The walk begins at Harwich Pier so you can start in Harwich, Felixstowe or Shotley, which ever suits you. I began at Felixstowe and took the Ferry to Harwich. I parked near Landguard Fort which is found at the end of View Point Road. There are two car parks, drive past the first and from the second you will have a view across the Orwell to Harwich. Park at the northern end (the right as you face the river) and closest to the river as the opposite side floods in heavy rain.
Felixstowe docks are always busy and if you are a ship spotter the car park beside Landguard Fort is a good place to see them. As a child I used to play on the docks. I remember dockers chasing me too.
To the right of the car park you will see the huge cranes, one now driven by a cousin who has worked the docks for the last 30 years. The cranes at Felixstowe docks are visible for miles and often appear on the horizon on walks in Suffolk and Essex.
Check the Ferry Timetable if you choose to leave from Felixstowe. They also run from Shotley and of course Harwich is easy to get to if you are coming via Essex.
Once at Harwich spare some time to look around. It is a beautiful town and retains a historic atmosphere which is easily missed unless you to explore. The high and low lighthouses which offered a mechanism to find safe passage prove how important it was in time’s gone past. You may not have time to watch a film but a walk past the Electric Palace is pleasant if you enjoy antique architecture.
Follow the sea-wall around to Dovercourt which is a pleasant sea-side town with small-scale common family amenities. It also sports a couple of weird Lighthouses. One stuck on the shore and the other a few hundred feet to sea. Perhaps used as leading lights such as the high and low Lighthouses in Harwich?
Continue past Dovercourt and you enter the countryside which is marsh land along the coast. Listen out for birds and duck calls, at times it resembled what a busy rail station filled with birds might sound like.
Hamford Water, a National Nature Reserve, follows the coast for a third of the walk. An abrupt right turn heads for Little Oakley and the Cherry Tree pub is a handy half way point and a good opportunity for lunch. If you need to catch a ferry remember not to stay too long.
As you exit the village a small shop provides an opportunity to restock on fresh water. At the end of the village a right turn takes you back into countryside and distant views of the marshes you walked earlier in the day.
A sharp turn to the left along a tree-lined track takes you back into Dovercourt behind the colourful rows of beach huts. Follow the path back to Harwich Pier and ferry.
Distance: 11 Miles
Elevation Range: 0 to 80 feet
Difficulty: Medium
Weather Check: BBC Weather Harwich, Essex.
Map: Click here and once loaded select “Leisure” map
Route Card: Harwich to Little Oakley
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