I often go to Two Tree Island, at least once a month as the bird life there is fantastic. There are two 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. read more

two tree island - One of the spectacular views from Two Tree Island. - Active Life Near Me

A trip to Two Tree Island is an annual affair, encouraged by some mouth watering recipe from Jamie Oliver 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. read more

two tree island - Active Life Near Me

See all

Two tree Island was reclaimed from the sea in the 18th century, and was used for grazing until being turned into a rubbish dump for most of the 20 century. I suppose the action of turning it into an island helped silt up the channel next to Leigh so Leigh stopped being an important port. (it was you know, they built lots of ships here) Because it was a rubbish dump, there are interesting plants to see and fruit to pick, varieties of apples and figs that have sprouted. There are blackberries as well, and large picnic areas for families. Wonderful views of the sea. Towards the far end of the island there are plenty of secluded areas for nature lovers, or just lovers, a good spot to be murdered or seduced on a dark night. Get there by walking up from Leigh station, away from the town, although it's a good idea to pop down to the sheds and get some seafood for a picnic first. And phone Fenchurch street station first because the train companies like to play guess the station and make you run between there and Liverpool street. Golf lovers will also appreciate the enormous driving range on the road up to the island. So after catching crabs in Leigh, why not head here to really punish your balls? read more

Two Tree Island is a nature lovers haven, with so much to see and explore, a great place to visit with kids who often marvel at the remoteness of it! I believe there are official nature trails to follow although I prefer to amble along the footpaths soaking up the wildlife. read more