Driving the wild causeway to Horsey Island
Horsey Island is a small island located on the North Sea coast of England. It’s one of the periodically flooded roads around the world.
Where is Horsey Island?
The island, part of the Hamford Water National Nature Reserve, is located in the parish of Thorpe-le-Soken, in the northeastern part of Essex, within the estuary of the River Colne. Due to its coastal location, Horsey Island is susceptible to flooding, particularly during storms and high tides.
Is Horsey Island worth it?
Located on the south-east coast of the British Isles, the island hosts a solitary 19th-century brick cottage. Managed by Natural England and the Essex Wildlife Trust, on the island, there’s a freshwater pool and oyster beds on the edge. The first record of Horsey island goes back to 1212 when it was called ‘Horse Hey’. People have lived there in the past but it is now privately owned. You have to get permission to visit it. In addition to its natural beauty and wildlife, Horsey Island is also known for its historical significance. The area has evidence of human habitation dating back to ancient times, and archaeological finds have uncovered artifacts from the Roman period. The island features in Arthur Ransome's children's novel Secret Water as "Swallow Island".
How to get to Horsey Island?
The island, also known as Horsey, is linked to the mainland by a 2.73km (1.7 miles) long causeway called Island Road, across a stretch of water known as the Wade, starting from Walton-on-the-Naze. The crossing is a white-knuckle ride from side to side and up and down through the potholes and small residual seawater ponds left by the tide.
How is the Horsey Island causeway?
The causeway, marked by withies, is entirely unpaved and can be driven only at low tide, approximately 4 hours a day. The tidal times can change so check it out before you start your journey. It’s suitable for all but the smallest of cars, due to good ground clearance being necessary. The crossing is a very bumpy two-thirds of a mile on what is essentially a track, but very much worth the journey once you arrive.
Road suggested by: jorge manuel gómez sánchez
Pic: Von Ben Eagle, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13856159