Lockdown might be easing, but for most of us life still has a long way to go before it's back to normal. While we wait, we reflect on what draws us to the places we love.

Often misunderstood, there’s much more to the county of Essex than lazy clichés and outdated stereotypes.

Perhaps predictably it lives most of its life in London’s shadow, but dig a little deeper and you’ll discover the capital and its suburbs soon disappear to be replaced by a rural landscape of rolling farmland and wide open space.

Spend just a little time here and it’s easy to see how the lush countryside inspired artists both past and present. From the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty depicted in John Constable’s The Hay Wain to Grayson Perry’s distinctive A House for Essex in Wrabness – there’s a rich cultural heritage that runs far and wide.

As well as the vibrant cathedral city of Chelmsford, we’ve got Colchester, England’s oldest recorded town; Audley End mansion, widely regarded as one of the finest examples of Jacobean architecture in the UK; and pretty, painted, thatched cottages in villages such as Thaxted, Finchingfield and Castle Hedingham.

But, for me, the true star of the show is the coast. Whether it’s glistening mudflats, windswept marshland, golden sandy beaches or seaside promenades, the county’s shoreline is as varied as it is long.

I was fortunate to grow up close to the river at Burnham-on-Crouch. My grandfather and father both loved to sail and I have many fond memories of summer days spent out on the water.

I still live nearby and while the boat has now been replaced by a paddle board, I like nothing more than finding a few moments to escape on the water, exploring the river estuary’s many nooks and crannies that feel a hundred miles removed from the urban sprawl for which Essex is often unfairly associated.

Be it the hauntingly beautiful MOD owned wilderness of Foulness Island, the rustic charm of Mersea Island, the more genteel resorts like Frinton-on-Sea or the traditional feel of Leigh-on-Sea or Wivenhoe – whatever you’re looking for, Essex won’t disappoint. In fact, give it a chance and it might surprise.

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