North Essex's top 6 places to visit according to TripAdvisor

Tiptree's popular jam factory pipped venues including Colchester Zoo and Clacton Beach to the top spot in the north of the county.

TripAdvisor named Tiptree Jam Museum & Tea Room as the best in the area - and second only to Adventure Island in Southend in the whole county.

Wilkin & Sons' first ‘Tiptree’ conserves were made in 1885 on its estate in Factory Hill, Tiptree.

The factory, famous for its signature Little Scarlet strawberry jam, has been making jam and preserves for kings and queens for 130 years and is one of the biggest suppliers with the UK jam market.

The site now includes a tea room and a museum, which features paraphernalia of preserve making and Essex village life collected by J.S. Wilkin.

Bluebells at Weeleyhall Wood bluebells. Picture: Bob Seago

The second highest rating on TripAdvisor went to Weeleyhall Wood in Church Lane, Weeley.

The beautiful woodland is a sea of colour in the Spring with wildflowers that carpet the ancient woodland.

One visitor to the Essex Wildlife Trust-run site said: "The best time to visit is when the bluebells are out."

Colchester Zoo, in Maldon Road, Stanway, came in third in the list despite a very difficult year due to the pandemic.

It has more than 270 species and is set in 60 acres of beautiful parkland and lakes.

The zoo launched an emergency operating fund following the first coronavirus lockdown in March, receiving hundreds of donations before it was finally able to reopen in June.

But the survival of the zoo remains an ongoing battle and it is a battle bosses fear they are losing.

The second national lockdown has had a “catastrophic” impact - and it has again closed after Colchester was placed into tier 4.

It said any savings are being eaten away by the day-to-day running costs, while the majority of the zoo’s overseas conservation support has been suspended.

Fourth place in the north of the county was Clacton's Princes Theatre, despite the industry's difficult year due to Covid restrictions.

Theatres across the country struggled this year after being amongst the first businesses to close and the last to reopen after the first lockdown.

Clacton's West Cliff Theatre opened in December for the first time since the first lockdown started in March - only to close again when Tendring was plunged into tier 4 on Boxing Day.

Frinton's popular Summer Theatre, based at the McGrigor Hall in Fourth Avenue, was due to celebrate its 80th year in 2020, but sadly had to cancel its summer season.

Clacton Beach came fifth on the list for north Essex. It was inundated by visitors in the summer after Covid put a stop to many people's holidays abroad.

Clacton was ranked third from bottom of a list of 106 resorts by Which? magazine members earlier this year, but it proved popular with TripAdvisor users.

Genteel Frinton's beach was also packed throughout the summer, but it was it's kiss-me-quick neighbour that got the best rating on the website.

Maureen Jackson took this photo of the Easter egg hunt at Beth Chatto gardens

The popular Beth Chatto's Plants & Gardens in Clacton Road, Elmstead Markert, came in sixth place.

The famous gardens house a beautiful array of plants across seven and a half acres as well as a nursery and a tearoom.

In May, garden centres became the first businesses to be allowed to reopen in an easing of lockdown restrictions.

The gardens offered a booking system, but was forced to reduce opening hours and close its tearoom due to a lack of visitors and income.