The Tarmac Walkers dirty their boots

Thu 31st Mar 2022

Walk Details:

Event Type
Group Walk
Region / Area
Southern England / London
Local Group
London
Distance
14ml.
Start Time
10:35
Route
Start: Thorpe Bay station (Train from Fenchurch Street 09:34) Finish: Thorpe Bay station

A visit to the creeks and mud flats of the Essex coast in early spring time. Please bring refreshments pub stop at 10miles, possible Wetherspoons near to finish

General Notes
Special instruction: Prior registration required for this walk at ronwilliamsonuk@gmail.com, but no restriction on numbers.
Finish

Entry Details:

Cost

Walk Report

The Tarmac Walkers Dirty Their Boots, Thursday 31st March
8 walkers 10 miles - leader: Ron Williamson

An email on Wednesday to the 18 members who registered for this walk warned of the atrocious weather anticipated for Thursday and that the original walk had been postponed with a shorter less exposed route to be held in its place.
So, it was that eight stalwarts gathered at the start dressed in full winter gear. As soon as we left the shelter of the town we met the full force of a North East gale driving stinging hail into our faces, however things rapidly improved as at least the precipitation lasted only about 20 minutes.
Instead of aiming to negotiate the sea walls for some three miles our main objective was to reach the community nature reserve of Barling Magna nesting under the sea wall of the rover Roach. Here an alternative site for lunch had to be found as the bird hide that we proposed to gather in to warm up was already occupied.
The cold winds continued throughout the afternoon but the sun managed to pop out for a while and a longer than usual break at the Castle, a walker friendly pub, allowed winter coats to be removed for a while.
In the end all agreed that it was worth the effort and that it was the correct call to avoid the sea walls as it was difficult enough to stay on course in the frequent gusts that we experienced a few miles inland.
Thanks for coming, I certainly would not have walked that day otherwise and we succeeded in dirtying our boots.


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