Curing the January blues with walks in Burnham on Crouch
Whether you’re sticking to your new year’s resolution or looking for a way to sweep away the January blues, walks in Burnham on Crouch are a great way to fulfil your goals this month! Burnham on Crouch offers an abundance of routes that can enable an active lifestyle and encourage your love for walking to grow as the year goes on!
From the historic town, to the picturesque quayside scenery, Burnham certainly has a lot to offer with its simple naturistic beauty! If one of your resolutions is to get out and about in 2023, here are just some of the reasons why it’s a great idea, alongside just some of the routes you can take over the winter months!
The Benefits of Walking
Many people don’t realise the powerful and positive impact walking has on us as human beings. Regardless of our age, it’s an activity that the majority of us can enjoy! Essentially, walking can prolong our lives. From promoting good physical and mental health, to enabling routine and new connections, the benefits are countless.
Mental Health
One of the best reasons to begin walking is because of the mental health benefits. Walking provides an instant mood boost, serotonin and endorphins flood the body, allowing ‘positive flight’ to become a possibility. If you’re able to get outside, this will have an even more profound impact! Nature and its elements have the power to reawaken, revive and reset any looming intrusive thoughts. Walking ensures that you are keeping your mind active; just like you would your body, it’s important that you stimulate your brain to optimise your mental wellbeing.
Physical Health
Walking is a great form of exercise and can help to improve your fitness levels dramatically. It can also help you lose excess weight and prevent or manage various health conditions like, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, joint and muscular pain or stiffness, and diabetes. Walking can also aid in reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke, whilst encouraging stronger bone mass and improved balance.
You Time
Taking time for yourself is absolutely fundamental. It’s imperative that you schedule time for yourself, just like you would a doctor’s appointment, or dinner with a friend. Whether it’s a moment to practice gratitude, burn off some steam, or to hit your step goal at the end of the day, self-care and personal time is paramount, and walking is a great way to indulge in some you time this new year.
Forming Connections
Joining a walking group is a great way to ensure you get out and about, but also encourages new connections to be made! If you’re looking for opportunities to meet new people, a walking club is a great way to immerse yourself!
Your connection doesn’t necessarily have to be with other people either. You can use your walking time to get to know yourself a little better, or even form a closer bond with the world around us. Walking offers the chance to feel closer to nature and appreciate the little things. Take in sights, the surrounding flora and fauna, the weather, the fresh air… the list is endless.
Burnham on Crouch to North Fambridge
Whether you’re an avid walker or looking for a hike to help shift the Christmas excesses, this one is for you! It’s the longest of the walks in Burnham on Crouch at 9.5 miles and will certainly get you moving in the right direction.
Be sure to wrap up warm and wear your walking boots for this blustery, potentially boggy winter walk! This covers the length of the River Crouch, with plenty of wildlife to see along the way, even in winter. Expect to find duckboard jetties and plank causeways over muddy creek banks, where you can see seals, herring gulls, egrets and brent geese in the salting’s of the Bridgemarsh island!
Enjoy viewing the colourful house boats nestled into the marshes and the winter shrubberies that grow along the coastal paths. Rest assured that the terrain is mostly flat, but you can easily cut this walk a little shorter if you don’t want to go the whole distance. If you don’t feel like the walk back to Burnham, you can easily head back via rail.
If you fancy a well-deserved bite to eat after all that walking, we recommend the Ferry Boat Inn. If you plan to stick around for a couple of hours, take a look at Blue House Farm Nature Reserve in North Fambridge. This peaceful farmland reserve is an important habitat for water voles and a variety of insects! You may also catch sight of nesting owls, pheasants and rabbits if you want to extend your walk across the length of the reserve.
Burnham Cliff
Burnham Cliff is just past the sea wall, and a part of the Burnham circular walking route. Made up of natural clay and rich in fossils, keep an eye out for sharks’ teeth, shells, fossilised wood and even bird bones on this rock, dating back some 50 million years. It’s the perfect location to go exploring, whilst enjoying some beautiful views of Burnham.
This trail has a small incline, but it’s nothing too strenuous - the views are certainly worth it. You can also access the beach below, when the tide is low. Burnham cliff is one of the best places to see local wildlife in the area, so spotting local inhabitants whilst there isn’t unlikely.
Burnham Waters Ramble
If you’re looking for a countryside ramble closer to home, the Burnham Waters walking routes offer the perfect excuse to get out and about! As part of our quaint coastal retirement village, both residents and the local community will be able to enjoy the many nature trails on offer, including a scenic lake route. If you have a dog, we will also have an off-leash dog park, where your fluffball can enjoy the great outdoors uninhibited, in our safe space. Looking for more dog friendly routes? Read our blog on dog friendly walks in Essex villages to visit.
We’re advocates for the important part walking has to play for both our overall wellbeing, so want to encourage the local community to get out and enjoy the fresh air as much as possible. After your stroll, why not enjoy the facilities on offer onsite? These include a bakery, grocery shops, cafes and restaurants. Take a look at our amenities and facilities to be enjoyed as part of an active and social lifestyle, here.
Get in Touch
We hope we’ve given you some inspiration for wintery walks in Burnham on Crouch! If you’d like to receive more information about Burnham Waters, our friendly team are on hand to help you take on a new path this January.
Simply send us an email at info@burnhamwaters.co.uk, or get in touch with our sales team on 01621 861559. You can also fill out our contact form for a downloadable brochure. We look forward to hearing from you!
