This 600-year-old footpath is rumored to have claimed the lives of more than 100 people over the centuries making it the deadliest road in England.
For centuries, the Broomway was the only way to walk to Foulness Island , England. The nearly 10km footpath across the sand and mud looks easy in good weather, but has resulted in the deaths of many people.
Named after hundreds of “brooms” , attached to short stakes to mark the way, but now it has been replaced by wooden poles that slide easily in fog and heavy rain. If you accidentally get lost on the sandy beaches, you can be in mortal danger.
This is the only way to walk to Foulness Island, England.
When the tide recedes between Foulness and the Essex coast, vast sands and mudflats are exposed, but only Broomway is believed to be passable.
If you stray from this path, you can face dangers such as mud pits, quicksand traps, easily swallowing a person. This is why trying to cross the Broomway in fog or heavy rain can be extremely dangerous.
If you venture out on the Broomway at the wrong time of day, you also face some risks. When the tide returned, it came quickly, or at least faster than the average person could run, flooding the sands and making navigation difficult. People will probably drown when the tide rises rapidly and cannot be saved.
If you stray from this path, you may face dangers.
The stories of people who lost their lives on Broomway, or those who were lucky to escape, were recorded by various writers, such as Philip Benton of Rochford.
The Foulness Burial Register records 66 bodies recovered from the sand since 1600, but dozens more have never been found.
One of the reasons Broomway is so dangerous is that it’s so easy to misunderstand . In fine weather, walking along the vast sands feels like walking on a very wide beach, but that can change in a matter of minutes, at low tide.
That is why there are still many signs warning people about the dangers that pose this road. Although this is the only way to reach Foulness Island on foot.
People are only allowed to walk on the UK’s deadliest street on specific days
A road bridge built over Havengore Creek in 1922, the Broomway has since been rarely used, except by members of the military.
Still, there are daredevils drawn to “The Doomway” ‘s uncanny reputation, as Edwardian newspapers once reported, so warning signs are still quite necessary.
“Warning: Broomway is unmarked and very dangerous for pedestrians. Do not approach or touch any object as it can explode and cause death,” some signs read.
In addition to the natural perils of this footpath, the military has been conducting artillery exercises on Foulness Island since World War I, some unexploded ordnance that can explode in the sand and mud.
For all the reasons listed above, people are only allowed to walk on the UK’s deadliest road on specific days. To get to the starting point, everyone has to go through Department of Defense-owned land, so it’s a good idea to call before heading to the Broomway.