Walk on the Wild Side

Published: Saturday, 08 November 2014

KENT doesn't readily spring to mind for inland boating so the Medway is perhaps not given much thought by most canal users, writes Alan Tilbury.

The Medway is a river in South East England. It rises in the High Weald, Sussex, and flows through Tonbridge, Maidstone and the Medway conurbation in Kent before emptying into the Thames Estuary near Sheerness.

Navigable for 70 miles

The river is navigable for about 70 miles and there are 10 locks. You can operate them all yourself except for Allington Lock which marks the border between the tidal Medway and the non-tidal Medway.

Downstream of Allington Lock the river is tidal. At times the river below the lock may be dry, so you need to check tide times before you plan your river passage below the lock.

County seat

Maidstone is the county seat of Kent, not the City of Canterbury nor the City of Rochester as some may expect. The picture shows the County Hall.

On 31st October I made a rare visit to Maidstone by train, exiting the Maidstone East Station, where the line towards London immediately crosses the river with a pedestrian walkway alongside giving an excellent view as the river sweeps towards the town centre.

Before making my way along the riverside walk I visited the town museum, a first for me. I learned that Maidstone lays claim to it's own Dinosaur where a complete skeleton of an Iguanodon, found in a quarry in 1834.

Hire cruisers

I went into town for lunch after which I made my way down to the riverside where Kentish Lady Hire Cruisers Ltd operate their trip boat outside the Archbishop's Palace. Speaking to the lady in the café alongside she told me her son had taken over the running of the boat in August and had decided to continue their cruises through October instead of finishing at the end of September. With the very mild month they concluded it was a good idea.

They run hourly cruises to Allington Lock, a trip I had made on a previous visit. The boat left for the 2pm cruise with about 20 people on board, this being one of five scheduled for the day. In the summer they also cruise up river, through Farleigh Lock turning round below Teston Lock.

Maidstone Stag

I walked along this side of the river as far as the millennium amphitheatre then crossed the river over a footbridge joining the riverside walk that goes at least as far as Farleigh Lock. As you come off the footbridge you are greeted by a gigantic statue of the Maidstone Stag.

The Stag was sculptor Edward Bainbridge Copnall's largest piece of work and for it he was awarded a silver medal from the Royal Society of British Sculptors. After its creation in 1963, the statue was put on display and unveiled by Princess Alexandra in London at Stag Place near Victoria Station where it remained until the area was redeveloped in 1997. Today the 21feet tall Stag proudly towers outside the Lockmeadow Centre where it was unveiled as part of the Kent Millennium River Park development in 2004.

Sustrans surface

The riverside footpath has a typical Sustrans surface designed for cyclists as well as pedestrians, passing through some residential areas, all flats overlooking the river. After a short distance it is joined by the railway line from Maidstone West to Tonbridge. On the opposite bank there are houses with large lawns sweeping down to the river, some with moored boats, some with boat houses, I only saw one narrowboat.

I encountered one four legged creature, not exactly sure what it was, it looked like a rat but was longer than usual. It eye balled me for ages as I tried to get a photo but the second I looked away it was off in the undergrowth.

There were a few people fishing, some propping their gear up against the notice that said Private Property, No Fishing Allowed!

Several cruisers

There were several cruisers travelling in both directions, it being more like a summer's day than autumn. Why do we feel compelled to wave to people on boats and vice versa, we don't do it people on other forms of transport?

I don't know what the regulations are for long term live-aboard moorings on this river but there is a wide beam canal boat well and truly established. Between the path and the boat is a flower garden and between the path and the railway is an allotment, even with chickens.

I was tempted to walk as far as Farleigh Lock but as the path is unlit I thought I might not make the return journey before darkness, so that is something for a summer's day.

A delightful walk along a tree lined path with all the autumn colours, with just enough fallen leaves to get that crunching sound underfoot.