Benfleet Circular

21 October. We usually do this walk in the summer. But because of programme changes, Peter G is leading it on a cloudy day, which wasn’t yet raining when we set out. As the ground is very muddy and wet, Peter suggests we do not take our usual path up through Hadleigh Country Park and down past Hadleigh Castle. Instead we walk along the estuary to Leigh-on-Sea for lunch and then carry on to Southend-on-Sea and take a bus back. It poured at lunchtime, but by then we were indoors eating very delicious seafood. Thanks to Daphne and Christines M and R for photos.

A watchful bull

The estuary at low tide

Peter pointed out the retired minesweeper moored at Leigh-on-Sea, which cost as much to build as the QE II. HMS Wilton was the first warship in the world to be made of fibreglass. She was retired by the Royal Navy in 1994, and in 2001 was sold to Essex Yacht Club for their new home. (Additional info thanks to Wikipedia.)

Southend-on-Sea, aspiring to be the Riviera …

… and with plenty of unexpected sunshine