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.
Gill C.
The Christmas Lunch is for Capital Walkers Members. An e-mail will be sent out to members around October/November 2026 to book places.
It's become a bit of a tradition to head off east, to Burnham-on-Crouch, for a walk along the river Crouch before our Christmas lunch at the yacht club. Burnham, famous for birdwatching and known as the "Cowes of the East" amongst boating enthusiasts, sits on the Crouch Estuary. The town's name, from Norman times, means "settlement by the stream".
The walk will be up to 7 miles; a circular walk from the rail station, looping back to the town (which is the first exit point and toilet stop), before we head eastwards in another loop, over fields and ending at the yacht club via the sea wall path.
We leave the station heading west before we hit open fields and track down to the river and marina. We enter historic Burnham along the quayside to the town along good paths. This loop is flat with some paved paths (possibly some mud). This stretch will take approximately 60-90 minutes and you may decide to stay in the town and visit the many cafes and pubs, some of which date from the 1400s, along the Quayside. The second loop will take us through the town, heading east through fields within the shadow of the "windmills". It's all big skies, berries and bulrushes. As we head south toward the sea wall, be ready to be blown away, in every sense of the word; windy with panoramic views across the estuary and inland. We tack west to the yacht club along the sea wall path. This part is muddy and slightly more challenging to navigate but you can walk lower down along the more sheltered marsh-level path. It we are lucky we will see a flock of noisy, dark-bellied Brent geese.
A flat circular walk across reclaimed marshland and along the River Crouch to historic Burnham followed by a second loop going east and returning to Burnham along the sea wall path.
TOILETS: Please use toilets on the train. None at the station. Next opportunity after 60-90 minutes into the walk after the first loop and first exit point.
CLOTHING: Don't dress up. Wear clothes for the weather which can be unpredictable so I will adapt the walk as necessary. Additionally, the length of the second loop will depend on the size and pace of the group walking. Waterproofs and good walking shoes/boots needed as can be muddy. It can be windy along the sea wall.
We start from the station at 10.30. We are aiming to arrive at our lunch venue around 13.30 to order drinks before our lunch at 2.00pm. Exact timing to be confirmed.
TRAVEL: Take the 09.23 train from Liverpool St, (destination Southend, estimated platform 12, but check); Stratford 09.30; Shenfield 09.48; arriving at Wickford at 10.00. Change at Wickford, cross to platform 1 at side of arrival platform, direction Southminster. Senior oyster holders may want to get the Elizabeth line to Shenfield but you risk missing the connections and you should allow at least 45 minutes from Liverpool St (in real time on a weekday recce!!). You will need a train ticket for the remainder of the journey. Buy a return ticket to Burnham-on-Crouch.
Return trains are hourly on a Sunday from Burnham, at 09 minutes past the hour. You should allow 15 minutes to walk to the station. Change at Wickford for London train.
We will meet outside the railway station at Burnham-On-Crouch
