Walton Backwaters (Titchmarsh Marina)
3 Oct '21. HM 167. Walton Backwaters.... hidden behind the coastal town of Walton-on-the-Naze.
"The Walton Backwaters are still remote and rather mysterious, very much as they were when Arthur Ransome chose them for the setting of “Secret Water”, published 80 years ago next year" (The Nancy Blackett Trust, 2018)
In this unlikely corner of Essex, hidden deep among the marshes and bird calls, there is a beautiful marina, created back in 1962 by John Titchmarsh. Still family run, we met a very smiling duty Harbour Master, Andrew Showell.
Andrew has a rather different background to most HMs. Proud that his father was a Thames Bargeman (more about them in a future post) Andrew himself is an ex-estate agent and an ex car salesman - so it was not a surprise that he totally "sold" us Titchmarsh Marina and sailing in the backwaters. Being in Essex it has not one, but two helipads! But I should mention it does generate all its own electricity from a discrete solar farm.
This whole area was made famous by Arthur Ransome, and the main island, Horsey Island, which sits in the centre of the huge area of creeks and channels was his "Swallow Island" in the book Secret Water. The backwaters are hugely popular with bird watchers, being an important breeding ground for Little Terns and a wintering ground for Dark-bellied Brent Geese, wildfowl and waders. It also supports communities of coastal plants which are extremely rare in Britain including Hog’s Fennel
I have used maps and Google Earth to illustrate it as my photos were mainly of mud banks - but they belie its beauty, much of which is from the bird calls. Andrew is very proud of the whole ecosystem of the area which he reminded us is a protected wildlife area, illustrated by the fact swallows have been found nesting in some of the "less used" boats in the area! I highly recommend a visit into this secret world that most people sail past.
"The Walton Backwaters are still remote and rather mysterious, very much as they were when Arthur Ransome chose them for the setting of “Secret Water”, published 80 years ago next year" (The Nancy Blackett Trust, 2018)
In this unlikely corner of Essex, hidden deep among the marshes and bird calls, there is a beautiful marina, created back in 1962 by John Titchmarsh. Still family run, we met a very smiling duty Harbour Master, Andrew Showell.
Andrew has a rather different background to most HMs. Proud that his father was a Thames Bargeman (more about them in a future post) Andrew himself is an ex-estate agent and an ex car salesman - so it was not a surprise that he totally "sold" us Titchmarsh Marina and sailing in the backwaters. Being in Essex it has not one, but two helipads! But I should mention it does generate all its own electricity from a discrete solar farm.
This whole area was made famous by Arthur Ransome, and the main island, Horsey Island, which sits in the centre of the huge area of creeks and channels was his "Swallow Island" in the book Secret Water. The backwaters are hugely popular with bird watchers, being an important breeding ground for Little Terns and a wintering ground for Dark-bellied Brent Geese, wildfowl and waders. It also supports communities of coastal plants which are extremely rare in Britain including Hog’s Fennel
I have used maps and Google Earth to illustrate it as my photos were mainly of mud banks - but they belie its beauty, much of which is from the bird calls. Andrew is very proud of the whole ecosystem of the area which he reminded us is a protected wildlife area, illustrated by the fact swallows have been found nesting in some of the "less used" boats in the area! I highly recommend a visit into this secret world that most people sail past.