Holland Haven Country Park that will shortly be thirty years old is a public open space with clifftop bushy grassland, shoreline and coastal marshes.

Holland Brook that drains much of Tendring enters the sea at the sluice gates that date back to the mid-18th century.

Previously a tidal estuary was a haven for a small-scale shipping trade, but there was contrasting silting-up, erosion and even flooding by storm tides.

This has eventually resulted in the rampart sea-walls towards Frinton and wartime pill-boxes adding fortification not just to repel the sea.

Recently I visited with a friend who was involved in setting up the country park, to survey the wild plants but also strayed into other aspects. We pondered the topical issue of encouraging folk into the great outdoors while somehow avoiding human pressure spoiling what is on offer.

Here the course of Holland and subsidiary Kirby brook allow zoning of access, granting coastal grazing and wildlife some exclusive space, while still in full view. The flooded scrap with solar and wind-pump overlooked by a bird-hide is the most obvious example.

Though seasonally an in-between time for birds we witnessed a black-and-white avocet showing whose boss and how as a vulnerable ground-nester it somehow succeeds.

The plant-life reflects the dual aspect looking towards the sea or back over the grassland and reed-lined fleets. We saw the small gorse-like bushes with pink flowers of restharrow, conspicuous wild carrot, purple tufted vetch and scarce parsley water dropwort together beside the brook near the sluice. Further towards the golf course similar strips of maritime grassland have yellow birdsfoot trefoil and its less familiar narrow-leaved cousin and surprising strawberry clover. Returning along the seawall plants boldly colonize the slightest crevice. Rock samphire is a striking member of the carrot family with cushions of succulent leaves adapted to sea spray. Unrelated golden samphire gave a good show of yellow flower attracting painted lady butterflies beside the lapping sea.

For your diary: September 26, 7.30pm, The Deep History of the Naze – illustrated talk by geologists at the Naze Centre, Walton.