How to get there - From the A130 take the A132 towards South Woodham Ferrers. Do not go into South Woodham Ferrers, but continue on the B1012 towards Burnham-on-Crouch, and after around 2.5 to 3 miles take a right turning to North Fambridge. Continue down this road past the station, follow the road as it turns sharp right then 100 yds further on take a left turn signposted to the Ferry Boat Inn. Just past the pub turn left into the marina, go past the buildings and follow the track round to the right and continue right down to the waterfront, where you will see a concrete slipway.
For those with SatNav the postcode is CM3 6LR.
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Suggested Launch Site - We launched from the slipway in the marina, there were no objections though there was nobody around (it was a nice spring day in March).
General
Description - This is a one-way tidal route of around 7 miles. We dropped off the kayaks at North Fambridge, then drove to Burnham-on-Crouch where we parked the car at the railway station, (postcode CM0 8BQ) and got the train (hourly) back to North Fambridge. We put a bike in the car and cycled, but you could easily walk, from North Fambridge station down to the marina. It would take around 10/15 minutes to walk.
We put in at around high tide at Burnham-on-Crouch and with the outgoing tide and a westerly wind in our favour made quick progress. After a couple of miles there is a choice of routes, continue along the main river, or turn left and go round the back of Bridgemarsh Island (Bridgemarsh Creek). We went round the Creek, and got out on a jetty at Althorne marina for a bite to eat. The river has a nice open "estuary" feel, we saw lots of oyster catchers, sheep grazing in the fields at the waters edge, and a large flock of geese took off right over our heads. There are open views to the higher ground on either side of the estuary. As you approach Burnham there is an interesting variety of boats moored alongside the river and in the marina on the right. Once you get here you need to start heading over to the left hand side of the river, go past the entrance to the marina and keep going past the first couple of jetties (they have "private" signs on them, until you get to a public jetty, here we had no trouble getting out even though there was quite a large amount of mud showing now the tide was falling. This jetty is right at the Anchor Hotel, convenient for the post-paddle pint.
It is then a 5/10 minute walk to the station to retrieve the car, which you can bring back to the car park at the back of the Anchor to re-load the kayaks.
