We are the West London Ramblers, mainly covering Ealing and Hounslow, but open to all. We open the way for everyone in our local community to enjoy the pleasures of walking.
Pete G.
In the morning you go along narrow, grassy paths through the dense, hilly woodland of Benfleet Downs and Hadleigh Country Park. You visit the ruined Hadleigh Castle which will be the picnic spot, and has superb views; on a clear day you can see all the way across Canvey Island to the Hoo Peninsula and the North Downs in Kent. You go on to Leigh-on-Sea, where you have to option to get a return train.
After Leigh-on-Sea you walk back to Benfleet along a wide track adjacent to Benfleet Creek with fine views of the flat open estuary waterscape and the hilly woods away to your right which you walked in the morning.
Get the 1004 from Fenchurch Street (West Ham 1013), arriving Benfleeet 1046. There are frequent return trains. Buy a return to Benfleet, or Leigh-on-sea if planning on leaving there.
Picnic lunch and a brisk pace.
OS Landranger 1:50,000 – Map 178,Thames Estuary OS Explorer 1:25,000 - Map 175, Southend on Sea and Basildon
