20 Attractions to Explore Near Thorndon Country Park

This 25 acre reserve is the site of a house and once famous Edwardian gardens belonging to Ellen Willmott, it is now maintained as a nature reserve by Essex Wildlife Trust. Warley Place with its show of blooming spring flowers - from snowdrops to daffodils and crocuses then bluebells - is a spectacular sight to see and also you can spend some nice time in this beautiful area.

Hopefield Animal Sanctuary sits on 53 acres of beautiful countryside in the heart of Brentwood, Essex. The sanctuary currently cares for over 500 sick, unwanted, and mistreated animals. It was one of the iconic attractions in this area and attracts a lot of tourists here.

Weald Country Park in Brentwood, enjoy over 520 acres of woodland, lakes, hay and wildflower meadows, deer park, open grassland and spectacular views. The park started life as a medieval deer park during the 12th century and you can get up close to their resident herds of deer in the deer enclosure.

Barleylands Farm Park in Billericay is Essex's real family farm park experience. With adorable farm animals, kids play areas and fun farmyard activites. Barleylands has a range of farm animals, reptiles, birds of prey, craft workshops and restaurants. They are well known for their animal care, popular children's birthday parties and events such as Lambing Live, Easter and Toddler Fireworks.

Kelvedon Hatch Secret Nuclear Bunker is a large underground bunker used during the Cold War as a Regional Government Headquarters. Since being decommissioned in 1992, the bunker has been open to the public as a tourist attraction, with a museum focusing on its Cold War history. It was originally built for air defence but turned into a regional government headquarters as the Cold War progressed. Now open to visitors as a museum.

The Epping Ongar Railway is a preserved railway, which runs along the last section of the old Great Eastern Railway and London Underground Central line branch line. Take one seat in one of the period coaches and watch the train pass through beautiful countryside from Ongar to North Weald, from here you can catch the heritage rail shuttle which takes you through Epping Forest and so more.

Wat Tyler Country Park is a country park located to the south of Pitsea, Essex, which was inhabited from the Bronze Age onwards and at one time was the location of the Pitsea Explosives Factory. It offers around 125 acres of country walks, wildlife spotting, adventure play for kids and some of the best business and event venues in Essex.

Hanningfield Reservoir is a 402.9 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest between Billericay and Chelmsford in Essex. It is owned by Essex and Suffolk Water and run by them in conjunction with the Essex Wildlife Trust. The reservoir is covered by a Bird Sanctuary Order. The Nature Discovery Centre is set in mature woodland and has proved a popular bat roost, with a beautiful carpet of Bluebells in the spring.

Hylands Estate is a prestigious grade II* listed public park encompassing 574 acres of historic parkland. The beautifully renovated Neo-Classical elegant villa Hylands House can be hired for any occasion including Weddings, Celebrations and Business Events and is open to the public. Since 1966 the House and its surrounding grounds have been owned and maintained by Chelmsford City Council.

The Dartford crossing – known as the Dartford tunnel until 1991 – is a major road crossing of the river Thames. It carries the A282 between Dartford to the south and Thurrock in the north. It's the only fixed crossing of the Thames to the east of Greater London and the busiest estuarial crossing in the UK. Up to 160,000 vehicles use it every day.

Chelmsford Museum is a majestic museum which will take you through Chelmsford's history, from the Ice Age, right through to the present day. From the chance to see a mammoth, or watch a princely Anglo-Saxon buriel, to finding out what used to be on your street, the museum has something for everyone.

North Weald Airfield is an operational general aviation aerodrome located in North Weald Bassett – Epping Forest, Essex. It was an important fighter station during the Battle of Britain. Although unlicensed it is home to many private aircraft and historic types, and is host to a wide range of events throughout the year, including the Air-Britain Classic Fly-in and smaller airshows.

Central Park is one of the oldest public parks in Chelmsford. It also includes Central Park Memorial Gardens, Frank Whitmore Place, Bell Meadow and Sky Blue Pasture with over 35.6 acres of parkland together with a Nature Reserve. Here you can enjoy beautiful flowerbeds, riverside walks and cycle paths, a model railway, children’s play areas, a lake, a skateboard ramp, tennis courts, a multi-use games area, and table tennis.

The Essex Way is a long-distance footpath stretching for 82 miles right across Essex. It starts in Epping and finishes at the port of Harwich. It leads through ancient woodlands, farmland, river valleys, and green lanes and visits a number of historic towns and villages along the way. One of the beautiful locations where you can spend a nice time with your loved ones.

Chelmsford Cathedral is one of the youngest cathedrals in England and stands at the heart of the newest city. It became a cathedral when the Anglican Diocese of Chelmsford was created in 1914 and is the seat of the Bishop of Chelmsford. One of the famous pilgrimage centers in this area and also a tourist attraction too.

RHS Garden Hyde Hall is a public display garden run by the Royal Horticultural Society in the English county of Essex. It is one of five public gardens run by the Society, alongside Wisley in Surrey, Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire, Rosemoor in Devon, and Bridgewater in Greater Manchester. The 360-acre Hyde Hall site encompasses a range of garden styles, from the Dry Garden with drought-resistant plants to the Hilltop Garden with roses and herbaceous borders.

Hadleigh Country Park in the South of Essex provides the perfect landscape for activities such as walking, cycling and even water sports in the summer months. With magnificent views, historical aspects, and one of the UK’s top mountain biking courses, Hadleigh is the ideal place to blow away the cobwebs. A good trekking destination that will rejuvenate your mind and body.

It occupies the southwestern part of the county at the northeastern edge of Greater London. The name also refers to an ancient tract of woodland that crosses the district. The original forest was a royal hunting ground that was gradually enclosed. It contains areas of woodland, grassland, heath, rivers, bogs, and ponds, and its elevation and thin gravelly soil historically made it unsuitable for agriculture.

Copped Hall is a fine Georgian mansion that is currently under restoration. It is superbly sited on a ridge overlooking its landscaped parkland.

Hadleigh Castle was built about 1215 by Hubert de Burgh but extensively refortified by Edward III during the Hundred Years War, becoming a favourite residence of the ageing king. The castle stands on a bluff overlooking the Leigh Marshes and Thames estuary with a single, large 50ft tower with a 2nd tower and curtain walls about up to their full height. The remains are now preserved by English Heritage and protected under UK law as a Grade I listed building and scheduled monument.