Get closer to nature at our Mersea Island holiday park!

Staycations are all about exploring the great outdoors – and Waldegraves Family Holiday Park is the perfect place to see the very best the Essex coast has to offer this year.

From days spent on the beaches or out in the countryside, you can’t really beat time spent in the British outdoors for quality time it gives you as a family. Here at Waldegraves we’re blessed with a truly stunning location on beautiful Mersea Island, the most easterly inhabited island of the British isles.

Here you enjoy nature at its finest, with the island rich with wildlife. Take a look at the video guide below for a glimpse into island life…

What wildlife can you see on Mersea?

From our Mersea Island holiday park, you really can get up close and personal with nature.

There’s dozens of species of birds that visit the island all year from Little Egrets and Marsh Harriers to Green Woodpeckers and Ospreys. It’s why the island is a hugely popular location with bird spotters, who flock to birding sites across the island.

Take a look at the Essex Birdwatching Society’s website here for details of the all the species you can see (and where to see them) on the island. Just don’t forget pack your binoculars – and you may be in for a treat!

Cudmore Grove Country Park

One of our favourite places on Mersea Island is Cudmore Grove – and we always recommend you spend some time here during your stay at our holiday park. It’s just a 10 minute car journey away.
Spanning over 100 acres, this nature reserve is an excellent place to spot wildlife and rare bird species.

There’s a wildlife hide that overlooks the pond where you can often see wildfowl, foxes and rabbits. The low-lying grazing meadow is Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and attracts wading birds and ducks throughout the year.

Cudmore Grove is also a flat site and there’s miles of walking paths that circle and cross the site – so head out and see what you can find!
For the little ones in your group, there’s also a kid’s play area where they cab climb and play (and let off some steam!). You can find out more about Cudmore Grove Country Park here.

For more information on things to do at Waldegraves Family Holiday Park, visit our guide to Mersea Island here.