Burnham-on-Crouch

Rivers and mud flats stretch as far as you can see from this proper old sailing town on the Crouch estuary. Burnham-on-Crouch feels properly maritime - working boatyards line the waterfront, and the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club's distinctive clubhouse overlooks a forest of masts that bob with each tide.

Weekends bring the sailing crowd from London, but midweek it's wonderfully quiet. The high street has that lived-in feel of a place locals actually use, not tarted up for tourists. From the railway station at nearby Southminster, it's a decent walk into town, but the journey's half the fun as you pass through proper Essex countryside.

RSPB Wallasea Island sits just across the water - Europe's largest man-made wetland where avocets and marsh harriers put on quite a show. The viewpoints at Half Moon and School House give you cracking perspectives across the mudflats, especially when the tide's out and you can see for miles. Christ Church URC marks the town centre, while St Leonards C Of E Church sits a bit outside.

Havengore Island and its distinctive maypole make for a lovely walk when the weather's right, though you'll need to time it with the tides. The mysterious Watch Tower X-1 hints at the area's wartime past.

Staying at one of the nearby parks puts you right in the thick of this watery landscape. From here, you can explore the maze of creeks and islands that make the Crouch estuary so special. It's only an hour from London by rail, but feels like another world entirely.