Retirement villages by the sea: celebrating world wildlife day
Retirement villages by the sea can provide some of the best places to see British wildlife. The surroundings are calmer, and the coastal conditions mean that you are privy to seeing some of most beautiful birds, marine life and semi-aquatic mammals in the UK.
With World Wildlife Day taking place on on 3rd March, the team at Burnham Waters thought this was an opportune time to share some of the best local activities that enable you to get out, view and appreciate the Essex wildlife. We explore what’s on in Essex and how Burnham Waters is taking an active interest in the environment.
Walking amongst nature
Walking amongst nature is one of the best ways to appreciate our surroundings in light of World Wildlife Day. As we begin to get a glimpse of spring, Burnham-on-Crouch offers some lovey trails to enjoy.
Coastal paths
Burnham is full of beautiful walks that can be enjoyed by yourself, with your dog, or with friends or family. There are plenty of routes to be taken, but the coastal paths are some of the most scenic. The Saltmarsh Coast Trail takes you just outside of Burnham on Crouch centre and curves around the yacht harbour.
Be sure to look at the tide times before taking this walk as it can cut the trail short, if the tide is high. When low, you can walk through the Crouch estuary and right through the boatyard. This path is edged inland, where you can get a great view of local wildlife and a variety of colourful low shrubberies. We recommend bringing the binoculars!
The Burnham Cliff walk is also perfect for spotting an abundance of local inhabitants. Simply continue along the Saltmarsh Trail and you’ll reach the unexpected gradient amongst the flat landscape. This cliff is made up of natural clay and is rich in fossils! You’re likely to find shark's teeth, shells, fossilised wood and even bird bones, dating back some 50 million years. It’s the perfect location to go exploring, whilst enjoying some beautiful views of Burnham. From this cliff, you can access the beach below, again, when the tide is low.
Bird watching trails
The great thing about bird watching is that you can do it in most open spaces. We’d suggest anywhere that is quiet and where there are lots of trees, bushes, berries and water sources.
Whichever route you take, you’ll come across many local species along the way. If you are a resident at retirement villages by the sea, or countryside retirement homes, the gardens can be some of the best places to see a vast array of local birds!
Wildlife you’re likely to see
Whilst out and about, these are just some of the local wildlife you could see when out and about in Essex:
- Foxes
- Badgers
- Water Voles
- Rabbits
- Seals
- Skylarks
- Blackbirds
- Thrushes
- Finches
Plus, a variety of seabirds and waders by local rivers.
What’s on In Essex
If you’re looking for a daytrip to celebrate all things wild, there are so many things to do on the doorstep of our retirement villages by the sea. Here are just some of our favourites that offer a walk on the wild side :
Essex Wildlife Trust
The Essex Wildlife Trust aims to protect wildlife and inspire people to relish a lifelong love of nature. Here, you can explore nature trails with your family, visit a sheltered hide where you can watch rare birds, creeping reptiles, buzzing insects and little mammals scurrying along, or a wander with its team on a bee and butterfly walk.
Colchester Zoo
Home to more than 180 beautiful, unusual and rare species of animals, Colchester Zoo has it all for a wild day out! The Animal Experiences are a great way to see some of the rarest species of the animal kingdom like never before, suitable for all ages. For more information, visit their website.
All Things Alpaca
All Things Alpaca in Chelmsford is the perfect immersive experience to celebrate World Wildlife Day! Take an alpaca trekking through the beautiful orchards at Lathcoats Farm, Chelmsford. How brilliant!
Sealife Adventure
Here, you can explore beautiful underwater zones in the huge Sealife Adventure aquarium at Southend-On-Sea. Not only can you see a host of marine life, other animals like meerkats, otters and monkeys can also be spotted! Be sure to check out the pre-historic Pangaea Adventure too! It’s a fantastic place to learn about some of the most amazing creatures that inhabit the planet.
Barleylands Farm Park & Village
Barleylands Farm Park and Village in Billericay is a fantastic animal playground for the whole family to enjoy all year round. Get close to farmyard friends, including Bagot goats, sheep, lamb, nanny goats and kids, pigs and equines! Watch out for birds of prey displays, meet the reptiles, plus, you can even book yourself in to one of the VIP experiences and spend time with one of their expert farmers!
Our Eco-Led New Retirement Homes
The new retirement homes at Burnham Waters have been thoughtfully designed to enhance the lives of our residents, whilst instilling sustainability throughout the process. Our luxury retirement community is surrounded by beautiful communal ecological landscapes. We believe this instils a sense of calm and tranquillity within the community for residents, but also allows for a closer connection with nature within this countryside setting.
Our ecological space means that a simple afternoon walk becomes an inspiring trail in which residents can enjoy inter-connecting tree-lined pathways, scenic lakes and running water features. This gives them a chance to take in the picturesque views and experience an ambience that is completely different to other Essex surroundings. The lakes amongst the flora provide year-round wildlife activity, adding yet another wonderful interactive element to a stroll around the local surroundings.
As an ecology and landscape led development, we have collaborated with multiple ecologists to ensure that we are doing as much as we can to ensure all flora and fauna are safe throughout the building process. This includes replacing any lost hedgerows, planting new trees, the inclusion of a wildflower meadow and ponds as an ecological resource – in fact, these will feature an island to actively protect endangered water voles.
We are always proactive in our approach to nature and can consistently adapt our build plan to ensure that local wildlife is safe, and habitats preserved.
Get in Touch
If you’d like to receive more information about Burnham Waters, one of Essex’ luxury retirement villages by the sea, our friendly team are on hand to help you.
Simply send us an email at info@burnhamwaters.co.uk, or fill out our contact form for a downloadable brochure. Our Marketing Suite is now open by appointment only! Simply call our sales team at on 01621 861559 to arrange an appointment. We look forward to hearing from you!
