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Explore our events and activities

Check out amazing activities and exciting events at our unique collection of Essex Country Parks and heritage places. From Forest School to parkrun there are lots of ways to make the most of the amazing places on your doorstep and beyond.

Browse our blogs for ideas on what to do and where to go.

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Lo res EO Lock Oct24 095 2

Events

The Lock Climbing Wall: Give it a go sessions (Adults)

If you want to see what all the fuss is about and want to try climbing for the first time, then this is the course for you. No experience required, just a desire to give it a go!

  • Dates:
    • January 15, 2026
    • January 15, 2026
    • February 1, 2026
    • February 1, 2026
    • February 2, 2026
    • (continued …)
  • Venue: Essex Outdoors Harlow
  • Times: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
  • For adults
  • Price: £24.00 (course fee includes all tuition and kit hire).
Buy tickets for The Lock Climbing Wall: Give it a go sessions (Adults) Find out more about The Lock Climbing Wall: Give it a go sessions (Adults)
Lo res EO Lock Oct24 090 1

Events

The Lock Climbing Wall: Learn to Climb - One Day

This course is recommended for those who want to learn the basics of climbing and how to stay safe on a climbing wall. The course covers all of the basics you will need to be able to climb unsupervised in an indoor climbing wall.

  • Dates:
    • January 18, 2026
    • February 1, 2026
    • February 15, 2026
    • March 1, 2026
    • March 15, 2026
  • Venue: Essex Outdoors Harlow
  • Times: 10:00am - 4:00pm
  • For adults
  • Price: £78.00 course fee includes all tuition and kit hire plus wall membership (Approx. £20.00) to make climbing at The Lock even easier.
Buy tickets for The Lock Climbing Wall: Learn to Climb - One Day Find out more about The Lock Climbing Wall: Learn to Climb - One Day
Med res ECP Danbury Sept22 0431

Events

Woodland Play under five's Forest School: Danbury Country Park

Join us for woodland play sessions, aimed at the under-5's. Activities include forest crafts and building dens.

  • Dates:
    • January 19, 2026
    • January 26, 2026
    • February 2, 2026
    • February 9, 2026
    • February 23, 2026
    • (continued …)
  • Venue: Danbury Country Park
  • Times: 10:00am - 12:00pm
  • For under 5s
  • Price: Now booking for the New Year 2026
Buy tickets for Woodland Play under five's Forest School: Danbury Country Park Find out more about Woodland Play under five's Forest School: Danbury Country Park
Shutterstock 303586721

Events

Forest School sessions for Home Ed: Danbury Country Park

Aimed at home educated children, this series of six sessions at Danbury Country Park includes nature activities, forest crafts, imagination, physical play and building things.

  • Dates:
    • January 19, 2026
    • January 26, 2026
    • February 2, 2026
    • February 9, 2026
    • February 23, 2026
    • (continued …)
  • Venue: Danbury Country Park
  • Times: 12:30pm - 2:30pm
  • Primary School aged children
  • Price: Now booking for the New Year 2026. Sibling discounts available.
Buy tickets for Forest School sessions for Home Ed: Danbury Country Park Find out more about Forest School sessions for Home Ed: Danbury Country Park
Lo res EO Lock Oct24 090 1

Events

The Lock Climbing Wall: Learn to Climb (Two evenings)

This course is recommended for those who want to learn the fundamentals of climbing and how to stay safe in a climbing wall. The course covers all the basics you will need to be able to climb unsupervised in an indoor climbing wall.

  • Dates:
    • February 2, 2026
    • March 2, 2026
  • Venue: Essex Outdoors Harlow
  • Times: 7:00pm - 10:00pm
  • For adults
  • Price: £78.00 course fee includes all tuition and kit hire plus wall membership (approx. £20.00) to make climbing at The Lock even easier.
Buy tickets for The Lock Climbing Wall: Learn to Climb (Two evenings) Find out more about The Lock Climbing Wall: Learn to Climb (Two evenings)
Creative Writing Workshop

Events

Jaywick Martello Tower: Creative Net - Creative Writing with David Brown

Free workshops on the first Wednesday of every month. Everybody welcome! Join David Brown for this exciting one-off workshop, you will get to explore experimenting with a variety of styles and ideas with a view of stimulating new content.

Find out more about Jaywick Martello Tower: Creative Net - Creative Writing with David Brown
Med res ECP Danbury Sept22 0683

Events

Family Forest School: Danbury Country Park

Don’t let the children have all the fun, connecting with nature is beneficial for everyone. Come and join us at our Family Forest School sessions.

  • Dates:
    • February 7, 2026
    • March 7, 2026
    • April 11, 2026
    • May 2, 2026
    • June 6, 2026
  • Venue: Danbury Country Park
  • Times: 11:00am - 2:00pm
  • For the whole family
  • Price: £10 for the first child. £6 for siblings. Accompanying adults Free. Under 18 months free.
Buy tickets for Family Forest School: Danbury Country Park Find out more about Family Forest School: Danbury Country Park
Quamstowe flyer

Events

Jaywick Maretello Tower Spring Talks: The Quest for Quamstowe - Exploring judicial execution in medieval Essex

Join this talk by Simon Coxall to learn about medieval murder in Essex.

Buy tickets for Jaywick Maretello Tower Spring Talks: The Quest for Quamstowe - Exploring judicial execution in medieval Essex Find out more about Jaywick Maretello Tower Spring Talks: The Quest for Quamstowe - Exploring judicial execution in medieval Essex
Bp

Events

Essex Record Office Presents: Beaulieu Park Station

Join speaker Gary McDonnell for this talk where he provides a brief history of the Great Eastern Mainline and go through the financial and technical challenges of creating a new mainline railway station.

  • Dates: March 3, 2026
  • Venue: Essex Record Office
  • Times: 10:30am - 12:00pm
  • For the whole family
  • Price: £6.50
Buy tickets for Essex Record Office Presents: Beaulieu Park Station Find out more about Essex Record Office Presents: Beaulieu Park Station
Good time girls

Events

Jaywick Martwllo Tower Spring Talks: The Rise and fall of Colchester's Good Time Girls 1855-1895

This talk by Dr Jane Pearson examines the difficulties involved in attempts to control Colchester's serious prostitution problem which followed the arrival of the garrison in Colchester in 1856.

Buy tickets for Jaywick Martwllo Tower Spring Talks: The Rise and fall of Colchester's Good Time Girls 1855-1895 Find out more about Jaywick Martwllo Tower Spring Talks: The Rise and fall of Colchester's Good Time Girls 1855-1895
Army Navy

Events

Jaywick Martello Tower: Army, navy and a little local history

The Royal Navy despised the British Army, but Kaiser Wilhelm was seen as a threat, causing the need for a comprehensive invasion exercise to bring the armed forces into the modern era.

Buy tickets for Jaywick Martello Tower: Army, navy and a little local history Find out more about Jaywick Martello Tower: Army, navy and a little local history

Event location map

Cressing Temple barn

Site Hire

Many of our parks and places are available for event and 3rd party hire.

Find out more about Site Hire

A film crew at work

Filming

Our parks and places are available for filming.

Find out more about Filming