Rainham Marshes
This month’s BLC trip was based on Celary’s idea, who suggested that we take a leisurely walk around Rainham’s Marshes, which I was totally up for. It’s always nice to enjoy a change of pace. To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect. If I don’t plan the trip then I tend not to do any research into where I’m going so that I won’t ruin my surprise on the day.
Rainham Marshes is part of the landscape of the Thames Estuary that sits on the urban fringe of London. The marshes used to belong to the Ministry of Defence as a firing range, but in 2000 it was bought by the RSPB, who have since been restoring this ancient habitat to its original condition as low-lying grazing marsh. It is filled with a myriad of wildlife, from birds to mammals and insects to reptiles. The reserve is bordered by the River Thames and to the north by the A3. The fully accessible nature trail allows you to experience nature throughout all the seasons, but I have been warned by both Celary and Parsnip that the winter wind can be quite chilling.
The modern, environmentally-friendly visitor centre features solar panels and a rainwater harvesting system. It has huge windows and telescopes overlooking the marshes. Split across two floors, the information centre and cafe are on the top floor to allow visitors to enjoy wonderful views, while the toilets and shop are on the ground floor. When we arrived, the cafe and seating area were quiet, with scattered khaki-clad folk clutching binoculars, almost like they were waiting to go on safari or something.
There are quite a few different routes that one can take at Rainham Marshes. There’s four main ones, and we took the circular 3.8km route around Aveley Marsh through reedbeds, wetlands and woodlands. The reserve boasts hides, viewing areas and adventure playgrounds, including climbing boulders. Each section that we passed through had its own info sheet about the area and what kinds of creatures we should be on the lookout for.
Usually around the middle of the year, we would expect to see more birds, but due to the exceptionally hot weather we’ve been having the water had receded quite far inland, making it hard to spot any birds as they hide away from the relentless sun. Despite that, we were still able to find our fair share of wildlife, including frogs and many different types of insects.
At one point on the walk I had forgotten that we were still in London until the traffic of the A13 thundered by en route to the Dartford Crossing, drivers oblivious to the little multiverses of wildlife existing in these unassuming marshlands and mudcreeks.
I was really impressed by how much work went into the restoration of the marshes, including the hides that were dotted around our route, as they made great breaks away from the humidity and strong sun. They were filled with educational information but they were also really well-kept and clean.
How to get there
The nearest railway station to the reserve is Purfleet, which is on the C2C line from Fenchurch Street, taking roughly 55 minutes if you get the direct train. We met at West Ham, making our journey slightly shorter. We then walked 20 minutes from the station following the brown pedestrian signs along the riverside path.
Entry is £6 for adults, but free to RSPB members. If you’ve never been before I do highly recommend bringing your own packed lunch so that you can enjoy nature watching en route. If you forget, then the cafe does have some sandwiches that you can take away but nothing fancy. But be warned: because the reserve is very open to the elements, you should take the essentials with you including water, snacks, suncream, sun hat and a layer for warmth if you are visiting in the cooler seasons.
