Hadleigh Castle Walks & Route Maps

This is a lovely short accessible trail around the top of the Hadleigh Castle Country Park. You will enjoy the wonderful cafe, some play areas for the kids and a stretch of path that enjoys some of the beautiful views over Sandpit Hill.

This area was the Olympic mountain biking course, so you'll spot the racing tracks winding their way around the hills.

The route is on solid gravelly tracks with only mild ascents, so it is the park's recommended route for for buggys and wheelchairs.

This second route is a glorious longer walk around the heart of the wonderful and hilly Hadleigh Castle Country Park.

You'll take the descent down the hill and through the old Olympic mountain biking course, enjoying plenty of beautiful views as you go, before heading along a glorious section of walking through the grazed meadows in the heart of the park where you will enjoy plenty of wonderful viewpoints, wildlife and might spot some of the resident goats.

After a while, you'll head down the hill towards the Hadleigh Ray and then head back east along a pretty long path at the bottom of the hill with more lovely views as you go.

Finally, you'll double around again and tackle the long and moderately challenging uphill walk back up to the mystical castle ruins. Once you've enjoyed the history on offer at Hadleigh Castle, it's then a short trek back to the welcoming cafe at the start point.

Important: The walk takes you on the designated footpaths that go through the mountain biking course. Be aware that bikers will be using the bike tracks around you, so keep an eye out for them and stick to the route marked on the route map.

The bike tracks are thinner and a more orange coloured gravel, so if you do want to explore off the routes we've given you, please avoid these thinner tracks.

This final route is a truly epic adventure for those of you who want a wonderful long day out exploring this beautiful area of Essex.

As with the shorter routes, you'll head out into the heart of the wonderful park with it's Olympic mountain biking tracks winding their way around the glorious Sandpit Hill and the meadows grazed by relaxed cows and goats.

However, instead of staying within the park, you'll then head out for a short walk around the little town of Benfleet with it's pretty church and some great pubs for a pitstop.

Then, you'll walk out on a glorious long sweeping waterside walk alongside the Hadleigh Ray and Benfleet Creek, admiring the boats around the Benfleet Yacht Club and maybe stopping for a drink at the charming Barge Gladys as you go!

Finally, you'll reach another lovely little cafe at the Leigh golf driving range where you can top up with energy and refreshments before then starting the long moderately challenging climb back up into the Hadleigh Castle park itself via the wonderful Hadleigh Castle ruins.

Important: The walk takes you on the designated footpaths that go through the mountain biking course. Be aware that bikers will be using the bike tracks around you, so keep an eye out for them and stick to the route marked on the route map.

The bike tracks are thinner and a more orange coloured gravel, so if you do want to explore off the routes we've given you, please avoid these thinner tracks.

Train Stations:

Benfleet

Leigh-on-Sea