Bell Wharf Beach in Leigh-on-Sea is just a 10-minute walk from the train station and offers a much more tranquil experience compared to Southend’s bustling beaches
Hidden away on the Thames Estuary, nestled amongst cobbled streets and historic cockle sheds, Bell Wharf Beach is touted as ‘Essex’s best-kept secret’. This charming Leigh-on-Sea beach offers a more tranquil experience compared to the bustling sands of nearby Southend, making it a perfect spot for a leisurely summer walk.
Just a ten-minute stroll from Leigh’s train station, Old Leigh welcomes visitors with a sandy haven surrounded by delightful cafes, traditional pubs, and enticing shops. It’s a place where you can watch fishing boats bring in their catch, which is later served up fresh in the local restaurants.
READ MORE: Dermatologist approved skincare brand from Yorkshire that ‘clears skin in a week’
One establishment worth noting is Osborne Bros, tucked away in an old stable mews near the original cockle sheds. This family-run business has been serving freshly prepared seafood since the 1880s.
Directly across from Osborne Bros is the Crooked Billet, a cosy pub with history dating back to the late 16th century. Other attractions near the beach include The Mayflower, The Peterboat, and Sara’s Tea Garden, reports Essex Live.
Bell Wharf Beach is also just a short hop from the Two Tree Island Nature Reserve, a sanctuary where summer visitors might spot butterflies, voles, and kestrels flying overhead.
For those travelling by car, Victoria Wharf Car Park offers convenient paid parking right next to the beach. Leigh-on-Sea has scooped up more praise, this time from Muddy Stilettos, bagging the title of Essex’s best place to live.
They paint a picture of a town brimming with “Industrial-style coffee houses, boutique bars and a sandy shoreline lined by characterful cockle sheds.
“Leigh-on-Sea is Southend’s smaller, trendier sister and thanks to a steady stream of relocating Londoners over the years, it’s managed to blend its small-town-seaside charm with on-trend hospitality offerings.
“Yes, there’s even an artisan vegan-friendly gelato house and it doesn’t come much more ‘Shoreditch of Essex’ than that.”