I love this place!

I love this unassuming little strip of land between two fields of wheat, which I’ve affectionately nicknamed ‘The Avenue’.

It lies between Silver End in Essex and the imposing incinerator they’ve built towards Rivenhall, but it’s a place where you can’t really hear any traffic, only the wind, birds and the odd plane overhead. Here I’ve seen more wildlife than humans and it just feels so peaceful, like you’re totally cocooned in nature. A little strip of a sanctuary and a place where I can completely clear my mind.

I’ve seen the usual rabbits and hares, deer and muntjacs. There are busy bees all over the wildflowers. Dragonflies and so many butterflies resting on the path in front of me that fly up on my approach.

From the noisy blackbird hovering above warning his mate of a nearby human to a family of baby foxes crossing the path ahead. Huge kite birds hovering above and often a few of their feathers scattered on the ground. 

It may not be the most picturesque or remote place, I mean it’s hardly the lake district or anything, but about 2 or 3 miles from a big town and it's absolutely heaving with wildlife. Having access to something like this on your doorstep is priceless and so good for the soul where you can tune into nature and notice the changing seasons and the lifecycle of a wheat field.

You don’t always need an expensive spa or a commitment to yoga classes to be able to relax and switch off (although those are wonderful things!) but finding a place where you can walk in nature is a massively underrated activity.

If I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed with work or social activities or if I’m feeling anxious about something, it’s a place where I can find calm and respite. I come on my lunch break when working from home. If I can’t get to the gym or don’t feel like a lively class but feel like I need to move, I come here. It’s a great place to clear a hangover too!

I always, always feel energised and calmer after a walk here.