Hi, I’m Jan.

This blog is my curated collection of places I like to visit in Essex (particularly mid-North Essex), from independent shops to tucked-away cafés or beautiful walks and little-known spots I return to again and again. It’s my personal take on local travel and lifestyle, inspired by my real experiences and everyday discoveries.

I’ll recommend places to visit if they get my approval. I’ll share any hidden gems I find (after all who doesn’t love personal recommendations). I’ve always taken photos wherever I go over the years, to journal my days out, so a blog seemed the natural next step.

I moved to Essex in 2013 and I love living here. It is such a fascinating large county, with coastal shoreline but also full of interesting and quaint villages and historic towns. There is so much countryside surrounding us, so it’s a brilliant combination. I’d always considered myself a townie but now I’ve been converted.

I’ll share my days out to give you inspiration if you live in this lovely county and want to try somewhere new and haven’t yet discovered certain areas, or if you are living in London and fancy an Essex day out, why not plan a little road trip or day out (it really isn’t that far to travel by car from London). I get excited when I discover small boutique businesses doing great things, so I’ll always give them a mention (I’m a great believer in supporting local businesses).

I’ll update my blog with new discoveries as I find them. We go on regular drives around to see what’s new or go back to tried and tested favourite spots. Most places are within an hour of Great Dunmow, and many are close together, so if planned well you can manage to visit a few in one day, if you fancy a full day out.

We often go further afield so I have a page Beyond Essex dedicated to those discoveries too!

I hope you enjoy! xx