Make a day of it at Hadleigh Country Park

Forgotten your helmets, or don’t have bikes? The friendly team at Hadleigh Park Cycles can sort you out. Hire a set of wheels for all the family and find out more about their lessons and led rides.

Ready to set off? Fuel up with a hot drink from The Hub café before heading into the park.

Café closes at 4.00pm/ Hadleigh Cycle closes at 4.30pm/ toilets available until 5.00pm.

Get on your bike or set off on foot to explore miles of off-road tracks and multi-use paths, with options for all abilities. Feeling less adventurous? Stick to the paths at the top of the park which are relatively flat. Explore varied landscapes and enjoy stunning views.

Allow one and half to two hours/ be aware of livestock grazing on site – read more about why and how to behave.

Find a quiet corner of the park to spread out your picnic blanket and enjoy the summer countryside and maybe a quick snooze, or ball game – keeping an eye out for wildlife!

Discover a bench at the top of the hill and enjoy food with a view.

Not brought a picnic? Time to head back to The Hub café.

Back at the top of the hill, discover the small kid’s play areas (suitable for children aged nine-years-old and under) pump tracks and skills areas.

Choose the area that suits you best, depending on the age, ability and how much adrenaline your kids are seeking, or rotate around them all.

Time to wind down? Take the free Bugs and Butterfly trail and head to the community orchard to spend some quiet time in nature.

Pick up a summer spotter’s guide from the café and see what you spy along your route.

• Café closes at 4.00pm
• Hadleigh Park Cycles closes at 4.30pm

• Toilets close at 5.00pm

  Plan your visit

  Hadleigh Country Park, Chapel Lane, Benfleet SS7 2PP
  Get directions

  www.explore-essex.com/hadleigh-country-park

These walks are both around 90 minutes:

• Round trip to Hadleigh Castle: From Chapel Lane car park, walk downhill until you reach the marsh, turn left towards the castle and follow the path until you reach the farm track, rising steeply to the castle. To return to Chapel Lane car park, head out of the castle towards the Salvation Army tea rooms and follow the road with the white houses - Sea View Terrace - to a farm track which takes you to the park’s entrance.

• Sea wall walk: A level walk from Benfleet to Leigh-on-Sea offers magnificent views over the downs and Benfleet Creek. Enter through Benfleet Moorings near Benfleet railway station, or next to the golf driving range near Leigh-on-Sea station.

We’re pleased to confirm that some of our walking trails have been recently resurfaced to make them more accessible for pushchairs and people who use electric wheelchairs, mobility scooters.

For water activities on the reservoir visit Hadleigh Plungers.

Enter our prize draw to win an annual Essex Country Parks Explorer Pass and bike hire from Hadleigh Cycles*!

Everyone has their own motivations for visiting Essex Country Parks. We'd love to hear yours. Tell us your answer to the question below to enter.

Email your answers to Explore.Essex@essex.gov.uk.  Please title your email: Hadleigh comp.

What is the main reason you visit the country parks?

1. Exercise and physical activity (including walking, Parkrun, running, cycling etc.)
2. Relaxation and wellbeing (tranquil environment, unwind, get fresh air etc.)
3. Nature and wildlife (including birdwatching, butterfly trail, bluebells in spring etc.)
4. Family and social time (meet friends and family, entertain children)
5. Dog walking
6. Other please specify

* Hadleigh Bike Hire includes: up to three hours for a family of four, including two ebikes (must be 14-years-old+ to ride an ebike).

Closing date: 11.59pm BST, Monday 31 August.

See our full Terms and Conditions.