Pitsea – Wat Tyler Country Park – Basildon Walk – 28.03.2010

So it was British Summertime at last… well it was supposed to be anyway – but it was cold!    It felt even worse when the well planned route had to be abandoned since engineering works decided to get in the way (since we had planned to travel to where we were walking too!) Oh well…. At last minute decision was taken… Pitsea it was… been through the station before, and seen it briefly saw it on the map…

As the train headed that way, the weather didn’t exactly cheer up and through Grays the weather was indeed very Grey.  However, much to our surprise, when we reached Pitsea the sun came out and it actually warm!   Walking away from the station, in the lovely warmth we found the sign to Wat Tyler Country Park.  Unfortunately it was past a recycling plant, and I am glad the photos and this blog cannot reproduce smell-o-vision!!

The first surprise to we had was the “Motor Boat Museum”, and then the sound of a little train!  It was very popular, considering the amount of traffic that kept passing us.   The park has been there for many years, and it has been home to many things – such as cultivation of Oysters, Explosive Factories, buildings for the Ministry of Defence during WWII, home to many 16th & 17th Century Cottages (Holly Cottage) –

From 2010 – 28.03.2010 – Pitsea – Wat Tyler Country Park – Basildon Walk

We also found RSPB signs, they had just taken over this park and it was to be completely opened in 2011 as the “Lower Marshes”.    We saw that the RSPB are working hard to put in many “hides” in the reserve, which is great.  As we walked along and came to the end of the road, we came to the “Marina” and realised this would be another reason it would have been very busy.  When the tide is in, boats would have been leaving from the marina – particularly on a beautiful day like this was.

From 2010 – 28.03.2010 – Pitsea – Wat Tyler Country Park – Basildon Walk

Although it was very tempting just to stop and rest in the warm glowing sun, we moved on.  We discovered a map outlining exactly how much land is being reclaimed by RSPB over the next years, which is a bit shocking – considering some of it is not until 2023 and that it is not until after the Olympics….

We then took a stroll around the park, which was really busy.  The park had many families – but most of these were busy at the newly built adventure play areas for the children… I was dying to try them out… but I wasn’t allowed!!!! (too old or I needed to be accompanied by adult or something….!)

We took a short breather admiring the small picnic area,  and decided that it was time to leave the lovely park.  We walked past the lovely recyling plant back into Pitsea.  We had spotted a Church remains on a hill, so we decided to climb it and investigate – Pitsea Mount.  It was odd becuase it had been renovated not by English Heritage or the National Trust but by Orange to be used as a Mobile mast (you can just see it at the top of the photo!

From 2010 – 28.03.2010 – Pitsea – Wat Tyler Country Park – Basildon Walk

The views across the Thames estuary were quite beautiful on this one day of the spring we had!  Not quite a mountain, but so nice to encounter a hill at last!  We made our way down the hill to walk make our way to complete our walk.

Sadly for a country park, we had been disappointed at the lack of wildlife we had encountered, that was all about to change when we started to walk towards Vange (sounds too strange to me) we had a shock – as we past a Tent shop – I spotted a fox – hiding out – I think it was just lost – We were going to tell someone when it found it ‘s way out from under the fence and followed its way out! (It followed us for a while and eventually crossed the road to the wood to safety – phew)

From 2010 – 28.03.2010 – Pitsea – Wat Tyler Country Park – Basildon Walk

We walked on, orginally following signs to Basildon Oh we even saw signs to Barnstaple – thats Devon isn’t it?  They really should sort out there Cycle signs they were really were that bad!  oh sorry it was Barstable!  Seriously though someone should review them as they were most unhelpful.

I did come across “field footpath” signs at the side of the pavement, at one point, which have not really encountered previously, but decided against investigating at this point – I didnt think they would get us to Basildon… But I did see a lovely little church at the end of one of them.  We eventually reached a roundabout and a large road sign to Basildon pointed the way.  It was then unexciting landscape from here on in – although the signs on the side of the road stated it was all conservation area.

The road seem to last for a long time, mainly as it was very uninteresting, we finally found the railway and then eventually the station.  It was the end of our walk!

Click here for my  route map . All My photos are –

2010 – 28.03.2010 – Pitsea – Wat Tyler Country Park – Basildon Walk

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