The gorgeous 6.5-mile coastal walk with a 1,000-year-old chapel that ends in a good pub

For those looking for a peaceful wintertime walk with a dash of past and a cosy pub to circular it off, the 6.5-mile Bradwell Shell Bank Loop successful Essex ticks each the boxes. 

This scenic route winds done Bradwell-on-Sea, offering coastal views, wildlife, and 1 of England’s oldest chapels.

The locomotion starts astatine the Dengie National Nature Reserve car parkland and takes astir 2.5 to 3.5 hours to complete. 

It has a premix of countryside paths and coastal terrain, making it suitable for astir walkers. 

Along the way, walkers volition walk by the River Blackwater estuary and the Bradwell Shell Bank, which is simply a earthy enactment made of cockle and oyster shells.

However, the biggest item is astir apt the seventh-century St Peter-on-the-Wall Chapel, 1 of the oldest churches successful England. 

Built successful 653AD by a missionary named Cedd, the chapel was constructed utilizing stones from a Roman fort that erstwhile stood connected the site. 

Visitors tin measurement wrong the past gathering to soak up its past oregon bask a quiescent infinitesimal successful its surroundings.

The way begins successful Bradwell-on-Sea, wherever walkers walk the King's Head pub and the parish religion earlier heading towards Bradwell Waterside, wherever yachts and tiny boats dot the estuary.

From there, the way follows the coastline, with the Bradwell Nuclear Power Station disposable on the way.

What’s more, quality enthusiasts volition bask the assortment of birdlife successful the Dengie National Nature Reserve, peculiarly successful wintertime erstwhile thousands of birds stitchery successful the area. 

The ammunition slope and brackish marsh surrounding the reserve are a haven for wildlife, making this agelong of the locomotion particularly picturesque.

After looping backmost towards the village, walkers tin extremity their travel astatine the King's Head pub, a section favourite with a 4.5-star standing from implicit 250 reviews. 

The pub is known for its premix of accepted nutrient and seasonal dishes, and offers hearty meals and a lukewarm ambiance - conscionable the happening aft a beauteous coastal walk.

Visitors are advised to program their timing, arsenic parts of the way are champion explored astatine debased tide.