What to do and see in Essex, England: The Best Free Things to do

125 acres in size and declared an SSSI due to the wildlife present with Hawthorn scrub, meadow and saltmarsh habitats. Attractions include a miniature railway, sculpture trail, visitor centre, refreshment facilities, birdwatching hides and an adventure playground for the children.

A Cathedral in the heart of the city centre. Open daily for worship, prayer or simply to look round. There are many free concerts and exhibitions running throughout the year. See the Cathedral website for details; chelmsfordcathedral.org.uk There is no entry charge and we are situated just five minutes from the bus and railway stations.

Colchester's distinctive heritage is nowhere more apparent than in Castle Park. A site of national importance, this Victorian Park contains evidence of 2000 years of history and is a landscape moulded by the people of Colchester over many eras.Castle Park not only encompasses much of Colchester's rich heritage within its boundaries but is much loved and used as a part of present day life. It boasts over 1 million visitors a year. Providing a green oasis in the town centre, you can sit, walk, enjoy music, play games, or picnic amongst wonderful flowers and trees. Its horticulture is award-winning and the park has long been a superb venue for the town's big events.The park itself is designated Grade II on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England.

This beautiful country park contains a diverse range of habitats and is managed both for people and for its precious wildlife. There are some fantastic walks through ancient woodland and historic deer parks which lie close alongside recently planted woodland and a landscape of small pastures. Thorndon Countryside Centre is managed by Essex Wildlife Trust and the Park is managed by Essex County Council in a joint venture. Gruffalo Trail Come and see the original Gruffalo Trail - a self-led trail around the woods, searching for carvings of the Gruffalo characters. Gruffalo Activity Maps are available from the Countryside Centre, at a cost of 50p. The countryside centre offers some unique gifts and books, a separate education room, refreshments and displays. There are regular activities for children, schools and families. Few areas offer such variety as Thorndon country park and its surroundings. Ancient woodland and historic deer parks lie close alongside recently planted woodland and a landscape of small pastures, while nearby is the high forest of Hartswood and former common land. Thorndon Country Park is in two parts, the northern section on a gravel ridge and the southern part on clay soil lower down. The two parts are now linked by Old Thorndon Pastures, which is farmland that has been restored to a traditional farming landscape with small hedged fields, grazed by cattle. Thorndon Country Park North In spring, the woodlands of Thorndon North are filled with the scent and colour of bluebells, anemones and other woodland flowers. The woods are rich in birdlife and attract many species of migrant and over-wintering birds including bramblings, siskins and redpolls. Childerditch Pond is both beautiful and tranquil. Please note: Thorndon Country Park North car park is the best way to access the Gruffalo Trail. Thorndon Country Park South The open parkland at Thorndon South is busy with families enjoying barbecues and picnics, whilst drinking in views reaching out across countryside and into the heart of Canary Wharf. It's a great place to fly a kite. Thorndon Country Park offers a variety of habitats including ancient woodland, parkland, ponds, a marsh and meadow. There are some stunning ancient trees including Giant Oak and Hornbeam pollards, that are reminders that this was once a deer park. Parts of it used to be heathland, now a scarce habitat in Essex, and to restore it parts of the park, both north and south, are being grazed by goats and sheep. The park attracts a large number of woodland birds and sees more than its fair share of passage migrants and winter visitors. For example, large flocks of Siskins and Redpolls often gather in the birches, and bramblings can be seen near to the centre feeding on beech mast. There are many butterflies to be enjoyed including the uncommon Purple and White-letter Hairstreaks. The park is managed by Essex County Council's Ranger Service who are returning Conifer plantations to grassland or woodland as mature trees are harvested. The Countryside Centre in Thorndon Park North was built just after the 1987 hurricane and fallen timber from a number of Essex Wildlife Trust nature reserves was used in its construction. It is the Trust's most popular centre with over 100,000 visitors per year, and provides refreshments, a gift shop, displays and interpretation.

A farm yard atmosphere with a range of domesticated animals and some exotics. FREE ENTRY with a donation box and a gift shop where the monies from these contribute to the running.