Words About Things

The Celts, Romans, Anglo Saxons and Normans all called this area of South West Essex home. Thurrock’s strategically important position along the northern bank of the Thames has always made it the guardian of London’s east flank. Preserved within this beautiful green belt is a natural habitat for many species of native British wildlife and examples of the rural way of life.

Visitors to the area can explore the timeless landscape of traditional English villages, vibrant wildlife parks teeming with plants, birds and animals. There are a number of significant monuments and churches and the area will provide memories a plenty.

Thurrock’s Hidden Treasures

Tilbury Fort, in the middle of the Tilbury Marshes, along with the later Coalhouse Fort and St Catherine’s Church a little further along the River Thames, sit guarding the entrance to the river. Tilbury Fort was built by King Henry VIII and modernised a number of times, decommissioned in the 1950’s and opened to the public. The Coalhouse Fort is much later and was built in 1860, it now contains a museum dedicated to the two World Wars.

St Clements Church is a marvellous old Grade I listed building in West Thurrock that was famously used in the film “Four Weddings and a Funeral.” This striking church is now right next to a large factory that has taken over responsibility for the up keep and maintenance of this 800 years old structure. The church once fallen into disrepair is now fully restored and has two early memorial brasses worth seeing.

Military Memories

Purfleet Heritage and Military Centre is the remains of the Royal Magazine, where gunpowder was tested and stored. It now holds an interesting collection of military exhibits including a special display dedicated to the Ghurkha regiments, women in war and the great zeppelins, one of which was shot down here in 1916.

Village life

Thurrock is awash with traditional English Villages, picturesque, verdant places with village greens, the country church and local pub, places like North Stifford, Orsett and Horndon with its wool market are classic examples of the idolised view of the once common village life.

Thurrock countryside

Rainham Marshes Reserve is another example of the preserved countryside being safely protected yet accessible to the public. The area is complete with boardwalks and a visitor centre to explain the importance of the area and the interesting species that live in the habitat. Langdon Hills Country Park is another wonderful green space available to enjoy, with its spectacular view across the Thames estuary and ancient woodlands to explore.

Staying in Thurrock

The Radisson Park Inn Hotel in Thurrock is the perfect place to stay for this delightful country getaway. Situated in a refurbished Georgian Manor House, amid six acres of beautifully designed gardens, the 97-room residence is only 20 minutes outside of London. This elegant setting contains completely modern facilities in the gloriously lavish surroundings.

As well as its accessibility to some of England’s most serene countryside the hotel is also within easy reach of the popular Bluewater and Lakeside shopping centres.

Istanbul spans the mighty Bosphorus Strait and stretches into both Europe and Asia, combining the cultures of these two continents in a vibrant and exciting mixture. A massive city and a truly formidable travel destination, there are infinite adventures to be had within Istanbul as you wander through the ancient streets, sip Turkish tea, and haggle with merchants in the marketplaces. With a quick flight to Turkey, and many airlines offering direct routes to Istanbul, reaching this cornucopia of culture.

However, if you are staying in Istanbul for a while it is also a great idea to take a trip outside the city. There are many interesting destinations with a short drive or ferry ride from Istanbul, and here are a few ideas to get you started exploring:

Ataturk Arboretum

This is a “living tree museum”, a botanical garden only a short drive away from the city containing many living examples of Turkey’s native plants, and it is the perfect day trip from Istanbul for nature lovers. The best time to visit this beautiful setting is in the autumn when the leaves change into brilliant shades of orange, yellow, crimson, gold and even purple. Up on the hilltop there is an observation tower where you can enjoy an amazing view over the forest and the Bosphorus. Bird watchers keep your eyes peeled, as this area is located along one of the main routes of migration for many birds making their way from Europe to Africa.

The Prince’s Islands

These gorgeous islands off the southern coast of the Asian side of Istanbul were once a place of exile for members of the royal family during the Byzantium Age, and then were used as summer holiday retreats by the wealthy and powerful of Turkey. The islands are only a half-hour away from Istanbul by seabus, and a fantastic place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. As soon as you arrive you will find yourself lulled into a much slower pace of life, as there is no motorized transport on the island at all and the only way to get around is by charming horse-drawn carriage. When you are slowly meandering down the rustic lanes past Victorian-style clapboard houses, languid beaches, and domestic donkeys, you will feel as if you have slipped into a simpler and more relaxing time.

Edirne

This beautiful city was once the capital of the Ottoman Empire, and is rich with history. If you rent a car in Istanbul, you can drive here within two hours and so it makes a great day trip from Istanbul, but if you want to explore the city at a more leisurely pace you can stay overnight. While you are in Edirne, be sure to check out the Selimiye Mosque, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which was built during the Ottoman Empire of the 16^th century and is considered the ultimate example of Ottoman architecture. It is also wonderful to stroll through the Old Quarter of the city, where you can see many elaborate wooden houses decorated with delicate carvings.

These are just a few of the interesting nearby destinations you can visit on a day trip from Istanbul.

If you are considering taking a trip to Africa, then one of the up and coming tourist destinations is Lagos in Nigeria. Up until the 1960’s this was the capital of the country and has a well-established city centre and island attractions. Lagos is well known for its excellent after dark party atmosphere with clubs and bars that rock through the night but it also has some gorgeous, tranquil countryside locations where you can see the natural savannah landscape or relax on some of the best beaches in Nigeria.

Party Time

Music and nightlife is at the heart and soul of Lagos and it is famous all over Africa for its party time entertainment. It won’t take any travellers long to discover where the hot spots are. You just have to follow the sounds, as there are concerts, parties and live appearances happening nightly.

Beach life

Beaches surround the coastline of Lagos and the local people regularly get away from the chaos of busy city life to enjoy the serene settings of Lagos’s shores. Eleko and Bar Beaches are where you can go for a drink and a swim, often crowded, as these are real party beaches. Quieter destinations include the Tarkwa Bay Beach, reached by the Tarzan Jetty ferry and a great place for water sports and family fun. For the ultimate in tranquillity the Lighthouse Beach more often than not is deserted and you can find a whole stretch of coastline to yourself.

Lagos Attractions

Sungbo’s Eredo, now on the tentative heritage list for UNESCO this site about an hour outside of Lagos is the largest manmade, pre-colonial structure in Africa and the defensive fortifications covers 160 Km. It was built around 1,000 years ago and was believed to have been used to unite the local area into a unified kingdom.

Lekki Conservation Centre created an area of 78 hectares to preserve the natural, biodiversity of the savannah, swamp and forested landscape just outside Lagos. This is the last untouched area of unspoilt land in Lagos and the project aims to protect it for future generations. The site includes wooden boardwalks and a tree house where visitors can safely observe the animals in their natural habitat.

Culture and Collections

Two of Lagos favourite museums are the National Museum and the Black Heritage Museum. The National Museum traces the 2,000-year history of Nigeria, with bronzes and ivory sculptures, exhibits from the colonial era, to the countries modern development. The Black Heritage Museum has interesting artefacts from the slave trade that once centred on the Badagry district of Lagos.

Oba’s Palace on Lagos Island is the king’s palace residence, originally built in 1630 and expanded by the Portuguese some 40 years later. It has also received some modern additions more recently. It now serves as the site for meeting and entertaining foreign dignitaries and is a popular tourist attraction.

Accomodation In Lagos

Picture Via 500px

There are many places to stay when visiting Lagos and depending on what part of town you want to stay will give you choices. The Radisson Blu Anchorage is a four star hotel located on Victoria Island, in the business hub of the city and sits on the waterfront, which gives impressive views over Lagos Lagoon.