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Discover: Tollesbury

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please look at the View more photos link for a big image of this walking map.
We have 2 outstanding cottages in this area. The Wobbin sleeping 5-6 in the old farmhouse looking out over the fields to the sea, and The Hexagon which is newly built sleeping accomodation for the magnificent Radar Tower with its commanding views over the Essex Marshes and bird sanctuaries to the Sea. The Hexagon sleeps 2 but with the option to bring a tent for children.
Both properties are on the same Farn and a 10 minute walk from one another across the fields.
The Wobbin has lovely walks directly to the Sea Wall, The unique Salt Marshes and the various Nature Reserves Tollesbury Wick Nature reserve which are close by. There is also a private woodland adjacent to The Wobbin which has a mown footpath so you can exercise your doggie, it has a bench at the end to take in the glorious views.
For those interested in bird life and bird, the area is famous for the many varieties that come to our shores, I have enclosed a list at the bottom of this page that one couple saw in just a short stay here in August.
You can also use the footpaths to go to Tollesbury Centre which take about 10 minutes where there are shops and pubs and a nice playing filed with an enclosed play area for small children and a skate park for slightly older ones.
One of the footpaths leads you to the Marina with its excellent restaurant and the old harbour front where the lightship is moored (you can visit it and enquire about the sailing and adventure courses they hold) there are some wonderfully ancient ships and boats laid up or lying in the creeks that you can wander around and of course there are the lovely Sail Lofts one of which contains an excellent cafe.
There is an Excellent coastal walk that starts in Tollesbury and goes along the Sea Wall and finishes in Maldon : griffmonsterwalks
There are boats you can charter or join for sailing trips or sea fishing trips, some come into Tollesbury but most are based at Maldon just a few minutes down the road. Here is a link for Sea fishing and Day Trips on historic boats
The best fun would be to book a trip on one of the magnificent Thames Sailing Barges which are based at Maldon and can be booked through Top Sail.

 

Thames Barges – Tea rooms open Thurs to Sat on the Thames Barge Hydrogen

Tollesbury – Village of the Plough and Sail – Where the village sign says “set your watches back 200 years when you enter the village!”
Tollesbury’s history – including St Mary’s Church and the Crab and Winkle Railway Line
The Tiptree Jam Shop & Tea Rooms are a nice splace to pop into if you are a jam buff and you would like to see the original factory ofrjust like a really good tea room.

Maldon – historic town – home of Maldon Sea salt – visit The Hythe to see the many Thames barges with their distinctive red sails – lots of places to eat –including overlooking the barges at the Queens Head

There are local riding schools around as well, for instance:
Darcy Riding Stables, Chapel Road, Tolleshunt Darcy, Maldon CM9 8TL. telephone 01621 860553.
or:
Tiptree Equestrian Centre
Simpson’s Lane, Tiptree, Essex, CO5 0PP. Tel: 01621 815552
Restaurants

Rubino Kitchen, Chigborough Lodge, Maldon CM9 4RE

A tiny restaurant with good lunches and excellent fine dining in the evening

01621 855579
www.rubinokitchen.co.uk

15 minutes by car

Tollesbury Cruising Club, Maldon CM9 8SE – 01621 869561

The Harbour View Bistro and Bar in the club do excellent food in simple elegant surroundings

www.the-harbour-view.co.uk

4 minutes by car or 10 minute walk

Tollesbury Sail Lofts – Tollesbury, CM9 8SE – 01621 869063

Tea by the sea!

A grade two listed building where you can get a reasonably priced, homemade lunch or tea in fun surroundings – delicious!

www.thelofttearoom.com

Tiptree Tea Rooms and Visitor Centre – Tiptree CO5 0RF – 01621 814524

Tiptree is the nearest waitress service tea room for a lovely lunch or tea with delicious Tiptree jam. There is also a small museum about the jam factory on site.

www.tiptree.com

Perrywood Garden Centre – Tiptree, Inworth CO5 9SX – 01376 570777

An excellent shop as well as a café with a range of generous helpings of cake! Can get crowded at peak times.

The Company Shed – West Mersea CO5 8PA – 01206 382700

Outstanding locally caught seafood, no bookings taken and limited space – gets very busy at weekends during the summer. Take your own wine or beer and bread and butter – turn up 2 hours before lunch to get in easily or wait in a line as number 65 !
Loved by all the TV chefs

West Mersea Oyster Bar – West Mersea CO5 8LT – 01206 381600

Also very good this riverside restaurant is overlooking the creeks of Mersea Island. Specialising in shellfish with fresh local oysters and seafood platters. Its a kind of straight forward fish and chips shop but serving oysters and really good seafood – you cant go wrong !

Pubs

The Kings Head, Tollesbury CM9 8RG – 01621 869203

Queen’s Head – Tolleshunt D’Arcy CM9 8TF – 01621 860262

The Chequers Inn – Goldhanger CM9 8AS – 01621 788203

The Jolly Sailor – Heybridge Basin CM9 4RS – 01621 854210

The Sun Inn, Feering CO5 9NH – 01376 570442

The Peldon Rose, Peldon CO5 7QJ – 01206 735248

Amenities

Local convenience store – Fred’s store – Excellent
At the North end of Mell Road
Fred’s store, CM9 8SW
01621 868483
DVD rental available
Open 0830-1930 Mon-Sat and 0900-1400 Sun

Local bakery – Excellent
Just off the village square – CM9 8RG
The fresh bread sold in Fred’s store comes from the bakery

Local butcher – G Leavett – Excellent
Close to Fred’s store at the North end of Mell Road
Also sells fresh fish

Visiting fresh fruit and vegetable van
In the village square
Tuesdays and Saturdays

Post Office – in McColls (CM9 8RG, off the village square)
Mon-Sat 0600-2200

Birds seen by Bart and Doortje staying at Mell Farm 27 July -2nd August

Buzzard
Marsh Harrier
Kestrel
Blue Tit
Great Tit
White Throat
Skylark
Swift
Swallow
House Martin
Jay
Coot
Moorhen
Mallard
Reed Bunting
Teal
Gadwell
Shoveller
Shellduck
Great Crested Grebe
Little Grebe
Tufted Duck
Potchard
Mute Swan
Little Egret
Grey Heron
Cormorant
Wren
Blackbird
Pied Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail
Grey Plover
Curlew
Whimbrel
Bar tailed Godwit
Lapwing
Common Sand Piper
Greenshank
Redshank
Oystercatcher
Common Tern
Black Headed gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black Backed Gull
Mediterranean Gull
Rook
Chaffinch
Robin
Goldfinch
Linnet
Green Woodpecker
Starling
Collared Dove
Jackdaw
Carrion Crow
Pheasant
House Sparrow
Wood Pigeon
Greylag Goose
Canada Goose
Eygptian Goose
Magpie