Clacton-on-Sea to Walton-on-the Naze

Walks: Clacton-on-Sea to Walton-on-the-Naze, Walton-on-the-Naze Circular

It takes an hour and a half from Liverpool Street to Clacton-on-Sea, and you can change just before you reach it at Thorpe-le-Soken for a branch line to Frinton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze (hyphenated names seem to be all the rage here). This whole coast is basically one long gently shelving sandy beach (possibly with a tendency to mud at low tide?), which makes it a fine place to swim on a sunny day. The one disadvantage is that the water here is somewhat brown, due to silt from the low-lying coast.

Walton at first glance looks rather disappointing, with a rather ugly pier (but see below) and patchy architecture. However, it has a series of fine sandy beaches, with shallow seas making for easy swimming, and the centre of the town just inland has a number of pretty corners. In season, there are several seafront cafes. Frinton's long straight beach is backed by rows of colourful beach huts, which lend it a certain charm.

• A walk along the sea wall -  Clacton-on-Sea to Walton-on-the-Naze - links all three resorts, with a slightly wilder bit between Holland-on-Sea and Frinton.


• From Clacton you get a fine view of the Gunfleet Sands offshore wind farm.


• At 792.5 metres, Walton pier is the third longest in the country, after Southend and Southport. If you can get through the garish amusement arcade at its landward end, it is a scenic walk out to its end, the backward views of the coast being surprisingly attractive.


• The Naze, to the north of Walton, is worth exploring - see the Walton-on-the-Naze Circular walk. The initial bit, just to the north of Walton is a green contrast to the rest of the coast, and from the northern most tip there are fine views across to Harwich and Felixstowe. The marshes on the north and eastern shores of the Naze are interesting for birdlife.