The River Medway is recognised as one of Britain’s most important for leisure activities and has a fascinating and illustrious maritime heritage. Many of the attractions and historical buildings on the river reflect this heritage.

The Medway joins the Thames estuary at Garrison Point, Sheerness. Its lower reaches, with their numerous creeks, offer extensive and safe sailing waters, where boating clubs, marinas and boatyards offer a warm welcome to visiting craft.

The tidal river extends upstream for nearly 46km and although most sailing craft are unable to pass the fixed bridge at Rochester, motorcraft can reach a further 30km of non-tidal waters above Allington Lock, through some of the Garden of England’s most attractive countryside, to Tonbridge.

The area of Chatham is a fascinating maritime destination with a history stretching back more than 400 years.  Famous seaferers Hawkins, Drake, Nelson and Gillingham-born Will Adams would have known the area well.  During the reign of King Henry VIII, the dockyard at Chatham emerged, which is today major visitor attraction. Chatham Maritime set within an attractive marina development offers an abundance of waterside eaties and bars, shopping centre and Dickens World visitor complex.

The river has many sites of special scientific interest along its course and parts of these are sanctuaries for migrating birds. Water quality has improved dramatically during the last 30 years.

There are several riverside walks in the area to enjoy.  Whether you are looking for a stroll along the banks of the River Medway to pass the time by or wish to get close to nature and explore the various species of wildlife - then you will be spoit for choice. Visitors can now enjoy a stroll along the riverside walk of Rochester. The walk runs between Doust Way and Cory's Creek, a total of 1.5km (just under one mile) and is graded as easy. 

Regular cruises are available during the summer aboard Britain's last surviving paddle steamer, the Kingswear Castle and Kent's classic pilot vessel, X-Pilot.  An all-inclusive sailing experience on the river is available with Medway Sailing and departing from Chatham Maritime the beautifully restored Edith May Thames Barge offers a variety of sailing excursions on the River Medway.

For more information about the river, such as tides, safety, the pilotage service and berthing please contact the Medway Ports Authority (www.medwayports.com) or the Medway Yachting Association (www.medwayya.co.uk) or download the River Medway map or a full version of the the River Medway Estuary Guide (2mb).  To use this file, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have this on your computer, please use our advice page.

Medway is part of a European maritime heritage project.  HMS is a cross-boarder project between south-east England, Nord/Pas-de-Calais in France, West-Flanders in Belgium and Zeeland in the Netherlands to improve, develop and promote common maritime heritage and shared history.  For more information visit www.maritime-history.eu