Andrew Millham takes us for a walk around Brightlingsea’s circular nature trail, jam-packed with riverside views and mesmerising wildflower meadows.

DISTANCE: Approx. seven miles

TIME: Three hours, including time to stop, snack and stare

Great British Life: The start of the trail beside Bateman's Tower. Photo by Andrew MillhamThe start of the trail beside Bateman's Tower. Photo by Andrew Millham

Brightlingsea has it all: sand, sea, cosy town and stunning countryside walks. This trail begins at the public car park opposite where the River Colne meets Brightlingsea Creek at Bateman’s Tower, leaning like the Tower of Pisa (overhear.march.lamplight).

I was told by a member of Colne Yacht Club that the tower, often mistaken for a lighthouse, is actually a folly built in 1883 by John Bateman for his daughter to recuperate from tuberculosis. It makes for an iconic start to this walk, surrounded by a line of pastel-coloured beach huts and families happily crabbing off of the promenade.

A footpath runs north-west along the creek, and there are fine views over grazing marshland where a wide variety of bird life doth dwell. Cuckoos echoed their distinctive two-tone call and skylarks hung high in the air like dust spots whilst oyster catchers pip-pip-pipped overhead. The call of a lapwing took me by surprise, warning others of my presence by making a noise like one of those comical sliding whistles.

Wivenhoe appeared in the distance but is cut off by a ford across Alresford Creek, which is impassable even at low tide – well, not if you mind getting wet!

Across Alresford Creek is a stunning white weather boarded house (skylights.surround.splinters), framed by green fields and pluming oak trees. This was actually a filming location visited by Hollywood actor Tom Hiddleston whilst shooting the Apple TV adaptation of Sarah Perry’s bestselling novel The Essex Serpent, released in 2022.

This raised section of the walk was first enclosed by a seawall in the 16th century to create extra grazing land and traditional cattle grazing still takes place from late spring to early winter.

Great British Life: Wildflower meadow at Moverons Farm. Photo by Andrew MillhamWildflower meadow at Moverons Farm. Photo by Andrew Millham

Marshes soon give way to Moverons Farm (lanes.nitrogen.hurtles), which is commercially managed whilst keeping nature at its heart through habitat maintenance and restoration. Vast wildflower meadows stud the landscape with floral jewels – the ruby red of poppies and the citrine yellow of one thousand buttercups. It was perhaps the largest wildflower meadow I had ever seen. Such flowers are vital for pollinators like the Shrill Carder bee, now a rarity on the Essex coast.

Leaving the farm behind – which is a shining example for others to follow – the trail eventually leads along country lanes back to the north end of Brightlingsea via Church Road (tortoises.confining.arrow) before passing by the lido, boating lake, and the car park.

This is the sort of long walk to go on if you have something to mull over. You can wander for miles without seeing a soul and be left to your own thoughts. When you finish, there are multiple establishments from which to enjoy a well-earned drink, all named after arms or heads: The Brewer’s Arms (embraced.unhappily.strain), Yachtsman’s Arms (steams.blueberry.paving) and The King’s Head (amicably.shippers.renamed). Whatever takes your fancy.

With no railway, Brightlingsea remains slightly off the beaten track and is often overlooked as a day-out option. But if this walk proves anything, it is that this small town has boatloads to offer.

This column uses what3words, an easy way to identify precise locations. Every three square metres on Earth has its own unique combination of three words. To use, download the free app, or visit what3words.com