Walking the Essex coast: the Tendring peninsula
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The small village of Tendring, not on the coast, gives its name to the local government unit that covers the peninsula bounded by the Stour and Colne.
23 February 2008. Dovercourt to Beaumont Quay, 9 miles.
Matthew joined us for stage one.
The plan was to start at the top end of Harwich, where the Essex Way starts, but our road journey
was badly delayed due to a bad road crash on the A12. Since Dave and I had walked this couple of miles before,
admittedly in the reverse direction, it was safe to sacrifice, but it did make a short day even shorter.
No matter. We missed out on an urban section, and were soon looking back to the cranes of Felixstowe
(pictured left). From here there is our first taste of saltmarsh,
the Naze peninsula with its tower dominating the horizon (see photograph on the index page).
All too soon you are forced away from the coast itself
by the boundary of the
Exchem additives plant.
This is a major supplier of a key component in diesel fuel. Formerly the plant produced explosives,
and hence the rather scary signs (pictured right) at the plant boundary.
The diversion to Little Oakley is no hardship, though,
for it hosts the recently-rescued Ye Olde Cherry Tree pub, where we had lunch.
Indeed, we don't reach the coast again until
the very end of the walk at Beaumont Quay, passing a pink-painted church now a private home (pictured) and
the remaining attractive bits of Great Oakley en route
before a little descent with the next stage in view.
To undertake this walk by public transport, go by train to Harwich Town (or Dovercourt), and return there (or Thorpe-le-Soken station) by the roughly hourly bus 4, which travels along the B1414 just a few hundred yards from Beaumont Quay.
Next stage, to Clacton, scheduled for April.