Best walks to or from Basildon
Essex · South East England | Walks by train
MapBeautiful walks starting or ending at Basildon Station.
Basildon Station to Leigh-on-Sea Station
A varied, enjoyable but challenging route with a dull pavement start out of Basildon, then a golf course needing careful navigation, a nature reserve, the England Coast Path, a surfaced country park track to Hadleigh Castle. Much of it is wet and slippery in winter and with clay fields near the end; several short flights of steps and stiles. The coastal section is part of the England Coast Path. Passes the quaint St Margaret's Church with a bench, and ripe blackberries in late summer. Easy and affordable trains from either end.
Tough: steep ascents. 15km.
The path across the golf course needs careful navigation as marker posts are few and indistinct. Several wet, slippery and muddy sections in winter that are largely unavoidable.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Basildon Station to Rayleigh Station
Uses a foot and cycle path along the A127 to the Rayleigh Weir roundabout to cross safely.
15km.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Basildon Station to Wickford Station
Easy: 10km, gentle ascents.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
West Horndon Station to Basildon Station
A long route, the first half not recommended: field-edge paths and bridleways choked with giant hogweed and tall summer vegetation, blocked paths and around 2km of intense, boot-clogging mud across ploughed fields. The eastern half is far better, through country parks, nature reserves, woodland and meadow with long views across Basildon. Kissing gates and long shallow steps and some uneven ground. Passes through Langdon Hills Country Park and Willow Park Nature Reserve. A shop and pub at Bulphan (off route); toilets at the country park with a nearby Harvester.
15km. Moderate ascents.
Dangerous thickets of 3-4m giant hogweed fill and block the bridleway from Parkers Farm Road and recur on later field-edge paths; avoid these sections. Around 2km of severe, sticky mud; blocked paths; a clay-pigeon shoot nearby.
Lunch: A shop and pub at Bulphan and a pub on Brentwood Road (both off route), plus toilets and a nearby Harvester at Langdon Hills Country Park.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Brentwood Station to Basildon Station
A mostly straightforward, unexpectedly hilly route through beautiful woodland and across farmland with lovely views, including Thorndon Country Park and Harts Wood. One large clay field with no obvious path is a challenge; a tricky and largely unmarked section near Little Burstead. Plenty of unsurfaced paths and a few stiles. Passes through Thorndon Country Park and along the edge of a golf course. Can be muddy clay underfoot. Herongate has two pubs and benches mid-route.
Tough: steep ascents. 18km.
A short section along Billericay Road has only a narrow verge and needs caution; the path from the Green Lane byway south of Botney Hill Road is largely unmarked across a scrubby field and a wet clay field, with a barbed-wire fence to cross.
Lunch: Two pubs and benches at Herongate, with a bus stop, roughly mid-route.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Billericay Station to Basildon Station
The last half-mile into Basildon walks alongside a ring road that isn't meant for pedestrians and with a roundabout that is hard to cross.
Easy: 9km, moderate ascents.
The final half-mile in Basildon runs alongside a ring road not meant for pedestrians, where the verges are unsafe and the roundabout is hard to cross.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Stanford-le-[Hope Station](/train-stations/south-east-england/essex/stanford-le-hope) to Basildon Station
A fairly direct and easy-to-navigate route with very few off-road paths; some roads are quiet but others are much busier.
Easy: 7km, gentle ascents.
The plotted route tries to take you onto the A13 near the Five Bells roundabout where there is no footpath and it is not safe; cross the bridge over the A13 instead. A following stretch of 50mph road has no footpath for most of its length, leaving only a grass verge with overhanging branches and brambles.