Fingringhoe is a tiny village, notable for it’s own funny/rude name, a pub with a funny name (The Whalebone), a lovely flint-napped church (St. Andrew’s), a nature reserve (Fingringhoe Wick), a picturesque pond, and not much else (in the nicest possible way). But, go back 2,000 years, and this was part of a thriving Roman port area, feeding goods and passengers to nearby Camulodunum (Colchester), Roman capital of Britain. Only Roman River on the map gives an indication of this history!
That is, apart from being a place to get a great photograph of Wivenhoe, which is just a stone’s throw away on the opposite side of the River Colne. To get to the river, find Ferry Road and walk down the hill and get a photo like this one :
If you’re a photographer, you can also walk down the hill from The Whalebone Inn, past the pond and look to your right for a nice view of an old mill, and get a few photographs of that.
You’ll find Fingringhoe signposted off the Mersea Road at Langenhoe. Put The Whalebone Inn postcode into your satnav to find the centre of the village : CO5 7BG, but if you’re not popping in to the pub, park outside the church.
It’s also a 30 minute cycle ride (shorter if you’re fast) from Colchester, or take in Fingringhoe on a circular bike ride around Colchester.