Orsett is a quiet Essex village with a surprising amount of history. Tilbury, with its Tudor fort and its docks, lies about six kilometres to the south, and Grays and the big Lakeside shopping centre are to the west.
It is far from the Exmoor and Norfolk coast of the ride's name, and it is a cheerful, low-key final point. The roads here are fast and mostly straight, linking the A13, the M25 and the Dartford Crossing, and heavy goods traffic is constant. The Thames marshes give long views and large skies, and on a clear evening, the sunset over the water and the cranes of the docks has a harsh beauty. Orsett and its neighbours have narrow lanes between farmland that reward a slower pace, though surfaces are patchy.
The area's history is tied to the river. Tilbury Fort was built by Henry VIII and used by Elizabeth I when she gave her famous speech to the troops in 1588 to face the Spanish Armada. In 1948 the ship Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury, bringing one of the first large groups of Caribbean migrants to Britain. Orsett Fen, in the village, has a nature reserve with ponds and wildfowl, and the village itself retains its old church and green.
For fuel, South Ockendon and Grays have stations and supermarkets, and the Lakeside area has a full range of chain restaurants. Orsett has a few pubs, a small shop and a village hall, and a pint at a village inn is a traditional way to relax. The riverside at Tilbury has a ferry to Gravesend and a pleasant walk along the sea wall.
Take your time here, because the light over the estuary is worth an extra hour. It is an unpretentious place with a long history and a big sky.