[Closed] My missus wants to go on holiday to Essex

My wife is from Westcliff-on-Sea. I am from Essex, but not that bit.

Your initial reaction is correct, minus a couple of expletives.

Old Leigh has a nice 100 yard section fronting onto the mudflats. Decentish pub (for Southend area, so glassings are still a distinct possibility) whelk stall.

I think 'WTF are you on about, you loon?' is the right response to anyone who suggests holidaying in South Essex.*

*Unless the alternatives are a holiday park in Mogadishu or Chechnya.

I'm sure Jaywick-on-Sands would be over the moon with your holiday pound.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/mar/29/jaywick-essex-resort-most-deprived

Work takes me on the road throughout East Anglia, and try to explore the areas I stay in. South Essex is my least favourite area; apologies to anybody who lives there! Maldon seems pleasant enough, but otherwise there's not a lot exciting to do in any of the places I've stayed, and the places are quite anonymous. The seaside towns are what you would expect from most English "resorts"; a bit shabby and full of old people.

Get up the coast into Suffolk and it becomes much more pleasant.

Mainly, though, what sort of holiday is it? What do you like to do?

If her 'likes' include gazing over fields covered in pylons, chatting to the locals about forriners, or aquiring a top-quality fake tan, then an epic road trip between Southend and Canvey Island, preferably while over-revving a modified Corsa, will be just the ticket.

Either go further round the coast to Suffolk, or even further round to Norfolk, or hop over the Thames Estuary to Kent.

From my house (when I'm back home), the view from the back window is of Canvey Island and London Gateway across the marshes and Thames, which are pretty close to the suggest holiday location (I think?), and neither of them look like a holiday destination from what I can see.

Nice for a day trip, or better still a half day trip.

Gets some good reviews on Trip Advisor https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g1138967-d2343548-Reviews-Old_Leigh-Leigh_on_Sea_Southend_on_Sea_Essex_England.html

Depends what you want from a holiday............

The undisputed King of the Slums
With more alias' than Klaus Barbie
The Master Butcher of Leigh on Sea

Thanks.

Done Suffolk twice and Norfolk once, with a week booked there for next year already. She wants to explore a new part of the country, but I think there is a reason why we don't know much about it.

Go Dorset, or Exmoor or somewhere similar then? Much nicer to explore; if that's your main thing, I really think south Essex is a bad choice!

She wants to explore a new part of the country,

Had exactly the same conversation  a few weeks ago and that's why, after 20 years of Cornwall, we're going to the North Yorkshire Coast this year ( Ravenscar)

we’re going to the North Yorkshire Coast this year ( Ravenscar)

Yes, but have you considered a fortnight in Pitsea?

Unlucky.  

Frinton is a pleasant middle class seaside resort, we used to enjoy a day trip there when we lived near London. Wouldn't book a holiday in Essex myself though.

We mostly tend to go to North Wales or Dumfries & Galloway.

UPDATE!

She has done a bit of Googling. We are not going to Essex. Ever.

I lived in LoS for 21 years so I know quite a bit about the area. While it's not exactly appalling, I really can't think what would occupy you for very long after a quick tour of the high street then Old Leigh. You could ride the two miles to Hadleigh and go around the Olympic park track?
I ran away to Dorset!

I was in Shoeburyness for 7 years. Cut along the A127 all the way to Southend. Tow everything to the south out into the North Sea and sink it in very deep water and you are left with somewhere you might want to go.

My mum and dad, somewhat inexplicably, decided to do this last summer, and tag on a few days in Essex after they'd been in London stopping with our kid.

They came back like soldiers returning from Vietnam. They won't be going back. The highlight of the trip was being woken up at 2am with a huge mass brawl going on in the street outside the hotel

#softnortherners

She has done a bit of Googling. We are not going to Essex. Ever.

"OK Google, should I go on holiday to Essex?"

"No. Would you like me to contact your mental health provider?"

...you are actually all selling this to me really well. And that's without factoring in cultural heroes

Frinton is a pleasant middle class seaside resort, we used to enjoy a day trip there when we lived near London.

Harwich for the Continent!
Frinton for the incontinent!

Watchit you lot

I grew up on the Rock and I still know plenty of nasties on there.... although TBF you'd have to visit them for your good hiding, as they aren't too keen on leaving the place.

Southend seafront, Leigh and even Canvey seafront are now, in many ways, much nicer places to be than when I was growing up there.... pretty good for a day trip I'd say but not sure they've reached a holiday destination yet.

Should go an Essex road trip

We had a job off in Vange and Scranton’s Social Club once, we should’ve let them keep the heroin having to live there - what a dump

The trick is to stay north of the A127.

The trick is to stay north of the M62.

The trick is to stay north of the M62. A66

FTFY

We had a few days in Whitstable during the oyster festival and it was excellent. We camped just outside at the top of the bloody big hill so cycling back at night, pissed, was a bugger.

Been to Whitstable too. Thought it was OK.

I think all of our hollidays were in Essex for about 4 years when I was growing up, we had an old boat moored near Walton so used to sail between Maldon and Orford. I turned out normal-ish.

or hop over the Thames Estuary to Kent.

I once went to Sheppey for the weekend without doing any research.

My wife and I cycled through Essex on holiday last year, going from London to Edinburgh. I was impressed, I thought it was really nice. But on checking, it wasn’t where you’re suggesting, more North Essex I guess.

#softnortherners

It’s not we’re soft it’s just if we want a holiday from the grim north why go to somewhere just as grim. Like London.

Lived in Essex quite a while back - from memory, only some of the old fishing villages like Brightlingsea were worth visiting on a day trip in summer. Bad memories of Southend, Clacton and Leigh-on-Sea. If staring at mud flats is your thing...

I grew up in Thurrock. My folks went up market and moved to Chelmsford where my mum grew up.

About 90% of everything south of the A127 is shite. The good bits are the marshes, because no one lives there. The far end of Essex towards Foulness feels remote.

Is it worth making an extra journey there from elsewhere in the UK? No.

Leigh on Sea is just a less shit bit of a shit bit.

I grew up in Furrock

FTFY

Born and raised in South Essex too, and while I wish I could take offence at the attitiudes in this thread they're pretty much spot on.   I first moved away at 18 and never thought about going back.

And as for

They came back like soldiers returning from Vietnam.

You'll find a lot of Estuarine dwellers get a misty look in their eye when they talk about their tough times in 'Nam... yep, .  that's Dagenham

You’ll find a lot of Estuarine dwellers get a misty look in their eye when they talk about their tough times in ‘Nam… yep, . that’s Dagenham

Never go Full Romford.

I did a couple of contracting jobs not far from there. About 8 months all told.
I nearly went mad . Well....more mad.
There was a half decent bnb in westcliffe I regularly stayed at,one night let me down. I had to look for a room just off Southend prom. You know the air freshener scene in 7even? It was like that!
I’d did get to see Dr Feelgood, so it wasn’t all bad -just 99%.

I grew up in Furrock

Furrock....

Remember our history teacher, who I think was from Wales, telling us that the word thurrock, or furrock, was the term given to the bowels of a ship where all the crap collected. Not sure if it's true or that was just his snide way of saying that Thurrock is a shit hole, but needless to say he didn't much like the place.

I've had a google but can't find anything to confirm whether the bowels of a ship was called a furrock, but it's a good analogy either way.

F me I was glad when my folks decided to move away. I was even happier when I left Essex for good.

I downloaded this the other day for the drive back to Schermany. Might be of interest to some....

https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZ3VhcmRpYW4uY29tL25ld3Mvc2VyaWVzL3RoZS1hdWRpby1sb25nLXJlYWQvcG9kY2FzdC54bWw&episode=NWQxZjA5Yjk4ZjA4ZWQxMzYzN2U0Mjc4

Listening to it I kept getting images of people I knew and grew up with coming into my head. A bit of a trip down memory lane, but not necessary a nice lane lined with trees and quaint cottages.

There are some really nice places in Essex, it's quite a big place! The strip along the Thames Esturary though, I wouldn't see as a holiday destination I did grow up there but wouldn't ever move back. It remains busy due to proximity to London and decent employment, but those are reasons to live there, not visit.

North Essex is OK, plenty of sleepy villages and decent country pubs plus you can use it as a base to visit Suffolk and Cambs. I live in a village on the Herts side of Bishop's Stortford and usually cycle into nearby bits of Essex and south Cambs, there really isn't anything to complain about.

Mersea Island is worth a look - very different from Canvey!