Walk 19 Rochford to Wallasea Island (Essex)

Walk 19 Rochford to Wallasea Island (Essex)

Map: L/R 178

Distance: 8 – 20 miles depending on how far you decide to walk on Wallasea Island

Difficulty: easy, mainly flat

Terrain: mostly paths which can be muddy

Access: Parking at both ends

Public transport – Rail station at Rochford.   
ADDED INFORMATION: Many thanks to Hilary from the RSPB Wild Coast Project on Wallasea Island who has let me know that a new bus service runs from Rochford to Wallasea - No.174 the Crouch Village Link.

This walk gives a flavour of this quiet but sometimes bleak marshy part of Essex near to the coast. The start is in Rochford which is worth a quick look around. It is a medieval market town with some old buildings. Rochford Hall is one of these and was once owned by Thomas Boleyn the father of Anne- Henry V111 visited the hall before their marriage. It is now privately owned so only the exterior can be viewed. Nearby is St Andrew’s Church, the only church in England in the middle of a golf course!

Follow the roads and paths to the mill marked on the map and then down to the path that goes eastwards along Pagelsham Reach. Muddy marshy shores are revealed when the tide is out. After a couple of miles Barling Marshes and the church at the village of Barling can be spotted on the opposite bank. Bizarrely, near here a nude man was sitting on a chair enjoying the winter sun. A strategically placed umbrella preventing any embarrassment!

Further along Potton island and further in the distance Foulness Island can be seen. Potton Island is sparsely populated and in the 1980s and 90s was considered as a potential site for the disposal of nuclear waste. Foulness is Saxon for ‘cape of birds’. In 1982 it was chosen as one of the possible sites for a third London airport. As explained in the last walk, it is highly militarised and a phone call is required before attempting to walk on any section of it.

A few boats are moored along Pagelsham creek and a very rusty boat remains tied up, presumably abandoned. Before the creek becomes the River Roach follow the path up the side of Pagelsham Pool next to Clements Marshes. The path winds its way round until it reaches the road along which you can cross to Wallasea. Once over the other side, a path appears soon on the left, follow this up to the marina with its many boats and a pub. A ferry is near the path and this shuttles between the island and Burnham on Crouch on the opposite bank.

Wallasea Island was farmland mainly devoted to the production of wheat and was used extensively in both world wars to help feed the population. It has been subject to flooding especially in the severe storm of 1953. Currently it is undergoing a major conservation scheme – the largest ever undertaken in the UK. The RSPB aims to combat the threats of flooding by recreating the original mudflats and salt marshes. Once completed the island will be a haven for an array of wildlife with access for the public. Completion is estimated to be around 2019. 

It is worth walking a mile or so along this path to appreciate the view along the river. A large collection of wooden cases were rotting in the water when I walked this section.

At this point I returned but if you are feeling energetic the sea wall can be walked for some distance. I understood from a local that it is a remote and peaceful ramble although rather featureless.

Pictures: sailing boats at Wallasea Island; rotting packing cases on the shore at Wallasea.

Walk 18 Southend-on-Sea to Great Wakering

Walk 18 Southend-on-Sea to Great Wakering (Essex)

Map: L/R 178

Distance: About 8 miles

Difficulty: easy, mainly flat

Terrain: mostly paths and pavements, parts can be very muddy

Access: Parking at both ends

Public transport – regular bus service between Great Wakering and Southend-on-Sea, less frequent on Sundays.  

This walk is probably best done over a weekend to (hopefully) avoid some of the military activity along this part of the coast. Start at the pier and walk eastwards along the promenade passing amusements of various types. The beach is a mixture of sand and shingle; it goes out up to a mile at low tide increasingly revealing a muddy shore. After about a couple of miles the beach huts at Shoebury Common are reached. Access to the coast is not allowed after this because of the Shoeburyness military and firing range. The loud bangs that come from this area can be heard on the other side of the Thames.

The next part requires some careful map reading as the road goes inland into the town of Shoeburyness. (Mentioned in H G Wells – War of the Worlds). Find the way across and down to near Shoeburyness Rail Station. On this part of the walk you should pass a pub called the Captain Mannering (should be Captain Mainwaring); he was the character in the TV series Dad’s Army. A few scenes were filmed near here on the military areas. Walk along the small footpath to the coast. Looking back along the waters edge of Pig’s Bay part of the blocked off military area is visible. The artillery base was established here in 1858 to test Armstrong guns against iron clad warships.

Continue walking eastwards across the grass until the road moves back inland. Old barracks covered much of the surrounding land when I walked there. I was amused by a house called Pussy's Palace which turned out be a boarding house for cats! A path comes off the road and a ‘welcome’ notice informs you of the danger of picking up shot, shell, bombs or projectiles. This path may not be open during weekdays. At the end follow the path to Wakering Stairs. This is a strange walk but surprisingly popular. Military debris can be spotted amongst the stones and rocks and I understand that it is good area to spot Brent Geese.

Continue walking until Haven point is reached. From here you can see the buildings on the highly militarized Foulness Island. There are a few paths marked on the map across this island but I was informed by a local resident that access is very restricted and potentially dangerous. I decided to stay clear. The Broomway, once a firm track across the Maplin Sands to Foulness, is marked on the map. This is a volatile area and there is a phone number to see if it is safe to cross. Good luck to anyone who tries it!

I turned around at this point and made my way back to Great Wakering via footpaths and roads. It is possible to walk a bit further round and follow the paths back using a different route. Great Wakering is a pleasant end to the walk with historic pubs, a medieval church and a number of small shops.

Pictures show: Sir John Betjeman train on Southend Pier; a view back down the pier to Southend; Captain 'Mannering' pub; Wakering Stairs.

Walk 17 South Benfleet to Southend-on-Sea

Walk 17 South Benfleet to Southend-on-Sea (Essex)

Map: L/R 178

Distance: About 8 miles (9 or 10 miles if the pier is included)

Difficulty: easy, mainly flat

Terrain: mostly paths and pavements, parts can be muddy

Access: Parking at both ends

Public transport – Rail stations at South Benfleet and Southend.

Leave South Benfleet Station and walk in an easterly direction along the road to join the shore path alongside Benfleet Creek.

Benfleet was a settlement in the 5^th century when it was largely marshland. The name derives from a Saxon word meaning ‘tree stream’ – where creeks from the Thames join the woodland to the north. The Battle of Benfleet took place in 894 between the Vikings and Saxons, it was won by the army of Edmund the Elder who was one of King Alfred’s commanders. Local people are often known as ‘Bennies’ but don’t call them this as it is considered to be an insult!

A bit further along the path passes through a yacht club. If you are hungry or thirsty a converted vessel called ‘Barge Gladys’ is open to non-members. Soon you will enter Hadleigh Castle Country Park where the path follows the creek until it eventually widens into the Thames. The park was once a wooded royal hunting ground before being cleared in the 14^th and 15^th centuries. To the north of the riverside are the ruins of Hadleigh Castle. This was built in 1230 and rebuilt by Edward 111 in1360 before being sold to a lord in the 16^th century. It was originally built to defend the Thames estuary.

The path passes a bridge which leads to Two Tree Island. This is now a 634 acre nature reserve and is worth a stroll around, particularly if you like bird watching. (I understand that local groups have successfully encouraged avocets on to the island).

The island was reclaimed from the sea in the 18^th century and in more recent times (up until 1988) it was a council rubbish tip.

Leigh on Sea is a short distance from the island. The attractive and quaint front includes an anchor salvaged from a Norwegian vessel. The town has a long history of fishing and between the 16^th and 18^th century it was a ship building port. There are many shellfish merchants along the front with cockles featuring very strongly. Most of the fish are caught off the Maplin Sands to the east of Southend. John Fowles the author of The French Lieutenant’s Woman was born here. H G Wells bought a house in Marine Parade when he was having an affair with the author Rebecca West. In 2007 the town came second in a survey of the most desirable places to live in England.

The railway between Fenchurch Stree and Shoeburyness runs alongside part of the path between Leigh and Southend-on-Sea. The first part of Southend is the suburb of Westcliff on Sea. There is a mixture of architecture on the front including a parade of restaurants with brightly coloured tented awnings. Trevor Bailey the England cricketer and radio commentator came from here and the actress Helen Mirren went to a school in the town.

Southend-on-Sea has seven miles of seafront although it was originally a sleepy hamlet once known as the ‘south end’ of Prittlewell. It became a seaside resort during the Georgian era. Its nearness to London coupled with train access means that it has maintained its popularity as a day trip and holiday destination (notwithstanding the general decline of seaside resorts in the 1960s/70s). A number of personalities are associated with the town including the comedians Lee Evans and Phil Jupitus.

The approach to the west side of the town is attractive. The impressive Cliffs Pavilion, a venue for various events, looks down from the top of the cliffs. Further along are the Cliffside gardens topped by a terrace of Georgian houses. From August to October Southend is illuminated by 100,000 coloured lights and floodlights. Further along you will see the lift which saves the walk up the hill to
the town centre, the top level provides good views of the seafront and beaches. Opposite this is the pier and no visit to Southend is complete without a visit. It is the longest pleasure pier in the world.

I walked the approximate one and a third miles to the end and got the pier railway back. Over the years the pier has been ravaged by storms, ship collisions and fires. Various attractions, including a theatre, have been victims of these events. When I visited it was still suffering from a fire in 2005 which had curtailed the railway line. Things may have improved now but there was very little at the end of the pier. The tea shop was unaffected and the lifeboat station was still there but other facilities, including the toilets, had gone. Bizarrely the only amusements were a ‘speak your weight’ machine and a ‘talking telescope’. Good views in all directions are possible when there is good visibility – blighted a little by the dominance of the Grain Power Station opposite. (update - now closed)

Southend also boasts the first pier railway in the world. Originally there were electric cars followed by ex London Underground units – now there are diesel powered engines. One of the two trains is called ‘The Sir John Betjeman’ because this poet once said: Southend is the pier. The pier is Southend.

Pictures show: The Barge Gladys cafe at South Benfleet; Westcliff on Sea; Cliffs Pavilion, Southend; Georgian Terrace, Southend.

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.