Tollesbury and Tollesbury Wick Marshes (7 miles)

Tollesbury Sail Lofts

I parked at the free car park in Tollesbury village, then bagged another section of the England Coast Path (ECP) by walking the circuit clockwise around the Tollesbury Wick Marshes Nature Reserve.

It was sunny, and surprisingly warm for the last day of October, the mist having lifted by the time I arrived at about 1000am. After coffee at the Tollesbury cafe, I looked around the waterfront. It has two marinas: one in the creeks making up the old Saltings, one a more traditional 'basin'. There are several attractive old sail lofts, restored and converted for business use. Note, the highest tides flood the area around the lofts: they are on stilts for a reason.

A short excursion over the Saltings brings you to the restored lightship run by the Fellowship Afloat Charitable Trust (FACT) as an outdoor activities centre. The striking red lightship is visible across the Marshes for most of the subsequent walk.

I set off along the ECP, passing the saltwater Woodup Amenity Pool on the way, with its sandy beach. It is owned by the Parish and is open to the community (and presumably visitors) for water based fun.

After passing the Marina (and the Harbour View restaurant), you soon enter the Tollesbury Wick reserve. You start by walking along the banks of the Woodrolfe Creek, turn right following the Tollesbury Fleet, then right again along the Blackwater. There is the familiar mix of grazing, salt marsh, mudflats and far reaching views across the water and inland. To the East, across the Fleet and the Old Hall Marshes, the high ground of Mersea Island can be seen (familiar from this walk). Being a Saturday, sailing boats were coming out from West Mersea, including several impressive Thames sailing barges with their characteristic red sails. The view across the Blackwater was dominated by the decommissioned Bradwell Nuclear Power Station, which is inescapable on any walk along the river (this one, for example).

I saw a few waders and wildfowl, too distant to identify, and heard a number of curlews.

In midstream, the MV Ross Revenge was anchored, as it has been for many years. It is better known to persons of my vintage as the host ship for the pirate Radio Caroline. The ship is maintained by enthusiasts as a radio ship, and it still makes occasional (presumably legal) broadcasts.

At Mill Creek are the remnants of the pier for the final station of the Kelvedon to Tollesbury light railway. The railway, opened in 1904, served the fruit growing area around Tiptree (famous for jams). It was hoped that the extension in 1907 to the riverbank would encourage leisure development along the shore, and that the pier would attract river traffic. Neither happened, and the pier soon closed (c1921). The main railway closed to passenger traffic in 1951. Inland along the line of the railway, a curious hexagonal tower can be seen. This was a WW2 radar tower, now converted as a holiday home.

At Mill Creek, I turned inland along farm tracks to Wick Farm. The path near the farm was a bit muddy, the first significant mud I have encountered on my walks this hot rainless year. I followed a footpath which brought me to Tollesbury village square, from which it was a short walk back down the road to the car park. I visited the Loft Cafe for a cuppa and cake before heading home around 3:30pm. A relatively short walk, but very pleasant and just right for shorter autumn days.

For a walk around Mersea Island, see here.

For a walk along the southern shore of the Blackwater from Maldon to Maylandsea, see here.

For all my Essex walks, see here.

For an overview of all my coast walks, see here.