Southend On Sea

I would have liked to have stayed. We wanted to ask the 80s Matchbox if we could ride in their van, and they probably would have let us, but they weren't going to London, they were going back to Brighton. Hrrrmmmm, all the seaside we could take in 24 hours? I don't think so!

I quite liked Southend when I was there in 1993. Also it has THREE railway stations, which I like, but which must be very very unusual in such a relatively small town, post-Beeching.

Very posh Essex: Trevor Bailey (former England cricketer of the "gentlemen amateur" school and later TMS commentator) is from Westcliff-on-Sea.

There's Nasty, too - I once accepted an invitation to a barbecue there, I hate barbecues and I hated the people but had to go for the name.

That coast walk you mention is one I've always wanted to do. Bradwell Juxta Mare is one of England's Great And Powerful Places.

Very feasible as well. Frequent trains from Liverpool Street to Burnham-on-Crouch. Then when you get to Bradwell village there's a minibus service that will take you to Southminster to catch the train back to London - after a drink at the excellent Station Arms (all this assuming you're in London which you may not be of course...).
One fine summer evening the scene around the chapel at Bradwell was so perfect (walking up the track leading towards the village I kept turning back to look at the chapel and the expanse of sky/sea/marsh, was half-tempted to sleep in a hedge).

No wonder KT had a traumatic time on Sarfend beach. I bet the salty sea air was a completely inappropriate environment for her shiny metal ass.

Sadly I don't live in Matching Tye, although I am very attached to my co-ordinated Thai elephant silk boxers & tie.

I have resisted the temptation to depict Lixi in her exploded hair state.

...

oooooooooooooooooo Bradwell at sunset with Big Clouds. The chapel door open so the candles at the altar just compete with the dying light.

Too much of that kind of moment and I'll end up directing traffic at street corners, or growing grey dreadlocks and accosting strangers. A bustle in the hedgerow, as you imply.

...

I once had an Open Air Intimate Experience with a female friend by the sea wall at the other end of that walk. But you don't want to know that.

Sadly I live in Wiltshire now so am unlikely to do the walk itself for some time.

Have you been there yet Gareth?

This is a view from the sea wall looking to seaward somewhere pretty near the place you pinpointed on the map:

http://home.clara.net/huntsman/dengieoutfall.jpg

And this is the chapel - St. Peter-on-the-wall, built c. 653 AD:



http://home.clara.net/huntsman/chapel.jpg

I'm on a train on a pier. 2017 RULES

It sounds great. Reminds me of the Seaworld days!

Have you been there? Why is it so frightening?

I was there today, I thought it would be a total hellhole but I found it to be pretty cool. The hellhole-ish aspect is that it's just Blackpool on the Thames Estuary - but I like Blackpool so that doesn't bother me - and, anyway, there's some really nice areas even Morrissey might approve of (see above). At one point popped into a pub that had a Hammond organ here, a Fender Rhodes lying over there, a harmonium in the corner and a pulpit. Pub was empty to start with then began filling up with a clientele ranging agewise from 8 to 80 (literally), lots of ageing mods and interestingly dressed OAPs, a band came on playing a kind of Meters meets Brian Auger organ-based funky rock thing. Went for some excellent fish and chips. Etcetera. Would go again!

Yes. Had I elaborated on my post of two years ago, I'd have emphasised how it's a pretty nice place to walk around/hang out in