Southend Pier and Railway

The walk along Southend Pier is less about arriving somewhere and more about the strange pleasure of being suspended over the Thames Estuary on a Victorian iron structure that stretches nearly a mile into the water. It's the longest pleasure pier in the world, which feels both genuinely impressive and slightly absurd when you're halfway along it, squinting at the horizon.

You can walk the whole thing for free, though most people take the railway - a narrow-gauge electric train that trundles back and forth with the kind of vintage charm that appeals to children without making adults roll their eyes. The views aren't dramatic; the estuary is flat and grey more often than blue, but there's something oddly compelling about being out there, watching the boats, listening the seabirds. The pier itself is lined with amusement arcades and chip shops, properly old-school Essex seaside stuff.

Walkers will appreciate the full mile-long stroll, though the wind can be bracing. Families with younger kids benefit from the railway option - it saves the journey back when legs get tired. History buffs might find the pier's bombing during World War II and subsequent reconstruction interesting enough for a browse.

Allow 90 minutes if you're doing the full experience with the train. Peak season gets rammed with day-trippers, so an early weekday visit feels less like battling a queue. From Rochester, it's a straightforward drive east. Staying at Essex Glamping puts you just five miles away and gives you breathing room beyond the pier itself.