the other belongs to the caretaker of the house!

Soon after Limbourne Creek is the site of the Battle of Maldon which took place in 991. Further along you come to statue of a soldier brandishing a sword to mark this event. The epic battle involved the Anglo-Saxons defending the town against a Viking invasion. The Vikings won but the soldiers of the town fought to the last man. Their deaths and heroism were celebrated in a poem of the time and in modern times in a short play written in verse by JRR Tolkein.

Maldon is an old, picturesque well-cared for town that is well worth a stroll around. The Moot Hall has guided tours on Saturdays. This old tower has had many uses including as a prison and town hall. The family owned Maldon Salt Works were established in 1882 and is now the only business in England manufacturing crystal salt from seawater. Around New Years Day the Maldon Mud Race takes place to raise money for charity. Competitors run across the River Blackwater at low tide, run down the bank and run through the water again to get back.  Edward Bright, a grocer, known as the fat man of Maldon, was reputed to be the fattest man in England in the 18^th century. He was 47.5 stone – a case of eating the stock maybe! Maldon is also reputed to be the driest place in the UK with just 50 cm. of rain a year.

A bit of road walking is required to get to the other bank. The path winds its way past Heybridge Basin and Mill Beach then meets up with a path into Goldhanger. This part of the river provides a winter home to huge numbers of Dark Bellied Brent Geese. About one quarter of the world’s population come here or other parts of the Essex coast after breeding in the Arctic and Siberia.

Goldhanger is a pleasant village with a 14^th century pub (The Chequers) should you fancy a pint!

Snaps show: Maylandsea; Maldon river frontage; the statue for the Battle of Maldon.

Walk 23 St Lawrence to Maylandsea (Essex)

Walk 23  St Lawrence to Maylandsea (Essex)

(First leg of English coastal walk – Broadstairs in Kent to Berwick at the border with Scotland).

Map: L/R 168

Distance: about 8 miles

Difficulty: easy, flat

Terrain: roads and paths some of which can be muddy

Access: Parking at both ends

Public transport: Buses D1/D2 go every hour from Maylandsea starting/returning to Maldon. D1 goes to/from St Lawrence to Maylandsea every 2 hours or so. Both Monday to Friday but with cuts in the offing it is wise to check timetables.

The walk starts at the Stone in St Lawrence. This is a pleasant section with some good views across the River Blackwater. The path winds its way around for a mile or so then turns inland down a track by-passing Stansgate Abbey Farm. This is where the famous politician Tony Benn lived and there has been some controversy about access to the coast here being denied to the public. Before turning inland the eastern end of Osea Island can be seen.

This island has an interesting history. It was owned in the early 1900s by a member of the Charrington brewing family who was a leading light in the temperance movement. He had disinherited himself from the family business and opened a retreat on the island for wealthy alcoholics (known as gentleman inebriates) and opiate addicts. During World War 1 the island was taken over by 2000 sailors who were billeted there as part of the Coastal Motor Torpedo Force. It was also occupied by the forces during World War 2.  From 2005 to 2010 the Causeway Retreat was opened as a centre for dealing with addiction. Amy Winehouse, the late singer, was a patient there. However, it was found to be operating without a proper licence and was closed in 2010.

The path continues along Steeple Creek and down Mayland Creek. This inlet seems to go on for a long time before winding around to the opposite bank. The path northwards up the opposite side of Mayland Creek was poorly marked when I walked this section so some educated guesswork needed. The path goes past small lakes and is adjacent to marshland at the top end of Mayland Creek and Lawling Creek. Follow the path around to enjoy a good view of Mundon Creek and the marina.

Maylandsea is popular with fossil hunters. Lobster fragments are most common but sharks teeth and other fish remains have been found. During World War 2 Maylandsea boatyard was home to the secret building of Motor Torpedo Boats and Launches used to hunt enemy submarines.

Snaps show: St Lawrence/Ramsey Island; looking towards Osea Island; two of the walk to Mayland.