Hoo: High Halstow circular

The Walk: This walk completes the entire riverside path of the Hoo Peninsula, plugging the gap between the walk from Grain to the East, and to Cliffe in the West. From High Halstow, we walk Eastwards along the ridge to the hamlet of St Mary Hoo. We then descend and cross the marshes to join the Thames embankment at St Mary's Bay. The path along the riverside embankment (which is part of both the Thames Path and England Coast Path) is followed Westwards to Egypt Bay, with a peek into the neighbouring bay, the Salt Flats Reserve. Then we return to the start along a track then lane (Decoy Hill Road). There is an optional excursion to the Northward Hill viewpoint in the eponymous RSPB reserve.

The Beach, St Mary's Bay

Route

NB The map shows my route, with various diversions and excursions which you may not wish to follow precisely. Optional excursion to Northward Hill in RED.

Why do it?

The walk starts by crossing Forge Common, then follows the high ground to St Mary Hoo giving, successively, excellent views Westwards across the Thames at Tilbury, South Eastwards across the Medway Estuary and Northwards over the widening Thames Estuary to the Essex Shore. The view includes, from West to East, the cranes of the London Gateway Port, the oil storage tanks and beach huts of Canvey Island, and the conurbation of Southend.

View from Forge Common towards Tilbury (wind turbines)

In the foreground is the flat green expanse of the Hoo Marshes (now drained, so that in summer at least, most of the water is confined to drainage ditches).

View from St Mary Hoo looking over the Marshes and Thames. Canvey storage tanks left, Hadleigh Hill and Canvey beach huts (centre)

Prison ships were moored in the Thames here in the nineteenth century. Charles Dickens knew the area well, and his walks must have inspired him to create the character of Magwich the convict in Great Expectations. If you stop off at Cooling Church nearby, you will find the sad graves of 13 children, which are believed to have inspired the scene in which Pip encounters Magwich in the misty graveyard. (For more info, see my cycle ride around the Hoo Peninsula here.)

The graves in Cooling Churchyard, scene of the encounter between Pip and Magwich

Although mainly mud flats, St Mary's Bay and Egypt Bay have little sandy beaches tucked away in the corners: could be the outer Hebrides - though I wouldn't recommend bathing!

Beach, St Mary's Bay

A parade of interesting ships passes by along the Thames.

Ship ahoy!

The view from Northward Hill is worth the optional excursion.

Northward Hill viewpoint (with RSPB work party)

Logistics:

Park in the free RSPB car park, behind a row of garages off Northwood Avenue in High Halstow. (NB this is the 'old' car park for the RSPB Northward Hill Reserve. The main car park is at Eastborough Farm some 2 miles to the West. You could do the circuit from here, but it would add a few miles, and the car park is closed at around 4pm.)

'Old' RSPB car park

Distance:

9.5 miles for the main circuit, plus 1.5 miles for the excursion to Northward Hill.

Challenges:

Note that the church of St Mary Hoo is now a private home - the double garage, neatly mown lawn, washing line and childrens' swings are clues. There are no notices as such, but respect the owners' privacy.

St Mary Hoo church

The footpath at the start of the return walk from Egypt Bay runs along the top of a dyke, but this was totally overgrown: I followed a tractor track through the adjacent meadow - you have no choice.

Overgrown 'path' along the embankment from Egypt Bay

I encountered 'Beware of the Bull' signs, but mercifully did not encounter the beast himself (though I passed through a field containing his harem and offspring).

Beware!

Navigating the circuit of Northward Hill requires care. Make sure to follow the good track along the ridge, not the path heading downhill. Having visited the viewpoint and emerged from the Reserve, you cross several fields around Buckhole Farm where the path is defined by new metal kissing gates, slightly off the path defined on the OS map.

Metal kissing gates

Having reached the woods on the other side, I attempted to follow the short footpath over to the Red Dog pub, but this was totally overgrown with prickly brambles and impassable. Use the track marked on the Google Map to return directly and without scratches to your parked car.

Crazy overgrown footpath to Red Dog pub

Refreshments:

Red Dog pub in High Halstow.

Nearby Walks:

For an overview map of all my walks along the Grain/Hoo coast see my Coast Walks overview page. Open the Google Map and expand the area around the Hoo Peninsula.

To the East, Grain to St Mary's Bay

To the West, Egypt Bay to Cliffe

More Photos

Hot sunny day in mid August