Are you looking at things to do in Essex with children this festive period? Whether you are after a recommendation for a Christmas Day walk, a Boxing Day stroll, a walk to bring in the New Year or fancy heading out in Essex throughout twixmas, we have plenty of great festive trails in Essex. Check out these Christmas Trails and family friendly walks across Essex for Christmas 2024.
We also have a guide to Free and Low Cost Christmas Events in Essex. The Essex Guide features deer feeding, Christmas Lights Switch On, Christmas Markets in Essex, Festive wreath making and a Santa Fun Run.
Trails
📍 Cudmore Grove
📍 Belhus Woods
📍 Danbury Country Park
📍 Great Notley Country Park
📍 Cressing Temple Barns
📍 Hadleigh Country Park
📍 Thorndon Country Park
📍 Weald Country Park
1st December - 5th January
The FREE Animals Mysteries Trail is running through the festive period, including Christmas Day. The festive trail can be found at many great Essex Country Parks including Weald Country Park and Danbury Country Park. Pick up or download a free Animal Mysteries Trail map. Find and count the winter animals hiding in the park. Wrap up warm and enjoy the fresh air. This great family trail will keep little legs moving on your festive walk.
📍Langdon Nature Discovery Park Lower Dunton Road, Basildon, SS16 6EJ
14th - 30th December
Pick up a map from inside the Nature Discovery Centre and venture outside to complete the Christmas Trail. Once you've completed It head back to the centre to collect a prize!
£4 per child. No booking required. Langdon Nature Discovery Centre is open every day 10am - 4pm, (Christmas Eve 10am - 2pm) and closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
📍Lathcoats Farm, Beehive Lane, Galleywood, CM2 8LX
Collect your activity booklet from the farm shop and then follow the trail as you discover Christmas fairy tales, find the hidden letters on route and use the puzzles to help you figure out the secret word before collecting your prize from the farm shop. Prices from £5 per participant. A ticket is required for any child participating in the trail - this includes an activity booklet, pencil and a Christmas treat as well as access to the trail. Adults and those not participating in the trail do not require a ticket. Lathcoats is open throughout the festive period, closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and Sunday 29th December.
📍High Woods Country Park
Join the High Woods Country Park Range for a 3 mile walk, followed by a warming cup of mulled wine and mince pie. Blow away the cobwebs and start the new year by embracing the great outdoors! £6 per walker, pay on the day - no pre-booking required.
Christmas Walks
There are lots of great places to head for festive family friendly walks in Essex.
Southend Pier is the longest pier in Europe, stretching 1.33m in length. You can either walk the length of Southend-on-Sea pier, or catch the pier train. There is also a Christmas walking trail running at Southend Pier from 1st to 24th December. The pier is open every day from 10.15am until 6pm. Last entry to he pier is one hour before closing. You can buy your tickets on the day of your visit from the till points at the Visitor Information Centre or the Pier Walkway entrance. The train leaves every 30 minutes. If you have a wait, there is a small playground close by - Three Shells Playground. There are several beachside playgrounds in Southend-on-Sea.
At the end of the Pier you can find the RNLI Station, a cafe and restaurant. We have previously spotted seals at the end of Southend-on-Sea pier so make sure you keep an eye out!
Why not take a stroll along the canal path at Heybridge Basin. Start your walk at the Daisy Meadow car park. The canal is home to a variety of boats and lots of wildlife. There is also a small playground area. There are two pubs at Heybridge Basin, The Ship and The Jolly Sailor. There is also the Lock Tea Room (a Tiptree Tearoom). overlooking the River Blackwater
Hockley Woods is home to acres of beautiful ancient Woodland. The woods are great for climbing trees and listening to the birds. There is also a good sized Childrens play area, toilets and a great Essex pub nearby for a post walk tipple - The Bull Hockley.
Belfairs Woods are a brilliant Essex Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve. There is plenty of amazing ancient woodland to explore! Children will love the woodland adventure playground, den building and splashing in the stream within the woods. The nature reserve is also home to a visitor centre with toilets and cafe. There is a great Essex a country pub within the grounds of Belafairs too.
There is plenty to explore at Great Notley Country Park, which consists of over 100 acres of open space. Great Notley Country Park is also home to a great play trail. The trail is a 1.2km loop with various pieces of play equipment and playgrounds along the route. This festive period you can find animal mysteries trial markers also along the route. The pathways are paved and mostly flat on the trail.
If you are looking for somewhere quiet for your walk, head to RSPB Wallasea Island. The nature reserve is a magical landscape of marshland, lagoons, ditches and sea. You can walk along the seawalls to see the saltmarsh, mudflats and lagoons. There are several walking trails. No dogs permitted other than on the Allfleets Marsh Trail (public footpath), which runs from car park for 3 km along full length of northern seawall.
On the other side of the water from Wallasea Island you can find beautiful Burnham-on-Crouch. Did you know you can catch the Burnham Ferry between Wallasea Island and Burnham on Crouch in the summer months? There are beautiful riverside walks along the River Crouch at Riverside Park. There are also plenty of impressive boats to spot at Burnham Marina. There is plenty for children to do in Burnham-on-Crouch. including a beach themed playground and an orienteering course.
If your child has received a new scooter or bike this Christmas, check out our guide to The Best Places to Scooter and Cycle across Essex, featuring lots of skate parks in Essex.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Thank you for supporting Parks of Essex in 2024.
Comentários