Walking the Essex Coast - Two Tree Island

Two Tree Island, like Canvey was reclaimed from the sea. It lies between Leigh and Canvey, separated by Leigh Creek to the north and Hadleigh Ray to the south. It is a mile and half long and half a mile wide and was used mainly by sheep until the twentieth century, when, like so many other bits of the Essex coast line, it was turned into a rubbish dump. After the tip closed in the seventies, the island became a nature reserve.

The western half is in Castle Point district and forms part of Hadleigh Castle Country Park. East of the road is in Southend and is part of the Leigh National Nature Reserve. The one road leads to southern edge where there is a public slipway and the only car park on the island that doesn’t have a height barrier. You can park right on the edge of the salt marsh and watch the boats heading up and down the Thames. Can you spot Archie?

The western half is mainly open grassland with a good metalled path all around. It has fine views towards Canvey and Hadleigh Castle. It is very popular with birdwatchers with two hides at the western end; one overlooks Hadleigh Ray and is a good place to spot wading birds at low tide and the other is by a pool popular with the avocets that breed on the island. The hides were very popular and a good way to make yourself unpopular is to let door slam. It is possible to cross to the mainland at low tide by scrambling across the creek. This part of the island is home to a model flying club so you have to watch out for small, low flying aircraft that make as much noise as the real thing.

At the western end it is possible to see two of the ‘county top’ of Essex. Westley Heights, the highest point of Thurrock, is large whaleback shaped hill about eight miles away. It’s a sizeable hill by Essex standards, rising out of the marshes and topped (as any good top usually is) by a large aerial mast. The highest point of Southend is just a mile to the north at the top of Belton Hills. They are about a hundred foot shorter but still make a steep climb (for Essex). The view from the top is very impressive stretching from the mouth of the Thames to the top of Canary Wharf on a clear day.

The eastern half is more covered with lots of scrub and bushes. There were some inland bird hides by a pond and a feeding area with a useful identification chart. I think I spotted a Great Tit. There is a very pleasant walk along the old sea wall by the salt marsh and mud flats. The whole area is very popular with wildfowl and waders, particularly Brent geese who feed on the eelgrass. The basketwork is made of hemlock and helps stabilise the marsh.

Two Tree Island is a very pleasant spot for spotting, birds, boats or aircraft or for just taking a stroll by the sea side.

To see more pictures of Two Tree Island and the rest of the Thames estuary coastline click here.