A WEEKEND EXPLORING HISTORIC ESSEX

or some people, the county of Essex has become synonymous with the TOWIE TV show, and conjures up images of manicure bars, bling and perfect teeth. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with this, but there are other sides to this coastal county that have had less coverage over the past decade. In this trip, I leave the beaten track with an aim of discovering its history, culture and wildlife. Whether it’s a breeding seal colony, a vast flock of avocets, or native oysters that were in global demand back in the Roman times, there are still places in this busy, bustling county – which sits just east of London – where things haven’t changed quite as much as you might expect. Here, you can still recognise the landscape that Constable made so famous in his paintings, stroll around the house where the captain of the resided or witness fishing methods that have barely changed for hundreds of years.