1st April 2024
Do you think we should take our wellies?
Yes, some of the tracks are a bit wet.
Just as well….by the way this is Dickens country.
We followed the Saxon Shore Way to the Northward hill Nature Reserve, and the wellies proved their worth as we went through Bromhey Farm.
We discovered that even this area has steep hills in the Nature Reserve - birds, butterflies and blossom, and some mud underfoot in the woodland areas.
Coffee just outside High Halstow, then we took a footpath past Decoy Farm. From here there were fine view over the Thames towards Canvey island, Leigh on Sea and Southend.
We followed a narrow road which was hardly more than a farm track to Swigshole and out to the coast path at Egypt Bay, where we saw two avocets on the mud flats.
At this point it had started to rain.
We walked along for a while, coming to an embankment which seemed to be the path - hard work walking along and quite windy wet and cold.
As the rain eased a bit we found a place to eat our egg and bread, and drink more coffee.
Then began the marsh experience as we found the tracks we hoped to take were marked as private. There was a footpath which was marked at the bridges, and which we successfully followed with the OS app on the phones. The rain persisted and it was definitely welly conditions underfoot.
After a couple of miles or so we emerged at the village of Cliffe and made our way back to Cooling, past the Castle,
the church and the pub, and reached home at 4.30 pm, by quiet roads, which were slightly flooded in a couple of places.
Around 11 miles in all, over 5 and a half hours, including the breaks.
Surprisingly strenuous, considering it was mostly flat.
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