Benfleet Circular 9.8 miles / Benfleet to Leigh, 5.6 miles
Difficulty: 4 out of 10
The first half of the Benfleet Circular takes you to Leigh on Sea. You visit Hadleigh Castle on the way (a good spot for a picnic).
Leigh-on-Sea has at least three pubs – and some seafood places – along the waterfront: The Crooked Billet 01702 480289, The Peterboat 01702 475666, Ye Olde Smack 01702 476765. Covid restrictions will apply and you may need to book. Best to think picnic then you won’t be disappointed. Carry some water.
From Leigh-on-Sea, you have three choices -
1. Follow the Circular back to Benfleet .There are two possible tea stops en route, Barge Gladys (don’t, she’s a big girl) and the Hoy and Helmet tel: 01268792307. Trains leave Benfleet at xx:01 and xx:31
2. Catch a train home from Leigh on Sea (xx:26 xx:56).
3. You could also continue along the shoreline as far as Southend or Shoeburyness (a further 7.8 ml – with intermediate stations if you start flagging. Not that an SWC walker would EVER admit to flagging). Be aware, though, that there’s a replacement bus service beyond Leigh-on-Sea today. Return from: Chalkwell xx:44 and 14, Westcliff xx: 38 and 08, Southend Central xx:30 and 00, Southend East xx:53 and 23, Thorpe Bay xx:47 and 17, Shoeburyness xx:40 and 10. Change from the brmm-brmm to a chuff-chuff at Leigh-on-Sea.
Southend boasts the longest pier in the world, so if your happy feet just can't stop walking and you have a quid or two to spare, why not walk the 1.3 miles out and 1.3 miles back. There's a caff at the end and there's even a little train for those with tired tootsies.
Trains Get the 09:55 Leigh-on-Sea train from Fenchurch Street Station getting to Benfleet at 10:39. (The back entrance to Fenchurch station is not far from Tower Hill underground - follow the signs. This map shows other connections).
A return to Leigh-on-Sea (specify “on-Sea”) is the same price as Benfleet and would cover you for both stations. If you're intending to walk further, get the appropriate return. If unsure, Shoeburyness is the furthest stop.
Directions:
Benfleet Circular
Leigh-on-Sea to Shoeburyness
COVID: See Covid rules at top of “this weeks walks” page.
** CONTACT TRACING: be prepared to share your name and contact details with those you walk with. Bring a pen and paper for this purpose. *** Be sure to take the contact details of the contact-taker if one is nominated. Keep your distance. T=swc.268
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5 comments:
I did this walk back in June, it is a very nice walk, highly recommended.
I hope to do the Berwick walk
Jane
N=4 at the station, one of whom had already walked from Leigh. Weather was W=sun-cloud-sun-cloud-sun-dry-sometimes-hot We more or less stuck to the circular directions. (I say "more or less" because we saw a bit more of the Essex Alps than the directions required). We weren’t lost or anything. We knew exactly where the castle was. It’s just it wasn’t where we were. Eventually it showed itself but, by then, it was just a pile of stones. After a picnic in the remains, we headed for Leigh. No interest was expressed in exploring the old town (except, maybe, by one), so its fabled hostelries were deprived of our custom :( No, we set off on the return leg, squeezing in a circuit of Two Tree Island on the way. One of our number was not as thorough about this circuit as the others. He was discovered later at Barge Gladys clutching a well-earned pint of cider. (n.b. cash only). It was declared "A Grand Day Out". Two Tree Island was declared "Worth a Look".
I caught the hour later train, met up with two other people who had a lie in. Lovely walk, we took the low route along the estuary edge, crab rolls at Leigh on Sea, a swim and walked to Chalkwell for ice cream and chatted to dog owners, watched salsa practice, and then back again. Very good day out had by all, thanks for posting Moon Tiger,
Maggie
N=7
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