Ferry good! Let someone else do the driving and discover more of the region around our coastal rivers
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he East Coast’s rivers are a perfect playground for sailors and watersports enthusiasts, but they’re ideal for journeys of discovery too. The historic cinque port of Brightlingsea, for example, sits close to the mouth of the River Colne where it meets the Blackwater and Thames Estuaries, and its Harbour Ferry opens up opportunities to explore the local area and attractions. Importantly, travel by the ferry greatly reduces road miles – a round-trip by road between Brightlingsea and St Osyth is 20 miles but typically takes just three minutes on the ferry, while the round-trip by road to East Mersea is 40 miles and only takes approximately nine minutes by ferry. Once there, it’s easy to explore Cudmore Grove Country Park, an excellent coastal-themed play area, or to go further afield for afternoon tea and locally brewed beer at Mersea Island vineyard, or to enjoy locally-caught oysters at the popular Seafood at Dawn restaurant. Still on a foodie theme, Brightlingsea offers a pub lunch and river cruise along the Colne to Wivenhoe, a postcard-pretty village that’s been home to many famous people including actress Joan Hickson – TV’s Miss Marple – plus numerous artists and writers. The town’s history centres on
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fishing, shipbuilding and smuggling, and included in the price of this trip is a meal at the 300-yearold Black Buoy Inn, which is steeped in maritime history and this year’s Colchester & North East Essex CAMRA Pub Of The Year. If you’d prefer to really push the boat out, the Brightlingsea Harbour Ferry is available for private charter, or for those short of time a simple harbour tour might be more suitable – the trip takes passengers around the salt marsh that is Cindery Island, home to many local birds and wildlife. • For further information visit www.brightlingseaharbour.org
he Harwich Harbour Foot & Bicycle Ferry (pictured top) provides a vital link at the confluence of the Rivers Stour and Orwell, usually offering regular passage between Shotley, Harwich and Felixstowe from April to November. A 60-minute harbour round-trip gives passengers the opportunity to see the ancient Landguard Fort from the water – designed to guard the entrance to the port of Harwich, its fortifications date from 1540. And for wildlifelovers, a new Seal Watching voyage takes passengers into the Hamford Water Nature Reserve, home to a healthy breeding population of seals as well as a variety of birds. The trip from Harwich lasts 90-120 minutes and runs all year, weather permitting. •www.harwichharbourferry.com Coastal Guide 2020
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