Top 7 Things to do in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex
Leigh-on-Sea in Essex is well worth visiting. It is full of boutiques, craft shops, art galleries and lots of excellent eateries to cater for all, including restaurants, gastro pubs and fish huts.
Being located alongside the River Thames, there are excellent views at every turn.
It was once voted one of the best places to live in England, and it is easy to see why, with its atmospheric old town, bustling town centre and easy access to some fantastic open spaces.
I have shared some of my favourite things to do in Leigh-on-Sea to help you plan your next trip there and I hope you enjoy Leigh-on-Sea as much as I do.
Table of Contents
1. Enjoy the atmosphere and ambience of Old Leigh
Leigh-on-Sea is steeped in history, and nowhere is this more evident than down at Old Leigh.
Leigh is a fishing village that was first recorded in the Doomsday Book and was well placed along the banks of the River Thames to prosper from trade with London through the centuries. Leigh-on-Sea continues to have a thriving working fishing port, located at Old Leigh.
It is this fishing heritage that creates the charm that draws tourists to the area. The cobbled High Street cuts through the centre, overlooked by historic cottages and buildings.
The River Thames runs parallel with glimpses of it between the buildings, adding to the charm.
The High Street in Old Leigh has numerous fish huts, selling shellfish to eat with a slice of lemon whilst wandering around or the fresh ‘catch of the day’ can be purchased to take home. Osborne & Sons has a fish hut between Belton Bridge Car Park and Leigh-on-Sea Train Station and another opposite The Crooked Billet pub.
There are lots of other great food and drink options along the High Street in Old Leigh.
The Crooked Billet, The Peterboat, Ye Old Smack and the Mayflower pubs all serve traditional English food and are excellent spots for a pint of beer. Both the Crooked Billet and The Peterboat have beer gardens with stunning views overlooking the River Thames. The Boatyard is a modern restaurant and cocktail bar, also with stunning views of the River Thames.
For traditional fish and chips, look no further than The Mayflower, which has a chip shop connected to the pub, along the High Street. You can enjoy your chips inside the pub, however The Mayflower is conveniently located next to the beach – and there is no better place to enjoy your chips than on the beach, with a wonderful sea-view.
Rossi Ice Cream is Southend-on-Sea’s multi award winning premium ice cream. There are lots of places along the High Street to buy an ice cream and then stroll down to the beach to enjoy.
As well as enjoying the charm of the area, the food and drink, and location along the River Thames, there is still more to see, including the art galleries; Old Leigh Studios, Estuary Gallery Barge, as well as, the Leigh Heritage Centre & Museum.
The area is easy to reach. Leigh-on-Sea Train Station and its car park are conveniently located at the end of the High Street. While Belton Bridge Road is located at the end of the cobbled street by the Crooked Billet. There is more parking along Belton Gardens.
2. Relax at Bell Wharf Beach, Leigh-on-Sea
Overlooking the River Thames, Bell Wharf Beach is the local beach at the end of the cobbled streets of Old Leigh.
It is a small beach and understandably can get quite busy during the summer, especially when the tide is in.
However, it is an excellent place to spend some time and watch the world go by. The area is full of activity, both on the sea, from the boats, and paddleboards of the Sailing cub and Sea Scouts, to the passers by using the footpath that follows the coastline all the way to Southend-on-Sea and Shoeburyness.
The beach is an excellent place for a picnic, with many people bringing their fish and chips or ice creams from Old Leigh down to the beach to enjoy.
The character of the beach changes dramatically in all seasons and different parts of the day. The landscape can be quite dramatic when the tide is out, and the weather coming in, but can be picture postcard perfect, when the sun is shining and it is full of people. The landscape can provide a lot of artistic inspiration and it is easy to see why artists can be found here painting in all weather.
The beach is popular with walkers, and during the winter months between 1st October to 30th April, the locals are also allowed to walk their dogs along Bell Wharf Beach.
3. Shop at the Broadway, Leigh-on-Sea
The Broadway is the shopping heart of Leigh-on-Sea Town Centre, with many independent boutiques, cafés and restaurants.
The Broadway is detached from Old Leigh and is a short walk away up the steep residential streets between these areas. If undertaking this walk, a tea break will be well deserved !!
The latest womens fashion is well catered for, with shops such as Ruby room, a Touch Too Wild and Jez boutique, whilst you can find the perfect home furnishings in shops such as Beau Interiors and Tin Design.
You can also shop for groceries on The Broadway, where there is a selection of independent greengrocers, bakeries and gourmet deli’s.
When you need a break from shopping there are lots of great cafes and restaurants to enjoy. The cafes and restaurants are very popular destinations in their own right and are perfect places for watching the world go by. Corner Club and Stop the World are particularly popular local eateries for drinks, shakes, cakes and light bites from breakfast to afternoon tea.
My favourite part about visiting Leigh-on-Sea is all the wonderful art galleries, particularly around The Broadway. The Broadway is an important artistic centre within Essex with a high concentration of art galleries and studios, such as Two Tree Gallery, Create 98, Piece Gallery and 70 The Broadway and is home to the annual Leigh-on-Sea Art Trail. As there is so much to say about art galleries in Leigh-on-Sea and Southend, I have written a separate blog post with further information, you can find that blog post here.
The Broadway is best reached by car, and there are plenty parking spaces along this road itself.
4. Cycle or Walk to Southend-on-Sea
There is a mostly flat 6.5 mile footpath that connects Old Leigh with Shoeburyness to the east and includes the Cinders Path, below Undercliff Gardens and runs past Chalkwell Beach, Southend-on-Sea’s famous pier and the attractions at Adventure Island.
This path for the majority of its length is shared with a cycle path and runs parellel to the coastline.
With long views of the Thames Estuary and the Kent coast, the path provides a lovely and leisurely route, either by bike or by foot.
This is a very popular path, and you can see the locals exercising in their numbers during the mornings and evenings.
5. Explore Two Tree Island Nature Reserve
Two Tree Island Nature Reserve is an internationally important nature reserve that sits alongside the River Thames and is a thriving habitat for many birds, butterflies, slow worms and insects.
This area is a favourite walking destination for locals and it is easy to see why, with its stunning landscapes - it has over 6km of different walking trails.
Dogs are allowed along the walking trails of Two Tree Island Nature Reserve, provided they are kept under control and the dog waste bins are used.
Two Tree Island Nature Reserve is easy to reach from Old Leigh, being located a short walk along the High Street to the west of Leigh-on-Sea Train Station.
There is also plenty of parking, with its own free car park and additional parking at Leigh-on-Sea Train Station.
6. Take a Walk up to Hadleigh Castle
Hadleigh Castle was first constructed around 1215 and refortified in the 14th Century by Edward III during the Hundred Years War with France, owing to its strategic location along the River Thames on the route to London. The castle fell into disrepair in the 16th Century, suffered from subsidence and the castle was sold for building materials. Hadleigh Castle was made famous by John Constable’s 19th Century sketch of the castle.
Hadleigh Castle is located approximately 1 mile away from Leigh-on-Sea and is an important landmark that sits on the hill overlooking the River Thames and the Essex marshes. It is free to visit and walk around at any time.
Hadleigh Castle can easily be reached by foot from Leigh-on-Sea Train Station by following the walking trails from Belton Way West. Although, the path to the castle is very steep and can get muddy during poor weather.
The castle can also be reached via the walking trails from the nearby Hadleigh Country Park, which also has own car parking, and some key facilities.
If you plan to walk up to Hadleigh Castle, be mindful that there are no facilities at the castle, although Hadleigh Farm and Rare Breed Centre are close by, which have some key facilities, such as toilets.
7. Hadleigh Country Park
Hadleigh Country Park is not strictly in Leigh-on-Sea, it is next town over, but it is very close, being less than a 10 minute drive away, and is a great place to visit. Hadleigh Country Park, made famous in 2012, when it hosted the mountain bike events at the London Olympics, overlooks the Thames Estuary, with excellent far-reaching views over to Kent.
It is open daily from 8am until dusk.
Hadleigh Country Park is an excellent destination for biking, with its free to use bike trails, including the Olympic route, as well as walking and horse riding. It is a great place to have a picnic and is also very dog friendly, with plenty of space for dogs to run around.
Hadleigh country park has a large car park, café, bike shop and bike hire, a classroom and a children’s play area.
The stunning replica Iron Age roundhouse is worth exploring, as is the 13th century ruin of Hadleigh Castle (see above), which is about a 1km from the car park. Whilst the Iron Age roundhouse is free to visit, it is not always open, so please visit their website for opening times.
With its undulating hills, in winter time, Hadleigh Country Park is a popular place to go sledging.
Hadleigh Country Park is free to visit, but there is a charge for the car park. The best way to reach it is by car, with the main car park being accessed from Chapel Lane, off the A13 in Hadleigh.
