Wrabness to Harwich
Saturday 30 May. On this gloriously sunny day, with the promise of a gentle breeze, welcome to the last leg of the Essex Way – or first leg, if you are doing the route from east to west.
I haven’t had the opportunity to do this walk yet so the description is drawn from Walking in Essex and internet sources.
We start at Wrabness – familiar to those who have joined Rosemarie on her walk to Manningtree – and the memorable Grayson Perry house.
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Initially, we turn east for the path along the shore of the Stour estuary. On this beautiful sunny morning we have lovely views across Copperas Bay. We then turn inland through a short stretch of the Stour Estuary Nature Reserve woodland before crossing fields.
The Castle Inn, our lunchtime stop, is a 17th century coaching house that turned into an ale house in 1769.
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With so many centuries in its history, it is bound to have witnessed a great many dramas, but perhaps none so remarkable as occurred on 22nd March 1979. In what more recently is termed ‘suicide by police’, teenage gunman Paul Howe took a hostage and led the police in a high-speed chase through Essex, before taking over the pub. After his hostage escaped, Howe set fire to the pub and ran out shooting at the police. He was killed by a police marksman. His hostage claimed that Howe had been determined to force the police to shoot him.
Leaving such drama behind us, the walk continues towards the sea – the Naze Tower can be seen in the distance. Reaching the sea wall, we turn towards Dovercourt Bay and Harwich.
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The end of the Essex Way is marked by a plaque on the High Lighthouse (built 1818). Paired with the Low Lighthouse, these structures marked the direction mariners needed to take for a safe approach to the harbour. Changes to the channel meant the lighthouses became redundant. Cast iron structures were built in 1863 to mark the new route. I hope you can join me on this walk at some future date.
Kathleen