I often go to Two Tree Island, at least once a month as the bird life there is fantastic. There are…read moretwo hides on the island, one which faces towards Canvey Island and the other faces towards the lagoon reserve. The latter is the better hide, however it is normally jam packed with twitchers, so I tend to walk a few more feet from here and look out over the lagoon. It is wonderful especially around September time when the samphire becomes a purple colour with green tones, it takes a wonderful picture. At the entrance to Two Tree island you can watch people launching their boats or preparing to jet ski, although the last time I was there, the current must have been very strong as a group of lads lost their jet ski as it wandered on its own little journey much to their dismay. It is a wonderful place to take children, I would suggest taking a book for local flora and fauna as there is numerous butterflies, insects, birds and also reptiles, I have not spotted an adder there yet, but I live in hope. Plus there is model aircraft which fly above, great fun to watch over a picnic.

A trip to Two Tree Island is an annual affair, encouraged by some mouth watering recipe from Jamie…read moreOliver in the News of the world supplement; this time Blackberry and Almond tart. This weekend threatened to be glorious and the warm weather fought through at mid-day to make for a fantastic few hours exploring this nature reserve. High tide was up so water was lapping around the edge of the island and there was plenty of action on the water from fishing boats, yachts and jet skis. In the centre of the island an air show was happening courtesy of a model airplane club, which explained the strange buzzing sounds we could hear when we parked up. Some of the bushes were looking quite poor for blackberries but others when found were brilliant and it did not take too long to get a decent amount. Distractions from the picking included looking at the amazing views both out into the Thames Estuary and towards Hadleigh Castle, my youngest just loved watching the C2C trains trundling along to Leigh Station which could be seen so clearly but from our distance looked to him like his model trains. My eldest was inquisitive about the nature of the island and we discovered a number of weird and wonderful plants, some far from my knowledge of knowing their names. The island is famous for twitchers and hides are available to try and spot Curlews, Cormorants, Widgeons and many other varieties. We were thrilled to get quite close up to a hawk hovering for its lunch. On a down side the island is a haven for large dogs to exercise, so you need to keep your eye out for the many piles of dog poo that litter the green space.

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I use Wickford Swimming pool regularly and find the staff really helpful and friendly. In recent…read moremonths the facility has been revamped. The pool and changing facilities are now excellent.

Awesome outdoors spot in Essex! This impressive park boasts :…read more - A Bowling Green - Tennis courts - A Children's playground - Two cricket pitches - Five football pitches What more could you ask for?