Mersea Island East Beach

Mersea Island East Beach is a dog friendly stretch of sand and shell shoreline at the easternmost tip of Mersea Island, accessed via Cudmore Grove Country Park near Colchester. The island sits in the Blackwater and Colne estuaries, separated from the mainland by a tidal causeway known as The Strood that floods on spring tides, lending the beach a pleasantly remote and unhurried feel. The foreshore faces east and south, offering views across to Brightlingsea and the mouth of the Colne, and the surrounding country park adds grassland, meadows and walks through an area rich in wildlife and wartime history, including Second World War pillboxes and the faint remains of a Tudor fort.

Dogs are welcome year round at Mersea Island East Beach with no seasonal restrictions in place, making it a genuinely reliable option for dog owners at any time of year. The beach itself is wide enough to give dogs room to explore, and the grassy park behind adds extra space for off-lead runs away from the foreshore. A foot ferry runs from this point across to St Osyth and Brightlingsea during peak season, and there is a pay and display car park at Cudmore Grove Country Park. Facilities within the park include toilets and a children's play area, though the beach itself is fairly undeveloped, which is a large part of its charm.