The King Charles III England Coastal Path is now the longest coastal trail in the UK — a national route that winds around the entire English coastline. We’ve been toying with the idea of completing it in stages over the coming years. Whether we’ll ever manage the whole thing is another matter; there are so many brilliant paths across the UK (and beyond) competing for attention. But who knows.
Shoeburyness itself was full of surprises. I hadn’t realised it had been home to a major Army base for many decades, specialising not only in the coastal defence of the Thames and London but also in gunnery and weapons testing. As we followed the coastal path, the military history was everywhere: former forts, barracks, memorials, bunkers, gun emplacements — each one a reminder of how strategically important this stretch of coast once was.
The walk towards Southend‑on‑Sea was glorious. Big Essex skies, bright weather, and that wide estuary light that always feels a little cinematic. By the time we reached the Pier, the day had settled into that perfect mix of warmth and sea breeze.
One great advantage of a coastal walk is that it’s harder to get lost — just keep the sea on your left — and with excellent local rail links you can easily do a linear walk and decide your finishing point as you go.
Lunch was at 140 Eastern Esplanade Café, found via Google Maps — highly recommended for good food and very Essex.
We carried on as far as Westcliff, roughly six miles in total, before deciding to head home. The return was easy: c2c to Barking, then the Overground to Wanstead Park. With a railcard, it’s incredibly cheap, and if we’d booked a return a few days in advance it would have been even cheaper — around a third off.
Another great coastal section completed, and a lovely day out. Plenty more of the Essex coast still to explore.
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