Things to do on Canvey Island

Things to do on Canvey Island

Welcome to Canvey Island, a fascinating island in Essex, offering a good mix of natural beauty and outdoor recreation. Boasting an array of activities, it great for nature enthusiasts and those looking for a flat walk or bike ride. There are scenic walks along the seawall, taking in panoramic views of the Thames Estuary and its abundant birdlife, perfect for avid birdwatchers. For cycling enthusiasts, Canvey Island offers good cycle paths around its perimiter, ideal for leisurely rides. Discover hidden gems, from wildlife reserves to peaceful parks, as you explore this unique island. Canvey Island’s vibrant outdoors scene, with its blend of walking, birdwatching, and cycling opportunities, ensures a memorable visit for all. Here are some of our favourite things to do in Canvey Island.

Cycle around Canvey Island

A flat, off-road, twenty-six-kilometre cycle ride around the sea wall of the island’s perimeter that starts across the bridge from Benfleet station. The route hugs the creeks and winds through the peaceful green marshes in the north alongside Benfleet Creek. It passes the colourful murals of the Thames seawall and beaches in the south and skirts Oil City and the nature reserves of Canvey Wick and West Canvey Marsh.

Wilds of Canvey Point

At the eastern tip of the island a low-tide footpath leads out past the Island Yacht Club into the wild expanse of Chapman Sands. These sands were the last natural hazard for ancient mariners to navigate before entering the safe waters of ‘Old Father Thames’. Today they offer a surprising area of wilderness, with gentle shell bays and low-lying mud sculptures etched by the gentle tides. Locals often wade way beyond the path’s head to collect the cockles, clams, mussels and samphire that sit abundantly on the banks.

Murals along the sea wall

After the 1953 storms and floods that led to fifty-nine deaths and the whole population of Canvey being moved to safety a huge 22.5-kilometre sea wall was built around the whole island. The floods have been depicted on panels along a mural on Concord Beach, painted by professional artists and Canvey inhabitants. The mural also depicts the impact the flooding had on the Netherlands, where more than 1,800 people died. There are many other colourful murals here too including a memorial to three American airmen killed in a crash over Canvey Island during World War II and a homage to the island’s most famous natives, the legendary 1970s R&B band, Dr Feelgood.

Concord Beach, Art Deco and the tidal pool

Concord Beach and the Western Esplanade are the main destinations for families looking for a bit of seaside fun. The children’s tidal pool is always popular, along with its nearby beach cafe. For a slice of history there’s also the Grade II listed Art Deco Labworth Cafe, which resembles the bridge of the Queen Mary. Its architecture and views are as much a pull as its great menu.

Oil refinery ruins and RSPB Canvey Wick

Inland from Hole Haven, this reserve forms one of Europe’s most important areas for bug life. Previously the site was the prototype for storing imported liquid natural gas from America and was later dismantled after the discovery of gas in the North Sea. Today the 1.5-kilometre pier is all that remains of the original site and nature has taken over. There are more than one thousand invertebrate species – estimated to be as many species per square metre as found in a tropical rainforest. You might be lucky enough to hear the high-pitched buzz of the aptly named shrill carder bee, one of Britain’s rarest bumblebees. There are some fearsome predators to watch out for too, like the bee wolf and exploding bombardier beetles. When disturbed these iridescent blue, green or orange beetles detonate an explosion inside their abdomen spraying hot liquid at attackers, whether insect or human. There are also plenty of plants to discover including clumps of sea aster – the food of the rare sea aster mining bee that builds a waterproof lining around its underground cell so it can survive an unexpectedly high tide.

Secret Cold War station

On the east side of Thorney Bay, the strange looking building which houses The Bay Museum was once a Cold War defence building that was built between 1962 and 1963, due to the Cuban Missile Crisis. At that time there was concern that the Soviet Navy may deposit magnetic mines along the Thames if the crisis escalated. Steel warships, as used by the British Royal Navy, create an invisible magnetic signature as they sail and, if detected, the mines detonate even when they are tens of metres under water. The function of the building was to degauss (remove the magnetic signature) British ships before they entered unprotected waters. Wire loops placed in the middle of the Thames were connected to surveillance equipment in the building. Fortunately, the Cold War never escalated and magnetic mines were never placed by the Soviets so the station was never used. Not many degaussing stations exist in the UK so The Bay Museum is fairly unique. The site was classified up to 1993 and, although the building itself is now declassified, the equipment it contained and the technology that lay mid-channel remains classified. The museum is packed with memorabilia and well worth a visit.

Whatever your interest, Canvey has a surprising amount to offer.

Paddleboarding South West