Monday mornings are great by the sea. The weekend crowds have left, the sun was shining and the promenade out of Walton on the NCN 150 was empty.
There was a change as we entered Frinton, bigger expensive houses, open green spaces and even a thatched public loo!
Through Clacton the scene turned back to crazy golf and kiosk cafés. Half of the beach is still closed here for the £36 million protection and beach recharge scheme. Much of the beach has been lost to storm and tidal action over the years so 23 fishtail groynes made from Norwegian rock are promised to give 100 years of protection to the beach and coastal houses. They are quite aesthetically pleasing and will provide perfect little bays for paddling toddlers.
We stopped to watch a digger at work pulling rocks out of the sand, digging a big hole then curiously burying the quarried stone. It was like grown up sand castle building!
The road to Point Clear seemed never ending, a committing peninsular pointing towards Brightlingsea and Mersea Island. We pushed our bikes nervously across sand and mud to the shore of the ebbing tide and hoped that the ferry would come. There was no response from the phone number but on the hour, as scheduled, the little boat appeared and to our delight it had a ramp enabling us to wheel the bikes straight on without unloading.
It was as easy to exit the boat but a sandy push for a few hundred metres in to Cudmore Grove country park.
On our way out we were waved down by another cycle touring couple who nervously enquired about the ferry but we reassured them. It is odd that, with the greater popularity in cycling, we see only about one or two other tourists per month.
Safely across the water it was now time for lunch ( at 3pm) and soon we arrived at Maria's Vintage Tearoom in Mersea Island's Vineyard. We had a smoked fish platter each with a glass of local white wine- it was, after all the first day of our school holiday!
Continuing on to West Mersea, we explored the town and had tea at the Art Cafe before heading to the Old Forge B&B- once home to illustrator W. Heath-Robinson, the quirky collection of rooms fitting for this artist were, however perfect for our 2 night stay.
Figures:
Distance:- 41.6 km
Cycle Time:- 3 hours 17 minutes
Average speed:- 12.6 kph
Total Distance:- 4820 km
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