Coastwalk

Pitsea → Southend-on-Sea

Distance: 10.0 miles
Ascent: unknown
Duration: 3 hours 30 minutes

England at play
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It was decision time as I left Pitsea this morning. Pretty much ahead to the east was Southend-on-Sea, but would I first detour on a circuit of Canvey Island to the south-east? The decision was easy enough to make; Canvey is known more for its oil terminal than its beauty so I stuck to the coast proper. Besides, it's only an island.

In South Benfleet I paused a while to watch cricket on the green. This is England at its best: eccentric (why turn up for a Sunday in full whites?), but adhering religiously to the rules. I'm not a sportsman at all, but something about the knocking of leather on willow as the ball was thwacked towards the boundary once again raised a smile.

Beyond Benfleet is Hadleigh Castle, a worthwhile detour since its elevated position provides an excellent view of Southend ahead. Only at this distance is it possible to grasp the sheer improbability of the length of Southend Pier.

Stretching out for over a mile it's the world's longest pleasure pier. Where it meets the shore, the slowly rusting Peter Pan Adventure Island reminds us of another England at play: the heyday of the seaside resorts.

I visited the pier on a couple of occasions as a teenager when we lived in Chelmsford. We'd come down with the youth group to go ten-pin bowling at the pier entrance. I've never walked its length though, and didn't find time for that today.

I feel as though I should walk to the Old Pier Head one day, but if I'm not counting Canvey Island as part of the coast there's no way the pier counts either.