Walking the Essex Coast - Vange Marshes

The intention today was to walk across Vange marshes to Fobbing to link up with last week's walk. However the only way that was going to happen was by boat due to extensive flooding. It was a pleasant enough day, dry, mild with occasional bursts of sunshine. It was very hard going though; lots of standing water, one very boggy bit on a farm, a horrible hike through some trackless wastes and a rather high stile that I had difficulty getting over. Out of earshot of the A13 it was very peaceful. At this point of the walk I moved on from Thurrock into Basildon and the change was immediately obvious. In Thurrock, all footpaths were very clearly marked, even the ones in the back of beyond, this was not so in Basildon.

Vange Marsh is a small RSPB site, one of several in this part of the world made up of reed beds and lagoons, both salt and freshwater. There were plenty of birds and a couple of twitchers but I've no idea what the birds were. I followed the footpath towards Fobbing, past an industrial estate home to the fleet of WRVS van, across a boggy farmer's field to a wonky looking bridge. At this point, the footpath disappeared to be replaced with a barely discernible track through an bramble strewn field. It had been churned up by cows and then left fallow making it very bumpy indeed. I put my trust in the GPS and hacked on through.

I emerged onto the wide open spaces on Vange marshes. I spotted this rather spooky looking house, Marsh Farm, but I've no idea if anyone lives there. This part of the marsh is used for grazing but the cows were all indoors today. The views were terrific. I could see Fobbing church on its little hill, the flood barrier at Fobbing Horse and the oil refineries. Unfortunately I could also see lots and lots of standing water, some of it was rather deep.

It was impossible to continue along the footpath towards Fobbing and Fobbing Marshes. I was able to scramble up onto the sea wall and got a glimpse of the boat yard at Wat Tyler Country park. Vange creek seemed to have turned into Vange Lake. I enjoyed my picnic sitting on some old telegraph poles in the pleasant sunshine before returning from whence I came.

To see more pictures of the wonderful Essex coast click here.