The Broomway

The Broomway is a public right of way (specifically a Byway Open to All Traffic) over the foreshore at Maplin Sands off the coast of Essex, England.

When the tide is out, it provides access to Foulness Island, and indeed was the only access to Foulness Island on foot until a road bridge was built over Havengore Creek in 1922.

At least 598 years old, recorded as early as 1419, the Broomway runs for 6 miles (9.7 km) along the Maplin Sands, some 440 yards (400 m) from the present shoreline.

Six headways run from the track to the shore, giving access to local farms. The track is extremely dangerous in misty weather, as the incoming tide floods across the sands at high speed, and the water forms whirlpools because of flows from the River Crouch and River Roach. Under such conditions, the direction of the shore cannot be determined.

After the road bridge was opened in 1922, the Broomway ceased to be used, except by the military.

Often compared to the similarly dangerous path across Morecambe Bay, the Broomway has long been notorious as "the most perilous byway in England".

It has earned this reputation by virtue of the disorienting nature of its environment in poor visibility, and near inevitability of death by drowning for anyone still out on the sands when the tide comes in.

Many people have died on it over the years.

The Foulness Burial Register records 66 bodies recovered from the sands since 1600 which is only a fraction of the total who have drowned.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Broomway

http://www.tipsandsteps.com/info/videos/view/14882/the-ancient-tidal-path-the-broomway-in-foulness-island-essex-uk