Walton on the Naze

Yesterday we made the most of the sunshine and had a family day out to Walton on the Naze, apart from Rachel, who came here on a geography field trip last year, none of us had been before. As we drove up the A12 we seemed to leave the warmth of the sunshine behind us and by the time we arrived in Walton it was a little overcast and rather blustery. We parked on the sea front and walked into town.

Walton, for the those of you that don't know, is a small seaside town in north Essex. It was a little like stepping back in time and even Rachel commented on how it felt like being in the 60's!

The town itself is a bit run down, which is a shame, but I'm sure in the height of the summer it is bustling with people enjoying the beach.

We headed straight for Yate's fish and chip shop, which Paul had read about on Trip Advisor, we weren't disappointed, the fish and chips were freshly cooked and delicious! Needless to say we tucked in rather swiftly which is why there isn't a photograph!

After lunch we headed back to the sea front where we were hoping to spend a little time on the beach but it was almost high tide and there wasn't much beach left....

The seagulls enjoyed someones leftover crusts,

and Tomas was determined to get as close to the water as possible....he did eventually end up with wet socks!

There were lots of photo opportunities with the crashing waves.

and although it was cold the water was still very tempting.

 Eventually we find a bit more beach to explore,

Tomas and I found lots of sea glass amongst the pebbles and shells

we were quite pleased with our treasures but the others were getting a bit wind swept and chilly so it was time to head back to the car and make our way up the coast to the Naze.

The Naze is a headland just a mile north of the town and is home The Naze Tower and a small nature reserve. We headed down these steps to the seawall and walked along the cliff defences, the cliff are eroding rapidly and without the defences the Tower would end up falling into the sea.

 

It was a great place for wave photographs.

Tomas was a little disappointed as this is supposed to be THE place for finding sharks teeth and fossils but with high tide at it's peak we weren't able to get onto the beach.

We headed back up the cliff steps and were lucky to find that The Naze Tower was open and that we could climb to the top.

There is a tiny tea room at the bottom of the tower and 111 steps to climb, with platforms at regular intervals showcasing the work of local artists. Tomas clambered up the narrow spiral staircase as only a six year old can, I on the other hand could have done with a rest about three quarters of the way up but Tomas was determined to get to the top.

It was definitely worth the climb as the 360 degree views were spectacular.

Rachel and Jack decided to head back down and Tomas and I waited to see them as they headed back to the car.

The flag at the top of the tower has taken a bit of a battering since it was hoisted a bit like my hair by the end of the day which felt wonderfully salty and windswept.

The climb back down the staircase was a more leisurely affair, with time to stop and look at the artwork

and look out of the windows,

before reaching ground level and heading home.

We had a fabulous day out and will definitely be returning to find those illusive sharks teeth.

P.S Today is the last day to put your name down for the cracker swap in my last post.