Goldhanger to Rolls Farm and Blackwater Estuary Circular

This walk makes a good gentle four or five-hour stroll, especially on a warm summer's day when a picnic on the sea wall is possible. Goldhanger is a small attractive village on the north side of the Blackwater Estuary at the head of Goldhanger Creek. The village has a long history but became infamous as the home of Jeremy Bamber, who was convicted of the 1985 White House Farm murders. This walk makes a bracing winter walk for birdwatchers, where huge numbers of waders and seabirds gather, although it can be windy! Thousands of wildfowl especially Brent geese overwinter on the estuary, surrounding marshland and fields, so the walk is good for keen birdwatchers.

The walk has an inland outbound section crossing arable farmland and a return section on the sea wall of the River Blackwater. From the sea wall the redundant nuclear power station at Bradwell is visible, as is the radio xhip Caroline, a distinctive red ship moored in the centre of the river. On the sea wall try to spot the 'Red Hills' on the land between the wall and Goldhanger. These are shallow archaeological red mounds dating from the Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman periods. They are the result of salt-making and appear along the Essex coast. In Fish Street note how residents use ornamental fish to decorate their houses.

England - East England - Essex - Coast

Walk id: 8762

Walk grade

Easy Walk

Length

8.6 Miles

Height gain

35 Metres

Duration

3 Hours 31 Mins

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