Visit Essex
With so much uncertainty about heading overseas this year, staycations are big in 2021. Whilst Devon and Cornwall are a long drive away, there is a somewhere a lot closer to home that offers sandy beaches, quaint fishing villages, seaside towns, and undiscovered estuaries and saltmarshes.
It may surprise you to know that Essex offers all of this and more along its 350-mile coastline. Yes, Essex may be renowned for the seaside towns of Southend-on-Sea, Walton-on-the-Naze, Frinton and Clacton-on-Sea, but there’s also miles of stunning coastline, which meanders through saltmarshes, secluded sandy beaches and dramatic wild landscapes.
The Essex coast has something for everyone. Food lovers will relish the fresh oysters landed on Mersea Island, near Colchester. There’s several oyster restaurants to enjoy, such as the Company Shed or the West Mersea Oyster Bar. Head over to the estuarine town of Maldon, famous for its sea salt, it’s also a lovely place to visit with its harbour awash with traditional Thames barges where you can book a Top Sail charter and cruise the river Blackwater. The network of coastal roads also has plenty of farm shops selling the finest salt marsh beef and other local seasonal produce.
Walkers of all abilities will enjoy the diverse coastal landscapes and the many miles of footpaths that lead to undiscovered wild gems. The big skies that frame the county’s meandering creeks and estuaries have inspired artists and writers alike and make for some unique and stunning views. Already this year Hollywood A-listers, Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston have been spotted filming scenes for the Essex Serpent along its shores, as well as film crews from Downton Abbey.
SUPs and kayakers will adore the Essex coastline, which offers coastal stretches, hidden creeks and saltmarshes to explore. There’s also training schools at Maldon and Dovercourt, to help you learn to kayak or paddleboard and rent out equipment.
If you love nature then you’ll love the fauna and flora along the Essex coast. The salty mudflats, creeks and estuaries are home to a wide variety of plants, wading and migrating birds. The Essex Wildlife Trust offers excellent nature reserves, which are ideal for families looking to explore and get close with nature. Children will also love the seal watching trips, which set sail regularly from Harwich harbour.
Whatever your budget Essex has a wide range of accommodation on offer, such as spectacular glamping sites and boutique hotels, hotel chains and B&Bs, caravan and camping sites plus holiday parks.
Take a second look at Essex and its coastline, it will genuinely surprise you if you take a step off the beaten track.
To find out more go to www.theessexcoast.com and www.visitessex.com.
