Tourism

If you grew up in the Essex region you may have long and distant memories of Walton, Clacton and Frinton beaches. Bucket and spade weekends with your parents under a vaguely gloomy sky, icy cold dips in the relentlessly chilled seas and if you were lucky a sugary treat that was both satisfying and sickly all at the same time.
Now that Britain has its all too brief heatwave here for 2015 we wanted to revisit this area to highlight whats its got. Its about 1 hour 20 mins drive from Grays so while technically Essex you would do well to consider that this is not a short endeavor. But once you get there you will find an impressively long pier stretching out on to the North sea, glorious sandy beaches and considerable commercial squalor to provide you with your every need.
The waters are still unbearably cold, no change there despite global warming, but what I don't remember is how the beach effectually vanishes at high tide as the waters (more rough and choppy than I ever remembered) batter the levy walls and effectively make it a no-go-zone for all but the most intrepid. The surrounding town is actually quite splendid, its not old or dilapidated (something I recall that it very much was back in the day) but has spruced itself up quite nicely with cafes and classy looking fish and chip outlets, clearly they took a look at Brighton and thought they would class it up a bit. The pier is not going to be for everyone, its very long and impressive. Its formed by a large amusement arcade for the first fir-lone, all blinky machines and tacky amusements rides, but for the second two thirds it opens up and becomes a glorious promenade full of genital strollers and fisherman. Quite wonderful really.
Ultimately Walton is not going to be for everyone but basically if you like Southend you will love Walton.

Postcode: CO14 8EA