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Gateway to the largest wetland in Essex, on the doorstep of the Thames

South Essex Marshes

Season
  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Autumn
  • Winter

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SenK

SenK

Top things to do in Spring

  1. Look and listen for cuckoos around the park
  2. Stroll along flat, wheelchair-friendly paths - an easy walk for all the family
  3. Bluebells, primroses and daffodils will already be a blaze of colour and provide valuable early nectar for insects

Top things to do in Summer

  1. Enjoy a picnic in our wildlife garden, while watching dragonflies patrolling the ponds
  2. Marvel at the magnificently coloured butterflies as you follow the nature trails
  3. As dusk approaches you may notice moths visiting honeysuckle and other scented flowers

Top things to do in Autumn

  1. Look for bearded tits in the reedbeds
  2. Take a pit-stop for lunch in Wat Tyler's café
  3. Watch as brightly-coloured goldfinches feed on the seeding teasel heads

Top things to do in Winter

  1. Enjoy a relaxing walk around the park followed by a hot drink in the Wat Tyler Centre café
  2. In winter, the creeks come alive with wading birds. Watch them plunging their long beaks in the mud to catch worms!
  3. The bare branches of winter make it easier to see the birds - look for redwings and fieldfares along the hedgerows

What's on?

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Your photos

  • Warbler
  • Whitethroat
  • Great tit
  • Willow Warbler
  • Blackcap
  • Canada Geese
  • Marsh Harrier on the Scrape
  • Mandarin ducks

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Extend your stay

Other places to visit

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Vange Marsh

A real little natural oasis squeezed into urban Essex

Rainham Marshes visitor centre

Rainham Marshes

Big skies, exciting wildlife and a great place for a walk - all inside the M25!

Oak woodland, Haweswater

Haweswater

A rugged area of high fells, fast-flowing streams and native woodland

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