79-80 - Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea - 22nd January 2014

My first highpoints of 2014 were not going to be a great challenge, I had spent a couple of days at an event in Bishops Stortford and wanted to do something on the way home so I traveled clockwise around the M25 to do the high points of Thurrock and Southend on Sea.

The first stop was the highpoint of Thurrock, there was a handy car park right next to where the highest point was so there was no need to do any climbing (or walking), there was a church here and a few houses, not too far away there was a communications aerial but that was about all. I soon headed off to my next high point but not before making a quick visit to a friend on route.

Roger Daws is a balloon artist and an adventurer, he climbs mountains, hills and rock faces all over the place, I had seen him at the event in Bishops Stortfort and he invited me to pop in for a cup of tea, after this I was soon on my way to visit my second highpoint of the day, This one was the high point of Southend-on-Sea. What can I say about this high point? let me think about how to put this, its was very . . . . flat, yes flat is the word I am looking for, not only for geographical features but for interest too.  The high point was situated within a clump of trees at the end of a residential road, I was lucky to have the official high point pinpointed onto Google maps so that I could use my mobile to find the exact location, it really was flat and about as exciting as watching paint grow (or grass dry?).

Once I had climbed (walked across to) the high point it was time I headed off home, I was soon back on the M25 and over the Dartford crossing, then it was not too long before I was back home after those 2 exhausting climbs (not).