Frinton-on-Sea
Frinton-on-Sea is a small seaside town in the Tendring district of Essex. It had an estimated population of 4,800 in 2016. It is part of the Parish of Frinton and Walton. The parish consists of the towns of Frinton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze, and the villages of Kirby-le-Soken, Kirby Cross and Great Holland. Connaught Avenue (the main shopping street) used to be known as the 'Bond Street' of East Anglia.
Understand
The town has a claim on the world's first wireless telegraph school, which was established in 1901 with the opening of a residential school for training engineers for Marconi's International Marine Communication Co.
In 1934 an estate of Art Deco houses was planned designed by Oliver Hill but was never completed and in 1936 building work stopped. Several of the original Art Deco properties remain.
Get in
By road
Follow the A12 from London. Turn off just beyond Colchester on the A120, then the A133, then follow the signs to Weeley, then the B1033 to Frinton. Turn right when you arrive at the railway, level crossing roundabout.
By train
- 1 Railway Station, Station Approach, Frinton-on-Sea, CO13 9JT. Served by one train per hour between Colchester and Walton-on-the-Naze, with a few peak-time services to and from London. However, to reach the station from London outside peak hours, you will need to change trains at either Thorpe-le-Soken or Colchester. From the station, it is a 15-minute walk (0.75 miles) to the esplanade and the beach via Connaught Avenue.
By bicycle
National Cycle Route 150 runs along the coast from Walton to the NE to past Clacton to the SW.
Get around
Best by foot, but local buses run every 30 minutes between Walton and Clacton, and every two hours between Walton and Colchester. All buses stop close to the station, just outside the crossing gates.
See
- 1 Walton Naze Tower (Tower, Gallery & Museum), Naze Tower, The Naze, Old Hall Lane, Walton-on-the-Naze, CO14 8LE (3½ miles NE of town), ☏ +44 1255 852519, mail@nazetower.co.uk. Apr-Oct: daily 10AM-5PM.
- 2 Hamford Water is a wetland nature reserve in the estuary a mile or so north of Walton. It has grasslands, creeks, mud and sand flats, salt marshes and tidal islands such as Horsey. It has many resident and migratory birds. The reserve's most lurid denizens are the bright orange seals, both Atlantic / Grey and Harbour / Common seals. The mud flats contain iron ore, which the seal coats absorb to resemble an orange fake suntan, which lasts until the next moult. These seals are distinctive when they show up on shores many miles away, to be mocked as "Essex Girls".
Do
- The beach. Swimming or sun bathing in the summer.
- 1 Walton Pier (Tenpin Bowling, Funfair Rides, Amusements), Walton-on-the-Naze, CO14 8ES (2 miles NE of town), ☏ +44 1255 672288, enquiries@waltonpier.co.uk. Bowling: daily from 10AM; Amusements from 10AM (peak season), from 11AM (off-peak).
- Clacton to Walton Coast Walk (OS Grid ref TM 184 150). 7 miles, 2½ hr. Walk along sea wall. Several beach kiosks along the route.
Events
- Every summer there is a respected Summer Theatre
- An annual Literary Festival[dead link] around October.
- An annual Fun Run around May.
Buy
The main street, Connaught Avenue, is home to many charity shops, second-hand bookshops, antiques centres, etc. There are Co-op and Greggs stores in the town centre, and Aldi and Marks & Spencer food stores on the Frinton side of Walton-on-the-Naze. The Triangle shopping centre on the outskirts of Frinton houses two more sizeable supermarkets - a Fiveways and an Iceland.
- 1 Co-op (Supermarket), 102-104 Connaught Ave, Frinton-on-Sea, CO139PT, ☏ +44 1255 675329. Daily 7AM-10PM. ATMs, Post Office, parking nearby.
- 2 Tesco Express, 22 High St, Walton-on-the-Naze, CO14 8BH, ☏ +44 345 026 9907. Daily 6AM-11PM. Convenience store.
Eat
- 1 Star of India (Tandoori Restaurant & Take-away), Connaught Ave, Frinton-on-Sea, CO13 9PN. Daily 6AM-11:30PM.
- 2 Avenue Bistro, 145 Connaught Ave, Frinton-on-Sea, CO13 9AH, ☏ +44 1255 675676, enquiries@avenuebistro.co.uk. Tu-Sa 11:30AM-2:30PM & 6:30-9:30PM, Su noon-3PM.
- 3 The Manor (Pub & Food), Rectory Rd, Great Holland, CO13 0JP, ☏ +44 1255 440310. M-Sa noon-11PM, Su noon-10PM.
Drink
- 1 Lock and Barrel, 28 Connaught Ave, Frinton-on-Sea, CO13 9PR, ☏ +44 1255 672 597. Daily 11AM-11PM. Frinton's only pub inside the gates.
- 2 The Essex Skipper (Pub & Food), Rochford Way, Frinton-on-Sea, CO13 0AZ, ☏ +44 1255 851841. M-Sa 11AM-11PM, Su noon-10PM; food: M-Sa noon-2PM & 5:30-8:30PM, Su noon-4:30PM.
- 3 The Ship (Pub & Food), 35 Walton Rd, Kirby-le-Soken, CO13 0DT, ☏ +44 1255 679149, theship.kirbylesoken@gmail.com. Daily 11AM-11PM; food: M-F noon-2:30PM & 6-9PM, Sa noon-9PM, Su noon-5PM.
- 4 The Victory, 4 Suffolk St, Walton-on-the-Naze, CO14 8AR (2 miles NE of town), ☏ +44 1255 677857, contact@victorywalton.co.uk. Su-Th 11AM-11PM, F Sa 11AM-midnight. Pub, Food & Accommodation
Sleep
- 1 The Rock Hotel (Hotel with Restaurant), The Esplanade, Frinton-on-Sea, CO13 9EQ, ☏ +44 1255 677194, rockhotel@btconnect.com. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. No children under 10. No dogs. Free Wi-Fi.
- 2 The Old Surgery (B&B), 14 Holland Rd, Frinton-on-Sea, CO13 9DH, ☏ +44 1255 675700, bookings@theoldsurgeryfrinton.com. Free Wi-Fi.
- 3 The Elizabeth Guest House, 8 New Pier St, Walton-on-the-Naze, CO14 8EB, ☏ +44 1255 675556, hotmerc@outlook.com. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 10:30AM. No dogs. Single £55 per night; double/twin £65 per night.
Connect
Frinton and its approach roads have 4G from all UK carriers. As of Feb 2023, 5G has not reached town.