The Medway Estuary, Kent

Being just the other side of the Thames Estuary I had expected the Medway to be similar to the Estuaries of Essex; a winding waterway, muddy at low tide and edged with saltmarsh and reedbeds. In some ways the Medway is true to this description, but it is a much more industrial river than I had anticipated and it is this man made influence that has shaped much of the estuaries character.

Our first stop was Upnor; a riverside settlement comprising the villages of Lower and Upper Upnor. For character and charm the main street in Upper Upnor is hard to beat. There are some wonderful houses fronting onto this cobbled highway which leads down to the river and the impressive remains of Upnor Castle. .

Upper Upnor with its cobbled main street leading to the river

This little street is a delightful snapshot of a bygone era, beautifully preserved and tranquil, we wondered what stories these characterful buildings had to tell.

At the end of the street is Upnor Castle. Built in 1559 this is a rare example of an Elizabethan artillery fort. It looks out over the Medway to the historic dockyard at Chatham. The river here is wide and busy, but there is none of the heavy industry associated with the mouth of the estuary. Instead there is an air of prosperity; newly built offices tower over the redeveloped dockyard and Chatham marina bustles with posh yachts and motor boats.

Looking across the Medway to Chatham dockyard and marina

Further upstream the river runs into Rochester, but we headed out to the Isle of Grain and the estuary mouth.

The Isle of Grain is the most easterly point of the Hoo peninsular and is a bizarre and strangely fascinating place. Much of the island is marshland which supports a diverse array of  wetland birds, but the south of the island is an important industrial area. As we crossed the road bridge onto the isle the contrast between the wild marshland and the heavy industry that has mushroomed along side was evident. Sheep grazed the marshes in front of stark metal pylons and chimneys towered above the flat landscape.

At the end of the road is Grain village, a residential island in a sea of industry. We walked along a footpath to the coast and looked out over the mouth of the Medway.

Turnstones sit on the water outfall of the power station in front of the Grain Tower Battery

In front of us stood the Grain tower battery; the remains of a fort built in 1855 and similar in design to the East Coast Martello towers of Essex and Suffolk. The structure is connected to the mainland by a causeway, viable only at low tide,  and has the prestigious address of "No. 1,  The Thames" Sitting isolated in a calm sea the tower looked quite beautiful in the early evening light.

The Grain Tower Battery

Behind us the Isle of Grain power station provided a rather stark contrast to the tranquil scene out at sea.

Walking along the river wall it was evident that despite the islands industrial presence wildlife was thriving. Flocks of turnstones scurried along the shore line picking at bits of seaweed and debris along the tide line. The calls of oystercatcher, redshank and curlew rang out over the estuary and in front of the power station a swath of reeds shimmered and bristled in the setting sun.

This is not a landscape full of natural wonders but it is beautiful none the less in its own unique way.

The Medway Estuary facts

OS Explorer map 163

The Medway rises in high Weald, Sussex and flows 70 miles before reaching the sea.

In 1088 Rochester Castle was built, to defend the Medway Estuary from invaders.

Chatham Dockyard was established by Elizabeth I of England in 1568. In its heyday thousands of men were employed here and hundreds of ships were launched here including HMS Victory.

Thousands of water birds visit the Medway every year and the estuary is an important site for waders, and several species of ducks and geese.

A really interesting little booklet about the River Medway and its surrounds can be found here