Ten Boxing Day walks near Southend, from Hadleigh Castle to Two Tree Island and Gunners Park, with gate times, parking and pubs open. Updated November 2026.
Southend has ten Boxing Day walks worth getting out of the house for in 2026. This guide puts them in one place, with start points, gate times, parking and the pubs that open on the day. Most people head for the seafront to Old Leigh, which never shuts and is paved the whole way, or climb to Hadleigh Castle for the widest view of the estuary in Essex. Two Tree Island and Belfairs Wood are the wilder choices, and Gunners Park in Shoebury is the flat one. Every park and pub was checked against its own website on 12 November 2026.
Boxing Day 2026 is a Saturday, and the bank holiday moves to Monday 28 December. What changes on the day:
- Light. The sun sets at about 4pm, so start by 1pm for anything longer than an hour or two.
- Gates. Hadleigh Country Park closes at dusk. Gunners Park’s car park shuts at dusk and Hockley Woods’ at 6.30pm. Two Tree Island, Belfairs Wood and the seafront have no gates.
- Trains. Neither c2c nor Greater Anglia ran trains on Boxing Day 2025, apart from the Stansted Express. Our Christmas trains page will carry the 2026 plans when they are published.
- Closed. Essex Wildlife Trust shuts its Belfairs centre and cafe on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Hadleigh’s Hub cafe has published no Christmas hours, and the pier has not said whether it opens. Bring a flask.
- Tides and mud. Two Tree Island and the Leigh sea wall are tidal edges, and the woods are wet clay from November to March. Wear boots.
The seafront and Old Leigh
1. Southend seafront to Old Leigh
The walk most of the city does at some point over Christmas. Visit Essex sets it out as “a gentle family friendly promenade”: down the High Street from Southend Victoria to Pier Hill, then west along the esplanade past Westcliff and Chalkwell.
It is 2.5 miles to Chalkwell station and 4 miles to Leigh-on-Sea station. After Chalkwell the road turns inland, but the path stays by the water on a paved strip between the railway and the sea, into Old Leigh past the cockle sheds.
It is flat and paved throughout, so it suits a pushchair. The pier, at 1.33 miles, is the longest pleasure pier in the world, but it has not yet published its Christmas or Boxing Day opening; see our pier opening times page.
Open all day, every day
Access flat, paved esplanade and sea wall path the whole way
Address start at Southend Victoria station, Victoria Avenue, SS2 6AE; finish at Leigh-on-Sea station, SS9 2GB
Website visitessex.com/things-to-do/southend-victoria-to-leigh-p1327861
Good for pushchairs, wheelchairs, sea views, Old Leigh pubs, no car needed
2. Pub stop: The Crooked Billet, Old Leigh
The pub on Leigh’s old High Street, a few yards from the cockle sheds and the obvious end point for the seafront walk. It is a Nicholson’s house, and the brand bills itself on “perfect pints and unbeatable pies”.
It publishes Boxing Day hours of 10am to 7pm, so it is the one pub in Old Leigh with a confirmed Boxing Day closing time.
Open Boxing Day 10am to 7pm; Christmas Day 11am to 3.30pm
Call 01702 480289
Address 51 High Street, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 2EP
Website nicholsonspubs.co.uk/restaurants/eastofengland/thecrookedbilletleighonsea
Listing Our listing
Good for after a walk, walk-ins welcome, pies
3. Pub stop: Ye Olde Smack, Old Leigh
The Greene King pub further along the same street, with a balcony over the estuary that cannot be booked. Its Boxing Day page says the pub is open and invites people “popping in for a pint after a crisp Boxing Day walk”.
It is serving its Festive Fayre set menu, and Boxing Day bookings have been open since 3 September. The page gives no Boxing Day hours, so book or ring ahead.
Booking Boxing Day tables bookable online; balcony first come, first served
Address 7 High Street, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 2EN
Website greeneking.co.uk/pubs/essex/ye-olde-smack/christmas/boxing-day
Listing Our listing
Good for after a walk, estuary balcony, festive set menu
4. Two Tree Island
Essex Wildlife Trust’s reserve beside Leigh station: saltmarsh, lagoons and mudflats, which the Trust gives as 298 hectares in all. In winter it is the best place near Southend to see wildfowl and waders close up.
About 6km of mostly gravel and grass trails lead to bird hides, including the Lagoon Hide for waders, and the Trust asks walkers to stay on them. It is open at all times, and the free car park on Belton Way takes about 30 cars.
The island is tidal, so keep off the mud and the saltmarsh.
Open at all times
Parking free car park, about 30 cars
Address Belton Way, by Leigh-on-Sea station, SS9 2GB
Website essexwt.org.uk/nature-reserves/two-tree-island
Good for winter birds, bird hides, dogs under control, a short walk from the station
Hadleigh and Belfairs
5. Hadleigh Castle
The ruin on the hill above the marshes, and the best view on this list. Hubert de Burgh began the castle in about 1215.
Edward III rebuilt it in the 1360s as a favourite home in his old age, and English Heritage credits him with the barbican and the two drum towers. John Constable painted it in 1829.
English Heritage keeps it free and open at any reasonable time in daylight. There is no car park: park in Castle Lane, about 200 metres away, or walk up from Leigh station through the country park.
On a clear day you can see along the estuary to Kent.
Open any reasonable time in daylight
Price free
Parking no car park; on-street in Castle Lane, about 200m away
Address Castle Lane, Hadleigh, SS7 2AP
Website english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/hadleigh-castle
Good for views over the estuary, history, pairs with the country park
6. Hadleigh Country Park
One of the largest green spaces in Essex, run by Essex County Council, and home to the 2012 Olympic mountain bike course. Its trails run from a 1km family trail to a 9km loop of the park, over the downs to the castle and down to the marshes.
The council says the trails were resurfaced for electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters. The park opens 8am to dusk every day.
Parking is pay on arrival, and the toilets at The Hub open from 8.30am. Dogs are welcome under control, but on leads where cattle or sheep are grazing.
Open 8am to dusk, every day
Price parking £3.15 for 1 hour, £4.40 for 2 hours, £5.50 for 4 hours, £6.55 all day (pay on arrival)
Toilets at The Hub from 8.30am, with disabled and baby changing facilities
Access trails resurfaced for electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters; 12 disabled parking spaces
Address Chapel Lane, Hadleigh, SS7 2PP
Website explore-essex.com/places-to-go/find-whats-near-me/hadleigh-country-park
Good for long loops, views over the estuary, dogs, castle nearby
7. Belfairs Wood
Southend’s ancient wood, owned and managed by the city council and run with Essex Wildlife Trust. The Trust says parts of it are over 1,000 years old, among the oldest recorded woodland in Essex.
It is a Local Nature Reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest, with dormice, nuthatch and the wild service tree, a sign of ancient woodland. The wood is open at all times.
The Belfairs Nature Discovery Centre and its cafe close on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, so on the day it is the wood alone. Parking by the centre is limited, and the Trust suggests a £5 donation per car.
Open at all times; Nature Discovery Centre and cafe closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day
Parking limited, by the centre; suggested donation £5 per car
Address Eastwood Road North, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 4LR
Website essexwt.org.uk/nature-reserves/belfairs-park
Good for ancient woodland, dogs, stream paths, no gates
In the city and Shoebury
8. Priory Park
The city’s big park on Victoria Avenue, and the short walk for anyone who wants to stay close to home after lunch. Visit Southend lists formal gardens, a pond, a bandstand, a playground and a cafe, around the 12th century Cluniac priory that gives the park its name.
The museum in the priory opens only in the warmer months, so on Boxing Day it is the gardens and paths. There is a car park on site.
Parking car park on site
Address Victoria Avenue, Southend-on-Sea, SS2 6NB
Website visitsouthend.co.uk/parks-and-gardens/priory-park
Good for a short walk, pushchairs, pond, playground
9. Gunners Park, Shoeburyness
The old army ranges at Shoebury, now a 25-hectare Essex Wildlife Trust reserve. It has more than 12 habitats, from dunes and grassland to a large pond, with the old military buildings standing among them.
About 5km of tarmac and gravel paths cross it, and the Trust tags it wheelchair-friendly. Hundreds of waders gather at Gog’s Berth on the shore, and grey seals sometimes appear along the sea wall.
It is open at all times. The free car park takes about 50 cars and is open dawn to dusk.
Drones and e-scooters are banned.
Open at all times; car park dawn to dusk
Parking free, about 50 cars
Access tarmac and gravel paths, wheelchair-friendly
Address Shoebury Common Road (B1016), Shoeburyness
Website essexwt.org.uk/nature-reserves/gunners-park-shoebury-ranges
Good for wheelchairs, pushchairs, birds and seals, military history, dogs under control
A short drive
10. Cherry Orchard Jubilee Country Park
Rochford District Council’s 200-acre country park between Eastwood and Rochford, made from farmland and opened in stages since Princess Anne visited the first phase in 2003. It has a lake, open grassland, seven newer woods and a network of paths and bridleways down to the River Roach.
The 30-space car park off Cherry Orchard Way is free and open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, but it has a 2m height barrier. There are no toilets.
The council says the troll bridge in New England Wood is not being replaced, so do not try to cross the river there.
Open car park 24 hours, 365 days
Parking free, 30 spaces; 2m height barrier
Toilets none
Address Cherry Orchard Way (B1013), Rochford, SS4 1GP
Website rochford.gov.uk/cherry-orchard-jubilee-country-park
Good for lake, open paths, dogs, a quiet bank holiday walk
11. Hockley Woods
Rochford District Council’s ancient woodland covers over 130 hectares. The council calls it the largest remaining area of the wildwood that covered Essex after the last Ice Age.
Oak and sweet chestnut grow on the high ground and hornbeam on the wet clay. Walkers can go anywhere on foot, and the council’s leaflet sets out two waymarked walks.
The car park off Main Road opens at 7am and closes at 6.30pm.
Open car park 7am to 6.30pm
Parking car park off Main Road
Address Main Road, Hockley, SS5 4RN
Website rochford.gov.uk/hockley-woods
Good for ancient woodland, waymarked walks, dogs
12. RSPB Wallasea Island
The RSPB’s Wild Coast reserve east of Rochford, and the biggest sky on this list. It is new land: the 115-hectare Jubilee Marsh was made from soil dug out for the Elizabeth line, and six walking trails with five shelters now cross the reserve.
The car park opens daily from 8am to dusk, and the RSPB has published no Christmas closure. It is a nature reserve first, so dogs are allowed only on the public footpath, the Allfleets Marsh trail, on a short lead.
There is one accessible toilet.
Open car park daily 8am to dusk
Parking 34 spaces, 2 Blue Badge; no coaches
Toilets one accessible toilet
Address Wallasea Island, Rochford, SS4 2HD
Website rspb.org.uk/days-out/reserves/wallasea-island
Good for winter birds, big skies, a long flat walk, dogs only on the Allfleets Marsh trail
How we chose
These are the walks people in Southend search for and the places that are open on 26 December. We took them from Essex Wildlife Trust, English Heritage, Essex County Council’s Explore Essex, Rochford District Council, the RSPB, Visit Southend and Visit Essex, and added the Old Leigh pubs that publish Boxing Day opening. Southend RNLI’s Boxing Day Dip last ran in 2023 and has since moved to New Year’s Day. For more ideas, see things to do in Southend, what’s on this month, the Christmas markets and Christmas dinner in Southend, or browse the Southend business directory.
Run a place that should be here, or spot something that has changed? Email newsdesk@southendtoday.co.uk. Taken a good photograph of any of these places? Email it to newsdesk@southendtoday.co.uk and we will add it with your name as the credit.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I walk in Southend on Boxing Day 2026?
The seafront from Southend to Old Leigh is open all day and is paved the whole way: 2.5 miles to Chalkwell and 4 miles to Leigh-on-Sea station. Two Tree Island, Belfairs Wood and Gunners Park in Shoebury are open at all times, Hadleigh Castle is open in daylight, and Hadleigh Country Park opens 8am to dusk every day.
Which pubs in Leigh are open on Boxing Day?
The Crooked Billet on Leigh High Street publishes Boxing Day hours of 10am to 7pm. Ye Olde Smack, a few doors along, says it is open on Boxing Day and takes bookings for its festive set menu.
Are there trains in Southend on Boxing Day?
Probably not. In 2025 neither c2c nor Greater Anglia ran trains on Boxing Day apart from the Stansted Express, and the 2026 plans are not out yet. Plan to walk from home, drive, or check the bus companies’ holiday timetables. Our Christmas trains page has the detail.
Have your say