See things from a different perspective with a circular walk on the Thurrock waterfront and under the imposing Queen Elizabeth II Bridge
The walk
1. From The Ship Inn, head west along London Road (towards the electricity pylons in the distance), pausing at the Local Express shop if any supplies are required. Turn left at the roundabout, go over the railway then turn down the road on the left, along the pavement on the right-hand side. Turn right down St. Clement’s Road, just before the Procter & Gamble plant, then take the St. Clement’s Walk path off to the right, which leads to the bank of the Thames (if the St. Clement’s Walk entrance is blocked, squeeze through the railings further along).
2. At the riverbank, turn right. A squeeze between some boulders and railings takes you onto the riverside path. This couldn’t be called a pretty route, but it has an austere beauty and contrasts the hustle and bustle of the roads and industrial sites with the quiet calm of the river. Initially, the path is open to the river and passes under the extra-tall pylons carrying electricity cables between Essex and Kent (at 190 metres these are the tallest electricity pylons in the UK). Once past Stone Point and some WW2 pill boxes, the path is separated from the river by a concrete wall, but by this point the QE2 bridge is clearly visible in the distance. Pass the oil storage depot and the Tarmac works, the wall on your left a blaze of colourful graffiti. In places the overhead pipes and metal fencing can look quite foreboding but keep following the well-defined path and you will get closer and closer to the increasingly imposing QE2 bridge.
3. Close up, the bridge is really rather spectacular. The path passes directly underneath it, then a ramp beside a floodgate provides an ideal spot to look back and admire it, and perhaps pause for a bite to eat. The path continues beside the river, albeit largely behind a concrete wall, passing various industrial sites inland. It passes under ramps used to access the freight ferry terminal and at one point over a gantry bridging some pipes. A mile or so beyond the QE2 bridge, the landward ground becomes scrub, with a railway line visible beyond. Take the path that forks away from the riverside and passes through the scrubland, to eventually emerge onto London Road beside Purfleet railway station.
4. Cross the railway via the level crossing and head east along London Road. Looming on high ground to the left is the Royal Opera House production park buildings. Just before the roundabout, the road passes under a bridge crossed by the HS1 railway line used by Eurostar; the walk also crossed over this line earlier but unwittingly so as it was underground. On the right-hand pavement, follow the path to the right of the roundabout to remain on London Road. This passes under the road leading to the QE2 bridge, as well as that coming out of the Dartford Tunnel. Stay on the footway of London Road, past the junction with St. Clement’s Way, all the way to the Stoneness roundabout, straight over which leads back to The Ship Inn.
COMPASS POINTS
Distance: 6.5 miles (10.5km).
Starting point: The Ship Inn, 470 London Road, Grays, RM20 4AR. Grid reference TQ591777.
Access: There is ample on-street parking nearby. Numerous local bus services use the bus stop outside the pub (essexbus.info). The walk passes Purfleet railway station (point 4), which can be used as an alternative starting point.
Map: OS Explorer 162 Greenwich & Gravesend.
Refreshment: The Ship Inn, or numerous other pubs and restaurants passed on the second half of the walk.
Places of interest: The Queen Elizabeth II bridge was opened by its namesake on 30 October 1991, having taken 3 years and £190 million to construct. Before then, all traffic used the two bores of the Dartford Tunnel, one northbound and one southbound.
For those seeking greener pastures, Chafford Gorges nature reserve is less than a mile away from the starting point (off Drake Road). Much of the area consists of disused quarries into the Upper Chalk. Many plants and animals specialise in chalky habitats and the site is renowned for its orchids. Despite being a primarily urban area, Thurrock has several other excellent nature reserves, such as RSPB Rainham Marshes and Mardyke Woods.
From 1765 to 1962, Purfleet was home to a large military gunpowder magazine capable of storing over 50,000 barrels in five specially designed buildings. One remains, on Centurion Way, and is home to the Purfleet Heritage and Military Centre (open Thursdays, Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays). Lakeside retail park is less than a mile from the start of the walk, with abundant free parking, shops and restaurants, all sited in former chalk pits.
