Essex Country Parks
Hadleigh and Marsh Farm
Country Parks
Recruitment Pack
Winter 2024/25
Who we are
Essex Country Parks are part of Explore Essex, a consumer-facing brand which brings together this unique group of parks, activity centres and heritage venues, all managed by Essex County Council. Our mission is to deliver a broad range of diverse green spaces, exciting facilities and activities for the people of Essex.
Conservation is also at the heart of what we do. Any money spent with the Explore Essex group of places (for example car parking) is ultimately reinvested to help maintain and develop the sites for the benefit of visitors and the protection of the wildlife within.
Essex Country Parks
Belhus Woods
Cudmore Grove
Danbury
Great Notley
Hadleigh Marsh Farm Thorndon Weald
Who we are: Essex Country Parks
There are eight Essex Country Parks managed by Essex County Council.
The Parks cover diverse landscapes and stretch across the county from Belhus Woods in the south west to Cudmore Grove in north east.
The Park Managers work together to share learnings and ensure consistency of customer visit across the sites.
Hadleigh Country Park
More about Hadleigh
One of the largest green spaces in Essex, Hadleigh Country Park offers something for everyone including idyllic countryside and magnificent views over the Thames Estuary.
Combining a 400-space car park, café, bike hire, walking and cycling trails as well as kid’s play area and pump track, there is plenty of room and opportunity for everyone to get active whatever their age and fitness level.
There are wide stretches of beautiful open spaces for picnics and wildlife watching and a variety of activities, such as biking and cycle lessons, open water swimming and kayaking, some of which are run by third parties.
Each season bring something new. In spring, the bluebells put on a magnificent display. Summer sees the meadows in bloom with scores of butterflies drifting over, ideal for a picnic. In autumn, blackberries and sloes are a great attraction while winter brings large flocks of birds.
www.explore-essex.com/Hadliegh
More about Marsh Farm
A stunning 350-acre country park adjacent to the River Crouch, offering scenic walks with fantastic views over the country park and the river. Great for walking, running, cycling, dog walking and bird watching.
Surrounded on three sides by the River Crouch, Clements Green Creek and Fenn Creek, Marsh Farm Country Park is a great place for coastal walks and superb river views. Its 300 acres of grazing marsh offers ideal dog-walking and wildlife-spotting opportunities, as well as a chance to explore many scenic riverside paths.
The park is recognised as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of its importance for overwintering dark bellied brent geese. It also provides an overwintering site for many species of waders and ducks in the autumn and winter, and several species breed here in the Spring including sedge warblers, cuckoos and sky larks, making it the perfect spot for year-round birdwatching.
The park also supports a fantastic population of water voles, an endangered species that can sometimes be seen in the borrow dykes and ditches alongside the river.
www.explore-essex.com/Marsh Farm
Looking forward
Some of the important work that is currently taking place at Hadleigh Country Park includes the delivery of the parkland management plan to restore some of the original parkland features.
Looking forward, we are about to enter an exciting phase which will see us realise an ambitious plan through the Countryside Stewardship Scheme.
This work will include managing more of the scrub, grazing more of our meadows and enhancing the wetland and pond features.
Red Poll cattle grazing at Hadleigh Country Park
Hadleigh Country Park
Opportunities at Hadleigh and Marsh Farm
Some of the many opportunities at the parks include the chance to implement the latest and comprehensive land management plan.
Being part of a wider team of great high quality country parks with SSSI and SPA designations, ancient scheduled monuments. And so much more.
What difference do you think you could make?
Apply for the Hadleigh and Marsh Farm Country Parks Manager role now.
www.explore-essex.com/Hadleigh
Hadleigh Country Park
Essex County Council
Contact us:
explore.essex@essex.gov.uk
Essex Country Parks
Essex County Council
County Hall, Chelmsford
Essex, CM1 1QH facebook.com/exploressex Facebook.com/Hadleighcountrypark
The information contained in this document can be translated, and/or made available in alternative formats, on request. Published November 2024 /exploreessex