Essex


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1094" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/image010.jpg" alt="Caroline Ratcliff Paper Mill Island" class="wp-image-25433" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/image010.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/image010-800x583.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/image010-1000x729.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/image010-768x560.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Caroline Ratcliff grew up in Little Baddow, she is in fact a 5th generation farmer from the custodians of the farm at Paper Mill Lock! So when the opportunity came up to buy <a href="https://papermillisland.co.uk/index.php" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Paper Mill Island </a>a few years ago, she and her sister just went for it! No looking back the pair have turned the location into an idyllic place to while away a few days and enjoy river life. Caroline&#8217;s not afraid to venture down an unknown country lane so she knows a thing or two about the spots that are worth a visit. Here&#8217;s a few of her favourite places.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-parlour-cafe-burnham-on-crouch">The Parlour Café, Burnham on Crouch</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/3-1.jpg" alt="The Parlour Cafe" class="wp-image-25379" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/3-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/3-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/3-1-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>One of my favourite family-run places to have a relaxed catch-up with friends is <a href="https://parlour-cafe.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Parlour Café</a> at Creeksea Place Farm. It’s been designed in such a cool way, reusing building materials. It has a fun atmosphere and good food. You can tell its popular with the amount of locals coming and going. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-stores-great-waltham">The Stores, Great Waltham</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="979" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/the-stores-pic.jpg" alt="The Stores Great Waltham" class="wp-image-25380" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/the-stores-pic.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/the-stores-pic-800x522.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/the-stores-pic-1000x653.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/the-stores-pic-768x501.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p><a href="https://www.thestores.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Stores</a> at Great Waltham serves excellent food, has friendly service and it does take-aways which is especially useful if you have no time to cook! It’s a few miles outside of Chelmsford so it’s worth a visit and it is wonderful seeing it thrive in the middle of a village.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-bell-purleigh">The Bell, Purleigh</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/The-bell.jpg" alt="The Bell Purleigh" class="wp-image-25381" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/The-bell.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/The-bell-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/The-bell-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/The-bell-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>For a dinner out, I would recommend <a href="https://www.purleighbell.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Bell at Purleigh</a>. It has wonderful food especially the roasted shoulder of lamb. With views overlooking the vineyards and fields of the Crouch Valley, it makes me think I’m in the South of France.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wyvernwood-colchester">Wyvernwood, Colchester</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/Guests-with-Merlin-doing-a-spell.jpg" alt="Wyvernwood Colchester" class="wp-image-25382" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/Guests-with-Merlin-doing-a-spell.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/Guests-with-Merlin-doing-a-spell-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/Guests-with-Merlin-doing-a-spell-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/Guests-with-Merlin-doing-a-spell-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>I&#8217;m mum to two young girls, and one of my favourite places to take them for the day come rain or shine is <a href="https://www.wyvernwood.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wyvernwood</a>, just outside Colchester. It&#8217;s an adventure park where you enter ‘the enchanted lost kingdom’ full of fairies and knights (they maybe paid actors). There&#8217;s also acres of woods, maize fields and tree climbing to discover there.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-munnings-museum-colchester">The Munnings Museum, Colchester</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1046" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/the-munnings.jpg" alt="The Munnings Art Museum Dedham" class="wp-image-25383" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/the-munnings.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/the-munnings-800x558.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/the-munnings-1000x697.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/the-munnings-768x536.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>When I was young, my mother always took me around art galleries and museums so my interest in art and design remains. Culturally, there is so much in Essex which I think gets overlooked. I would definitely recommend The <a href="https://www.munningsmuseum.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Munnings Art Museum</a> in Dedham. This is the former home of Sir Alfred Munnings, famous for his wonderful paintings of horses and country life. It&#8217;s a real joy just looking at those paintings. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fry-art-gallery-saffron-walden">Fry Art Gallery, Saffron Walden</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="950" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/fry-gallery.jpg" alt="Fry Art Gallery Saffron Walden" class="wp-image-25384" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/fry-gallery.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/fry-gallery-800x507.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/fry-gallery-1000x633.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/fry-gallery-768x486.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>My next choice for Essex culture is <a href="https://fryartgallery.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fry Art Gallery</a> in Saffron Walden. It holds the North West Essex Collection, in particular they display the pictures of the Bardfield School of Artists including Eric Ravilious and Edward Bawden. It&#8217;s a real gem. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sworders-fine-art-auctioneers-stansted-mountfitchet">Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers, Stansted Mountfitchet</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1075" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/Stansted-Portrait-v2.jpg" alt="Sworders fine art auctioneers Stansted" class="wp-image-25385" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/Stansted-Portrait-v2.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/Stansted-Portrait-v2-800x573.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/Stansted-Portrait-v2-1000x717.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/09/Stansted-Portrait-v2-768x550.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>It’s always fascinating to pick up a catalogue at <a href="https://www.sworder.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sworders</a> fine art auctioneers and to learn about the different items that are coming up for sale, sometimes with the girls we&#8217;ll have a ‘guess the price’ or ‘what’s your favourite item?’ game, as well as watch the drama of the bidding.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next-for-paper-mill-island">What&#8217;s next for Paper Mill Island?</h2>



<p>At the moment you can stay at the Lodge but we are currently renovating the main house on the Island, so that will be available to book at the end of this year!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fancy-checking-out-paper-mill-island-take-a-look-at-our-review-to-make-the-most-of-your-stay">Fancy checking out Paper Mill Island? Take a look at our review to make the most of your stay:</h2>



<p><a href="https://essex.muddystilettos.co.uk/travel/uk/self-catering/review-paper-mill-island-lodge-little-baddow/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Review: Paper Mill Island Lodge, Little Baddow</a></p>


My favourite places: Caroline Ratcliff, owner of Paper Mill Island

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