Essex Life - July 2022

164 Pages·2022·121.7 MB·English

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‘tA NEPTUNE
Editor's letter

o matter how old I

get, the mere thought

of August gives

mea little pang of
excitement — then I remember
that I’m not eight anymore and
it doesn’t mean I get the whole
month off to spend at Walton
Pier or Adventure Island in
Southend (or Peter Pan’s
Playground as it was known
then). But while as an adult
August can mean traffic jams
and inflated flight prices rather
than funfairs and fish and chips,
it doesn’t mean we can’t still tap
into that summer nostalgia.

Close my eyes and I can just
picture a family video of us on
Clacton beach. It must have
been freezing because the older
generation are sat with blankets
while myself, my sister and my
cousins are toddling around on
the beach in frilly swimsuits
prodding jellyfish, dipping our
toes in the icy sea and, of course,
burying each other in the sand.

Mr Gand I visited friends
in Southend recently and it
was wonderful to see penny
slots flashing, ice creams being
devoured and kids running
around on the beach, bucket
and spade in hand. These are
my childhood memories, and
it’s heart-warming to see that
they’re so many other people’s
memories too. It’s this sense of
nostalgia for summers gone by
that has inspired this issue.

One of Essex’s most-prized
natural assets has to be our coast.
From the thrum of Southend to
the wilderness of East Mersea, we

Clacton beach —uncharacteristically quiet!

sent writer Andrew Millham to
uncover the best spots along our
350 miles of coastline.

Come inland, and there are
plenty of other summer wonders
to discover too, from our joyous
flower fields (page 36) and
our delightful market towns
(page 113) to our glorious
glamping hotspots (page 120).
And don’t forget our vineyards.

I visited Bardfield Vineyard
recently as part of an event
organised by Visit Essex to
celebrate our county’s food and
drink producers, Not only did
I get to try some of our region’s
incredible wines (and feed the

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vineyard’s resident alpacas), but
there was also talk of our region
getting its own appellation. This
means it would be a defined
and protected area for growing
Bacchus grapes. Pretty cool, hey?
Whatever you do this summer,
let’s approach it with all the
vigour and enthusiasm of a child
during the summer holidays!

Hannah Gildart
Editor,
ui @ Essex Life

Photo: ZUMA Press Inc / Alamy

SOME OF THE AMAZING ESSEX FOLK WE’VE MET THIS MONTH...

Denise Van Outen
Basildon legend Denise
talks us through her career
highs and lows, celebrity
fall-outs and why she loves
being back in Essex.

Page 26

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Emma Spring

+ This inspiring charity

' CEO is onamission to
help our nation’s food
banks and support
vulnerable families.
Page 46

Dale Belbin

Dale is a first-generation
oysterman dedicated

to keeping this tradition
alive - he also tells us the
best way to eat one!
Page 60

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Essex Life: August 2022 ¢ 9
Summer on the
Essex coast

By Andrew Millham

The summer holidays

have arrived, so grab

your bucket and spade

and tour our stunning
seaside gems starting in the
north from Harwich and
down to Leigh-on-Sea.

INSIDE

August 2022 ¢ Established 1952

Flower power

By Julie Lucas

With a riot of colour,
gorgeous scents and

not to mention the great
photo opportunities,
flower farms are the

place to be this summer.
We bring you a selection to
put on your must-visit list.

Reflections

of Colchester

By Hannah Gildart
Meet the man bringing
history to life with

his fascinating book
celebrating the city

of Colchester’s
illustrious past and

| exciting present.

Essex Greats:
Byrhtnoth

By Stephen Roberts
Immortalised in a famous
Anglo-Saxon poem, a play
by J.R.R. Tolkien and a
statue at the end of Maldon
Promenade, this Anglo-
Saxon Ealdorman’s fame
has lasted for centuries.

10 ¢ Essex Life: August 2022