Essex is home to many islands, some of which you may not have heard of but are well worth exploring.
With this in mind, National Geographic has picked out some of the best to visit.
It said: "More than 30 islands sit off the Essex coastline, revealing a wilder, windswept side to the county than many visitors expect.
"Some are home to beach huts, oyster shacks and storied pubs; others are given over to seabirds and grazing marsh.
"Together, they reveal a quieter, wilder side of Essex, best explored slowly and with the tide tables in mind."
Among those chosen was Wallasea Island, bounded to the north by the River Crouch, to the south east by the River Roach, and to the west by Paglesham Pool and the narrow Paglesham Creek.
Much of the island is farmland, but there is a part of it that is described as a "magical" place to explore.
Wallasea Island in Essex named among best to visit
Wallasea Island dates back many years, with several archaeological features having been recorded on the south and east edges of the island.
The original sea wall was believed to have been constructed in the 15th century, with the population of Wallasea at its highest in the mid to late 19th century.
Due to an agricultural depression starting in 1875, most of the island's population left.
Many storms have hit the island, including a severe flood in the 1950s that required large sections of the sea wall to be rebuilt.
In December 2008, the RSPB submitted a planning application to Essex County Council for a £12 million scheme to break open Wallasea's remaining sea walls and turn the rest of the island's farmland into a wetland bird reserve.
In September 2012, it was announced that work had begun on the Wallasea Island Wild Coast Project, and it was completed a few years later.
Today, the RSPB says that Wallasea Island is a "magical mixture of habitats", from marshland and lagoons to the sea beyond.
It adds that the newly created salt marsh, mudflats and lagoons are "bursting with life", and during a walk around the grassland, you can catch a glimpse of Short-eared Owls, Marsh Harriers or Common Seals in the water.
National Geographic described Wallasea Island as "one of the most ambitious coastal restoration projects in Europe".
It adds: "There’s no accommodation or cafe, but visitors are rewarded with some of the county’s best birdwatching.
"Circular trails trace the sea wall, with the East Flood and Jubilee Marsh routes offering rich sightings and wind-scoured views across the rivers Crouch and Roach."
Other Essex islands to visit
Wallasea was not the only island in Essex highlighted by National Geographic, with it also picking out Mersea Island, Osea Island and Horsey Island as being among the best to explore.
On Mersea Island, it said: "Pastel-painted beach huts line the shore, estuary air carries the scent of salt and seaweed, and fishing boats rock gently in the shallows.
"Its cliff-backed beaches at Cudmore Grove reveal 300,000-year-old fossils and delicate oyster shells etched into the mudflats, while vineyards such as the family-run Mersea Island Vineyard trace their roots back to Roman times."
The Company Shed was picked out as a "low-key yet legendary" restaurant to visit, alongside the White Hart Inn at the heart of the village.
Horsey Island, which is part of the Hamford Water National Nature Reserve, was dubbed a "300-acre haven".
National Geographic said that it is "home to grazing shaggy sheep and avocets wading through the marshland" and is "defined by quiet pleasures, rural walks, seasonal wildlife and kayaking through narrow creeks".
It noted that Seal Watching Harwich runs daily boat trips through the reserve from the Victorian quay at Harwich, offering chances to spot colonies of harbour and grey seals on the mudflats.
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The final spot picked out was Osea Island, which is reachable only twice a day.
Osea Island is said to "retain an air of mystery", boasting "400 acres of a mix of wildlife-rich meadows and cool coastal retreats".
Have you visited any of these islands in Essex? Let us know in the comments.
