Essex is situated in East Anglia, close to England's capital city, London. Essex country parks are an excellent place for a calm stroll or a relaxed family picnic. Try Cud more Grove Country Park in East Mersea near
Colchester, the beautiful Belhus Country Park in South Ockendon or take a walk down the Flitch Way in Rayne.
Saffron Walden's beautiful church is the largest in Essex, dating from the well-to-do years of the saffron industry in the late 15th century.
Chelmsford, the County town of Essex, is one of the County's best shopping centers and an ideal base. Colchester is usually known for its cloth weaving, flower growing and oysters. You can visit the Norman castle and museum, and also the Dutch Quarter where Flemish refugees settled in the sixteenth century.
Southend-on-Sea is the largest town in Essex, a vibrant resort with seven miles of sparkling seafront, and an international atmosphere. In South Essex,
Brentwood is a busy town with good shopping and leisure facilities, the town is surrounded by open countryside, which is part of the Metropolitan Green Belt, and the centre of town is only a short walk from pleasant woods and commons.