This walk has been cancelled due to a planned train strike. If you have a ticket to travel back from Southend by the Waverley Paddle Steamer you can get a credit for another sailing this year or next. They cannot give a straight refund; sadly.
Welcome to Capital Walkers, the friendly London Ramblers group for people aged 40+. We walk every weekend and usually at least once during the week.
Hike from Benfleet to Southend with the option of returning by train or The Waverley Paddle Steamer from Southend Pier to Tower Pier by The Tower of London/Tower Bridge. This walk follows the coastal path with views of Canvey Island, Hadleigh Castle and the mile long Southend Pier as well as likely big skies from the Thames Estuary across to the North Sea. This is a flat walk with a short break in Leigh-on-Sea.
Drop out point: Leigh-on-Sea
No booking required for this walk.
The finishing time is an estimate only and will be dependent on a number of factors, such as weather, the speed at which the group walks and the number of breaks taken.
Advanced booking is required if travelling back by boat. See additional information below.
No dogs.
TRAVEL & BOOKING
Option 1
Travel by train to Benfleet Railway Station to join the walk and return from Southend Central Railway Station. Take the 10:00 train from London Fenchurch Street Station (West Ham 10:09), arrives Benfleet at 10:43. Buy a return train ticket to Southend.
Option 2
Travel by train to Benfleet Railway Station to join the walk and spend time exploring Southend before catching the Paddle Steamer to Tower Pier, Tower Bridge. Tower Pier is a short distance from Tower Hill Underground and Tower Gateway (DLR) stations.
Take the 10:00 train from London Fenchurch Street (West Ham 10:09), arrives Benfleet 10:43.
Buy a ticket for the return journey on the Waverley Paddle Steamer.
The Waverley departs Southend Pier at around 17.00 - 17.15, calling at Gravesend at 18.50 and arrives at Tower Pier at c21.00.
Advanced booking is required. c£45 for the single from Southend to Tower Pier. You are responsible for making your own booking. See booking site below.
https://waverleyexcursions.co.uk/book/
Booking phone number:
0141 243 2224
The initiative for this option is from Kirk who will meet at the end of Southend Pier at 16.30 to see PS Waverley arriving alongside the pier before boarding. There is a cafe at the end of the pier.
“With a paddle steamer this is especially interesting to see as are the triple expansion steam engines which turn the paddles and are open to view in the centre of the ship below decks. There is a spacious cafeteria and two bars on board.”
Kirk worked on a coal burning paddle steamer from 1974-1976; the Waverley was converted to oil burning.
https://www.abebooks.co.uk/book-search/title/ferries-across-humber/author/martin-kirk/
Kirk writes “I know it looks expensive, but there is a huge cost to running this old paddle steamer and it is well worth having a trip.”
Benfleet Railway Station
Southend Railway Station
