Interesting Places
Here are some random sample locations of interest in Essex. Also take a look at sites shown on our sites map, geology site map and brownfield site map, with the site account and locate site facility.
locate Rowney Woods
Plantation ancient woodland in process of reverting to original oak-hornbeam woodland. Well known as an oxlip wet woodland.
locate Ingrebourne Valley
The best remaining river valley marshland in Greater London, with other important habitats adjacent or nearby including some excellent brownfield and Thames Terrace Grassland areas.
locate East Tilbury Silt Lagoons
Silt lagoons dating from the late 1970s/early 1980s (still too wet to walk on in 1985), now mostly dry sandy and gravelly grassland with areas of lichen heath and a certain amount of scrub invasion, adjacent to saltmarsh by River Thames.
locate Jermaines Wood
Jermaines Wood is a small, sloping woodland situated between Tylers Common and the M25 motorway. Owned by Essex County Council, but within the Havering boundary, it is fundamentally an ancient, once-coppiced wet woodland, with streams running along two edges.
locate Hunts Hill, Belhus Woods Country Park
Old sand workings with sand exposures, flower rich areas, a small area of lichen heath, sparsely vegetated ground and lakes. Drought stressed oaks occur at several locations at the site. Access by car is via BWCP car park (which see), but footpaths are also close by.
locate Chafford Gorges
A series of old chalk quarries, now owned and managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust.
locate Backwarden, Danbury
An important part of the Danbury ridge with small surviving heather areas and associated invertebrates.
locate Flitch Way
A disused railway line with a variety of interesting wildlife habitats along its length forming a linear nature reserve. See also The Friends of Flitch Way website.