Leigh-on-Sea is tucked away a few miles from its busiest neighbour, Southend.
Having been to Leigh many times (the old part by) the water, I was utterly amazed to find the town, which is a sharp walk up the hill (not for the faint-hearted), but still in Viewing distance of the sea.
It is buzzing but quaint and very friendly. It feels quite continental with lots of cafes and bars and people sitting outside drinking coffee or a glass of white wine in the October sunshine and not a single high street store in sight except for Superdrug!
All the shops are individually owned, ranging from boutiques to homeware and art galleries, a bit Brightonesque but calmer and dare I say it, classier! So many places to eat and drink, both in the town and in old Leigh next to the water, it’s hard to choose where to go. It was once voted the happiest place to live in England by Rightmove because of its coastal charm and friendly community.
I had the best lunch ever in Sara’s Tea Gardens, a very dog-friendly cafe tucked away in Old Leigh. I wanted a light lunch as I was eating out that night, so I ordered Welsh Rarebit. Oh my, it was the largest cheese on toast I’d ever had and totally delicious!
There are blankets for the dogs to lie on and a special dog menu for your special pup.
The Stables in Leigh-on-See
I opted for an Airbnb just off the high street in town, so everything was in walking distance, although a little hard to find, situated down an alleyway, it was like walking into Dr Who’s Tardis.
I was welcomed by a gorgeous courtyard, a spacious living area and a kitchen with two unique bedrooms and a separate bathroom. A welcome bottle of wine and biscuits were left by the owner, and everything you needed was there, including toiletries and towels. The Stables is available to book through Airbnb. It works out around £140 a night and sleeps four.
