Located on the north bank of Hanningfield Reservoir is the village of West Hanningfield in the borough of Chelmsford.
The reservoir is believed to be the 11th largest in England and was created in 1957.
As well as providing a source of regular water, it has been adopted by nature and is home to ducks and other wildfowl.
Hanningfield Reservoir (Image: Google) On the opposite bank of the reservoir you will find Hanningfield Nature Reserve and Hanningfield Waterside Park.
Essex Wildlife Trust described the reserve as a “serene woodland setting, with nature trails, bird hides and wonderful panoramic views over the 870-acre reservoir”.
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The reservoir itself is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to the numbers of wildfowl that use the reservoir in the autumn and winter, including gadwall, tufted duck and pochard.
The spectacle of thousands of swifts, swallows and martins feeding over the water during peak fly hatches is “one of the delights for the summer visitor”, according to the wildlife trust.
West Hanningfield has one pub – The Ship in Stock Road.
The Ship is hosting “the ultimate beer and cider festival” next weekend (August 30-31) from 12pm until late.
Its website says: “Our Shipwrecked beer and cider festival was such a success last year that we’re doing it all over again.
“We have an amazing day of live music acts, family fun, local beers and refreshing summer ciders, and proud to announced two great bands are headlining each day.”
The Ship prides itself on its “relaxing oasis” of a garden terrace – “the perfect sun trap surrounded by vibrant flowers”.
It also deems itself a good spot for a post-walk pint.
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“With the un-touched Essex countryside on our doorstep, we are proud to have such a beautiful landscape as our neighbour.
“An obvious paradise for walkers, this wild landscape is full of adventure, with everything from short strolls through woodland to circular walks around Hanningfield reservoir, explore a walker’s paradise straight from our doorstep,” the website says.
Despite being surrounded by rural land, West Hanningfield has regular bus services linking the village to Chelmsford and other surrounding areas.
For those commuting to and from London, the nearest train station is in Chelmsford and provides direct links to Liverpool Street.
According to Google Maps, the village is a 42-minute drive from Romford town centre.
Rightmove’s data shows house prices in West Hanningfield sold for an overall average of £741,250 over the last year.
The majority of properties sold in the village during the last year were detached properties, selling for an average price of £778,000.
Semi-detached properties sold for an average of £557,500.
