Essex, England blends saltmarsh coast, river paths, and deep woodland into one of the country’s most varied walking regions. Follow the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation past Heybridge Basin, trace big skies on the Thames Estuary Trail, or head inland for Epping Forest and the Stort Valley Way. Around Manningtree, Flatford Mill, and Dedham Vale, Essex hiking feels quiet, historic, and close to the water.