TQ7368 : Medway Valley Walk along the river (2)
taken 14 years ago, near to Rochester, Medway, England
The Medway Valley Walk is a 28 mile walk in West Kent, with interesting landscape, natural history and archaeology. It passes through a varied landscape of downland, woodland, orchards, hop gardens, meadows and farmland, lakes and marshland, unspoilt villages and historic towns. The walk starts in Tonbridge and ends in Rochester. Links are made with the Greensand Way, North Downs Way, Saxon Shore Way and Wealdway.
The start of the walk is linked by the waymarked Eden Valley Walk (15 miles) to the Vanguard Way at Haxted. The Len Valley Walk (12 miles) connects with the Medway Valley Walk at Maidstone and following the course of the River Len also connects with the Stour Valley Walk (Kent) at Lenham, thus creating a waymarked 80 mile route between Tonbridge and the sea at Sandwich.
The River Medway is 70 miles long and flows almost entirely within Kent. It rises in Ashdown Forest and joins the Thames near Chatham. Apart from the Thames it has the largest catchment area in southern England. The river is navigable as far as Tonbridge by large craft and as far as Penshurst by small craft. There are 11 locks on the river, between Allington and Tonbridge. The river is tidal to Allington Lock. The River divides Kent in two, those born west of the river are known as Kentish Men, whilst those born east of the river are Men of Kent. The river was used as a line of defence against possible invasion during WWII.