As much as I adore living in London, I’m not ashamed to say that the fast pace and busyness can sometimes become overwhelming.
My personal favourite way to get away from the city is to head to the seaside, so, I hopped on a train for less than one hour outside of London for some peace, quiet and fresh air.
Like me, you might not have known that there was an island on the Essex coastline so I was very excited to see it.
The train from Liverpool Street to Colchester is under an hour and gives some beautiful views of the countryside.
When we got off at Colchester, there was a row of taxis waiting outside so we grabbed one and it was just a short drive to the White Hart Inn in West Mersea.
The hotel is instantly recognisable by its colourful sign outside, a distinctive feature I really loved.
As soon as I stepped inside, I knew I was going to enjoy my stay here.
The interior of the hotel was colourful but still chic and our room was no exception.
There are only six rooms in this boutique hotel, and we were given the room ‘Little Ditch’, which overlooks the town’s beautiful church.
I got very lucky to be put in the room decked out in green seeing as its one of my favourite colours, so I was at home straight away.
The art work, curtains and cushions were green and leafy, adding a lovely touch of character and originality to the room.
I absolutely loved the enormous, cushy bed and was thrilled to be left not only with tea and coffee but also some little praline truffles to welcome us to the inn.
The bathroom stayed in the green theme and I was very excited for my post-train shower to get myself ready for the weekend ahead.
Of course, after settling in we started with a walk along the seafront – there’s just something calming about being next to the water and smelling the salty air that makes me immediately calm and relaxed.
After spending the year in the hustle and bustle of London, it was lovely to absorb the quiet and enjoy the sound of nothing but the sea.
West Mersea is known for its colourful beach huts and it felt like something out of a postcard when we stumbled upon them – if you’re lucky enough to be there with some sunny weather I would definitely recommend renting one out for a day at the beach.
That evening, we stayed at the White Hart Inn for dinner as it is also a gastropub.
They have an extensive range of wines, beers and cocktails so I was bowled over by choice.
For dinner, I was keen to try to the cauliflower soup – to anyone who hasn’t had one before, don’t knock it until you try it.
The dish was creamy and rich with tiny pieces of pickled cauliflower to add some texture and sharpness.
For my main course, I was tempted by the market fish but ultimately went for the seafood stew which came with sea herbs, potato, spinach and saffron rouille.
This was my first time having a fish stew that wasn’t tomato based and I was incredibly surprised – it was rich and filled with flavour and the fish was truly the star of the plate.
At first, I thought it looked like a light meal, but I was stuffed by the end.
The restaurant was packed, and I can see why it’s such a popular spot on the island – we weren’t the only ones who loved it.
After dinner, we decided to have a cocktail in the lounge area next to the restaurant – I had a yummy cosmopolitan, and my boyfriend tried the oyster martini.
The oyster martini was made with a gin made in collaboration with Fishers of Aldeburgh infused with Haward’s Mersea oyster shells, rock samphire, seashore botanicals and Essex salt.
While this might sound like an odd thing to add to your evening cocktail, if you are an oyster lover then this is a must-try for you.
The next morning, we took our time and had a delicious breakfast in the restaurant.
The White Hart Inn offers a spread of pastries, fruit, yogurt, granola, meats and cheeses as well as the option to order hot food from a menu.
Obviously, I went for the avocado toast with poached eggs – a classic.
The eggs were perfect with my yolks oozing across the toast and I am pleased to share that they are not stingy with the avocado here at the White Hart Inn.
When I was full and ready to start the day, I went for a wander around the island to take in the sights and get a feel for the place.
I was starting to get used to the peace and quiet and I really feel like it helped me to switch off and relax.
There are lots of places to eat in West Mersea from Indian restaurants to cute pubs to fish bars.
For lunch, we popped into the Mersea Island fish bar for some scrumptious fish and chips which came out piping hot so we know they were freshly made – chef’s kiss.
That evening, we ventured across West Mersea to the Coast Inn for dinner.
The place was buzzing and we had dinner on the top floor with a view of the sea before heading back to the White Hart Inn to enjoy the rest of the evening in its stunning lounge area again.
There is a bookcase in the corner brimming with board games, so we pulled out scrabble and spent the night laughing, competing with one another and sipping the delicious drinks.
When the next morning came, I was sad to leave the White Hart Inn behind.
All of the staff had been so friendly and chatty while we were there, and they were a fountain of knowledge whenever we had questions about the hotel or the island.
My time there definitely replenished my energy and left me feeling serene and chilled out.
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