Chalkwell Beach

Chalkwell Beach is a dog friendly sandy beach on the western edge of Southend-on-Sea, forming part of the long Thames Estuary waterfront that runs from Leigh-on-Sea eastward towards the town centre. The beach is backed by a promenade and accessed from a car park on Chalkwell Esplanade, and at low tide a wide expanse of wet sand, mud and shingle is revealed, offering good opportunities to explore rock pools and find crabs and marine wildlife. A notable landmark is the large granite Crowstone obelisk visible just off the beach on the mudflats: this marker historically defined the seaward limit of the City of London's jurisdiction over the Thames, with some form of stone thought to have stood here since the twelfth century.

Dogs are welcome at Chalkwell Beach outside of the summer season, with restrictions applying from the start of May to the end of September. During the allowed months, the beach and promenade make for a pleasant walk with views across the Thames Estuary towards Kent. Facilities include a cafe, toilets, a shop and deck chair hire, with disabled facilities available. Pay and display parking is available on Chalkwell Esplanade. A short walk from the beach is Rossi's Ice Cream Emporium, and the area is well served by the Chalkwell railway station on the Fenchurch Street line.