The River Medway is a major river in the South East of England in the county of Kent. Stretching from High Weald in Sussex, through Tonbridge and Maidstone, the river ends where it meets the Thames estuary near Sheerness.
It is an ideal touring adventure. Great for recreational users and those looking for multi day-trips. It has some gentle grade 1 rapids but otherwise the river is a lovely flat, green wilderness paddle.
Facts about the River Medway
The river has several tributaries and tidal reaches along its 70 mile stretch. These include the River Len and the River Eden. The Medway wasn’t actually navigable above Maidstone until 1746. Luckily, it is now, and paddle craft can actually get as far upstream as Penshurt if they wish!
Along a similar note, a quirky claim to fame for the river. Chatham Dockyard along the Medway was actually used as an imitation of the ‘Port of Cairo’ in the popular 1999 film The Mummy. As you paddle past, can you imagine how it would have looked as part of the film set.
At Yalding Weir, British Canoeing leases a small piece of land from the Environment Agency. Managed by White Water Action Medway, this site is available as a basic canoeing spot for overnight journeys. You can find out more about it here.
The river has recently received funding from the Environment Agency to create a Medway Canoe Trail.
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