A day out in Essex

I took a trip to the seaside last weekend after our work in Elm Park - and was reminded of how beautiful Essex can be, contrary to what the wider world sometimes believes. My train from Romford to Clacton-on-Sea passed by green fields in winter sunshine, Colchester (worth a visit for anyone interested in history - once the capital of Roman Britain) and canoeists on the River Colne near Wivenhoe. Clacton itself has the usual seaside combination of Victorian architecture, quiet residential streets and traditionally garish entertainments as one nears the pier. I had a cup of tea on the seafront overlooking the North Sea - perfect. (My councillor instincts, however, helped me spot a less happy picture in a shop window - a map for an anti-social behaviour dispersal area. But I wouldn't know whether Clacton is any worse in this respect than many towns up and down the land.)