2011-08-27 - Deepest, darkest Essex - part 1 - Bradwell-on-Sea & the Dengie Peninsula

Essex? It's all flat and boring, furry dice, anti-social behaviour and slogging out to Epping with traffic roaring past you to get to the lanes, the Range Rover murders, boy racers, Ford 'Crappis' and self-made Cockneys done good, The Only Way is...

...isn't it?

Nope. Essex can also be remote, beautiful, eerie and surprisingly friendly. It's a county with lots of sparsely populated, unspoilt countryside, wild and remote coast and lovely lanes. But it has a dark side. Private companies finding new ways to kill people, dying nuclear power stations, smugglers... it's all there.

For the first ride we will head out of London on Saturday 27th August via Chigwell and Kelvedon Hatch, before pretty much drawing a line East across the county. Staying north of Brentwood but south of Chelmsford, we'll head across unspoilt countryside to due south of Maldon before entering the Dengie Peninsula and stopping on the way to Bradwell-on-Sea to have a nosey at the decomissioned Magnox nuclear power station:

We'll then head back into the village of Bradwell-on-Sea, also known as Bradwell-juxta-Mare, before heading down the old Roman road to the chapel of St Peter-on-the-wall, right at the end of the Dengie peninsula - the oldest church in England:

After we've signed the guestbook, we'll check out the cockle spit right next to the church:

It's then a pootle down the road to Southminster to get the train home, changing at Wickford for the train to Liverpool street. If a group of 4 get a groupsave it should be £6.40, but as last time I found it totally impossible to buy a ticket until Wickford it may be cheaper :)

Route [ame=http://ridewithgps.com/routes/539406]here[/ame
]here[/ame], meet at Look Mum No Hands 9am for a prompt 9.30 departure.

74 miles pretty much on the money, totally doable fixed (it's really not hilly).

Who's in?

1. Fox
   
2. Spybot
   
3. Cupcakes
   

1. Fox
   
2. Spybot
   
3. Cupcakes
   
4. Skully
   
   
   
   

Fox have I told you lately that I love you?

You have, on the way to Dunwich in that pub garden!

Will be good to have you along :)

Oooooh, tempted. Not ridden out that way (that far out) for a while…

we'll check out the cockle spit right next to the church

Wow remember VIZ? Next you'll be posting videos of The Lambrettas.

Seeing as the Dengie Peninsula is Dowsett territory, will you be TTTing it @ 35mph (back to Southminster at least)?

haven't been on a forum ride in ages and this sounds good, very tempted

beautiful...

^^^I tried to do that on the recce, my knee broke :(

I'd love to go all out on the last ten miles or so, but in all (boring) seriousness this will be a 'waits for everyone' type ride. Do it, anyway!

Wow remember Viz? Next you'll be posting videos of The Lambrettas.

I have a vague suspicion that my son is at his nan's place that weekend, so it could be a goer. Might even be able to tempt MrsFix. What's the distance?

1. Ish.
   

this looks great. Can't make it as already have ride plans for the bank holiday weekend but I'd love to do it before then. Are you recceing again?

1. Ish.
   

MrsFix has just said 'no fucking way', but I'm still keen :D

If she's concerned about that nuclear power station, don't worry - there's not been an accident since January 21st.

71 miles eh, sound like a nice gentle ride will need to check the calender.

I forgot the bit from LMNH - near my house, so it's probably more like 74. That includes to Southminster station though.

Still a pretty good distance that's easily achievable for 6-7 hours of riding, hopefully I'll get my garmin sorted then, but then I'll probably use the Chap Nav.

This looks brilliant. I'm not free that weekend, but it's a tempting prospect.
It's a part of the world I'm dying to explore, the coastline up to Norfolk and beyond. I intend to conquer parts of Northumberland soon, (equally mysterious and remote but much wilder!) but mild days of riding the lanes and fens of the warmer South really wets my appetite!

whets your appetite

Yeah. That.

If she's concerned about that nuclear power station, don't worry - there's not been an accident since January 21st.

Nah, she's not up to that sort of distance, or at least, not confident enough to undertake it in the presence of strangers. Maybe next year…

1. Fox
   
2. Spybot
   
3. Cupcakes
   
4. Skully
   
5. Blue fleet
   
   

Provisionally in, I too would like to explore this part of the country more, I've done a ride to Maldon but thats it.

May be doing a ride with landlord from Chester to Machynlleth that weekend but with some rearranging I hope to be able to do both.

looks like a really good route fox.

would love to join but the 27th is my birthday and i'll be on the sile of wight.

enjoy.