Walking the dramatic landscape of the River Medway in Kent (4K)

This was takes us along the River Medway in Kent following the Saxon Shore Way with Professor Kate Spencer from Gillingham to Rainham. Starting at Strand Leisure Park we pass Horrid Hill, Bloors Wharf, Eastcourt Woods and Otterham Creek. Kate is an expert of estuarine environments and we learn about the specific ecosystem of the Medway estuary and its industrial past.
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Where You Come From - Silver Maple
Waking from a Dream - Hanna Lindgren
The Road Less Traveled - Gabriel Lewis
Into the Forest - Jakob Ahlbom
From Epidemic Sound
Maps:
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Old OS Maps 'Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland'
maps.nls.uk/index.html
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[@user-hc5qh7ch5q]

I grew up there John, now 72 and still alive from swimming in the river, Cement, Paper and Bricks were he main industry followed by engineering and docks, really change in my life time, keep up the great walks

[@ArcAudios77]

Thanks passed to John & Kate. A good watch. Regards & best wishes from Western Scotland.

[@rdstedall]

I have walked much of what you did numerous times, but it was fascinating learning more about the industrial and ecological history of that stretch of the Medway

[@JTTW1455]

The combination of scenery with your - and Kate’s - commentary is always so hypnotic John. I especially enjoyed the colour once the sun came out. A real pleasure to take that walk with you. Thanks.

[@Nick-mq9on]

I'm old and will never see Blighty again, thanks for all you do John.

[@lefroy1]

The large fish you saw by the sewerage outlet were most likely mullet. Specifically the thick-lipped grey mullet (not generally regarded as good eating;). Peak Sunday evening KZbin. Thanks John.

[@siobhanmahon]

Home town!! I love the Medway.

[@martin4365]

Thanks John and Kate. I look forward to the next part of the Medway walk

[@lindasueanderson8024]

Marshes are the beautiful capillaries in the beating heart of the land and sea. And the next tine I am hacking away at vines in my garden I will tell my scratched up arms it is good for their circulation

[@ianmaddams9577]

Lovely to see Kate joining you on a pungent walk along the Medway

[@JohnRogersWalks]

thanks Ian

[@williamrobinson7435]

Good to see Prof. Kate again! Tidal landscapes are always magical and The Medway is no exception. As soon as this came on screen I KNEW samphire would put in an appearance. It comes pickled (or do it yourself) in vinegar, which takes off some of the salt, or stir it fresh picked into a cheesy pasta, which brings out its delicate flavour v nicely. A beautiful place I think, maybe a hot day doesn't show the estuary at its best; a bit less humid & smelly in Autumn, I think. Nice one John and Prof Kate! 🌟🌟👍👍

[@blossie33]

You can buy it in health food type shops in London, I have tried it a few times, very nice.

[@touriel8943]

My dad's family were Gypsy Harris, who parked at Upnor (the North bank of the Medway) before settling on Dillywood Farm. My mum used to walk me up the river banks. I left the county but it still resonates so much.

[@michaeldillon3113]

Saxon Shore Way goes from Gravesend to Hastings . As far as I understand many of the brickfields from Medway to Sittingbourne supplied the bricks for the London Embankment. Sadly I had a couple of friends in Sittingbourne in the 70's whose fathers were sick from the years working in the brickfields . Their lungs were trashed by the time they were fifty .

[@KateSpencer-el1jw]

You don’t hear much about the harmful effects - when did they close down?

[@user-lx5io9rl9i]

Really enjoyed that. You and the professor work well together. Hope there will be more.

[@JohnRogersWalks]

Many thanks

[@KateSpencer-el1jw]

I’m sure we will - already some plans for an autumn walk

[@maverick4177]

My stomping ground, should have popped in for a medicinal beer John 😂👍🏻 So much history on this river, Chatham Dockyard where Nelson boarded HMS victory for the 1st time, prison hulks, Charles Dickens Magwitch escaped onto the marshes across the river at cooling where Pip found him Full of history the Medway towns Horrid Hill was so named as many many convicts who escaped hulks to that island were hung there, nothing to do with industry Dead man’s island was named due to the masses of dead French prisoners of war buried there

[@JohnRogersWalks]

Many thanks for the info

[@KateSpencer-el1jw]

Over the years I’ve heard so many different reasons - do you if there’s a backstory to ‘Bedlams Bottom?

[@maverick4177]

@@KateSpencer-el1jw all i know is that it shares an equally sinister history regarding prisoners as horrid hill, any unlucky escapees who drowned washed up on the shore and were just left where they ended up, I’d imagine is was pretty horrific in Dickensian times on that stretch of the river

[@daveconyard8946]

Thank's Both , Great walk . Stay safe

[@guitarbrad]

It was interesting to have another perspective from someone who knows about the history of the area. I really enjoyed that.

[@stephenknowles8580]

Another great walk John. Always enjoyable. Where professor Kate mentioned dead man’s island, not far from there, is a u-boat that is being well preserved by the Medway mud.

[@Steveoaudioandstuff]

Thank you John for another super interesting film. And for the sacrifices your skin and olfactory system made so we could share this with you.

[@rosswebster7877]

Great walk and great environmental history of the Kentish riverways John! Kate Spencer is always a delight!

[@andyfredericks6205]

Brillliant. The wonderful aroma of Costa del Motney. I found a human femur down by the 'sea wall' back in the seventies,probably one of those poor French fellas!

[@KateSpencer-el1jw]

Wow - we used to find lots of clay pipes down there.

[@MeYou-qh8gn]

Sunday is complete thanks john

[@JohnRogersWalks]

Wonderful- thanks for watching

[@susantaylor927]

Great to see this vid John! I'm a Twydall ite... The River Medway area was our playground. I used to watch the mud.and listen to it! I still have some Upchurch Pottery.... Upchurch is close to Otterham Quay. I can remember the brickworks... Huge open drying sheds near there too. I now live in Ramsgate. Great walk there to the Hengist Ship at Pegwell bay.. Can recommend the cheesy chips at the cafe.👍

[@KateSpencer-el1jw]

Was the quay at Bloors wharf for transporting the bricks?

[@susantaylor927]

@@KateSpencer-el1jw hi!... I don't know for sure. So there was Bloors Warf and Otterham Quay.... It was a very interesting area .. I wish my Dad was here, he knew all about the area . Opposite the brick drying sheds was an old Victorian dump on the shore side of the road. Dug up many different Victorian pots. Cream jars, ink pots, large pots, not sure what they were for. Then along from the brick drying sheds were orchards. Whose fruit could have gone by barge up to London's markets. In the 70's there was a huge boat recycling place near a Warf and the concrete barges were along the shore as a sort of sea defence, I think. Twas a long time ago! Haha. There were sooo many orchards around there. I could see Kingsnorth Power station from my school. It was in Feathery Road. And I became an environmentalist at the age of 12. It was a wonderful area by the river full of Sea Lavender. In our garden at Twydall, I found a fossil and a shot from a gun or small cannon ball. The history of the area is amazing, even Spanish ships at the time of the Armarda,, tried to go down the Medaway and special chains were put across the river from Upnor Castle to Rochester way to stop them. The ropes for HMS Victory were made at Chatham! But the area you walked is still my favourite kate.... I walked the path through the boat yard sooo many times. Thanks for your time.

[@gparry42]

Thoroughly enjoyed this walk John and Kate thankyou both !

[@tinagardner3112]

Loved this pleased you came to my neck of the woods, always a lovely walk, obviously not near the sewage works😂

[@jennphillips7404]

We hiked the whole saxon shore way in February. Highly recommended

[@stephencopps1561]

I was birdwatching around Rainham and the Marshes forty odd years ago and I well remember the sulphurous mud with the matching smell plus some sewerage,but it's remarkable how nature recovers in such post industrial landscapes! Thanks 👍 for the "virtual revisit"!

[@martystacey4429]

Bravo John and Kate! Great team work and super cinematography as always👏👌🖤

[@kimdeakin7678]

Thanks John and kate very interesting

[@williammorrison5678]

The Professor in the first five minutes describes exactly while I like these walks,the sky, mud flats, water and the the smells of the marsh,probably were we called out of the ooze. Thanks.

[@sallykins3800]

Just discovered this channel as algorithm from watching Living London history, so pleased it found me , 😊

[@JohnRogersWalks]

welcome to the channel Sally

[@Ange1166]

great duel video enjoyed didnt want it to end

[@darrenhawksley4459]

Wow what a cracking video John!! Absolutely loved this one!! 🤩You and Kate were fantastic!! Thank you for all your hard work creating these videos for all us to enjoy. 🙏🙏✨✨

[@JohnRogersWalks]

Thanks Darren. My pleasure- I love making these videos

[@darrenhawksley4459]

@@JohnRogersWalks it really shows mate. 🙏So much feeling is put in to your videos. It’s almost like we’re walking with you!! Not sure how you do it but it’s truly magical. 🙏🙏✨✨

[@lesliegprice6652]

Great video John , the Medway estuary is a brilliant environment nice to see it slowly recovering, I keep also thinking of Dickens Great Expectations , I'm recovering from gastro enteritis so appreciate these films very much , Kate's information is also very interesting , see you soon 🌈👍💞

[@JohnRogersWalks]

all the best for your recovery Leslie

[@morriganwitch]

So interesting . Love having an expert . It’s a place of mystery to me xxx

[@thfccfht]

love the mixture of green and grey shades, I would love to paint that, my imagination would run riot....cheers John and Kate.

[@ashleysgaze]

Fascinating John and Kate! What a landscape! ❤

[@malcolmrichardson3881]

Superb! Really interesting and informative video. Well done to Kate and yourself!

[@peterjol]

Ahh Bloors warf ..my childhood playground..looks a bit different now without all the old cement works towers and ruins. (Apart from the railing) the sea wall (as we used to call it) was the most easily recognizable part.

[@colinsaunderson6682]

i love what i see of the medway from the M20 ..it really is my fave bit of motorway in the uk

[@blossie33]

Thanks John, I've never been to that area so very interesting and impressive views Nice to see your companion was a Brummie Spencer - same as me 😄

[@KateSpencer-el1jw]

Haha. I’m from a very long line of Brummie Spencers.

[@blossie33]

@@KateSpencer-el1jw could be some distant relative then 😀

[@neilanscombe7348]

Superb as always John, thanks for sharing. Have a great week!!!

[@JohnRogersWalks]

Many thanks Neil

[@joedellamura9015]

John and Kate 🤝😊

[@admirald2680]

Saxon Shore Way created in 1981 running on existing public rights of way network. It follows (as is practical) the original coastline of Kent during Saxon era. Stoke Marshes on the other side is stunning at high tide when sea lavender is in flower (July - Late Sept)

[@keithprater310]

Wonderful, interesting and a visual delight.thank you.

[@mungmungie]

Stinging nettles were imported to southwestern Ontario by English settlers about 200 years ago. In that environment, they tend to grow to truly obscene sizes, such that preventing stings to the face are nearly impossible. It has ecome naturalized in most provinces in Canada, but many of the medicinal qualities are also present in native and introduced dead nettle and other lamiaceae.

[@michaelwalker6266]

Brought to Britain by the Romans to feed cattle.

[@TracyPicabia]

Beautiful photography once again. And just about free of the Romantic and Expressionist cliches of the landscape genre. So good

[@JohnRogersWalks]

Thanks Tracy

[@JohnC2009Edin]

Great video! Gives you some hope about environments regenerating,,

[@shaunjeffries2628]

I walked the length of the Thames a few years ago. I've been pondering ever since whether to continue that walk, from the point where the two rivers meet, to the source of the Medway. You may just have made my mind up to do it. Fascinating video. Thanks.

[@theagunton3811]

I love the Ord. Little flurry clouds.

[@trainrover]

I can't think of any channeler more at ease than this fella, plus nothing phony either about his dame pal -- SHOCKING, this featured naturalness happening to be ever so rare...

[@rumdo5617]

Beautiful, inspiring and informative. Thanks to you both 🙏

[@AMcF54]

Another fine walk, John, with great wisdom and knowledge imparted by Professor Kate. Wish I had the legs to be able to get down to those more remote parts you take us to. Your excellent films are the next best thing. More power to your roving eyes and knees!

[@andrewbeaty8691]

Hello John - Just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed the video of your Medway hike. The lower reaches of the Medway from the Strand to Horrid Hill were my childhood playground for most of the late 50s and early 60s. There would be a gang of us that would be down their most summer afternoons and Horrid Hill was a firm favourite for racing our bikes (although we didn't know it as Horrid Hill - we called all the nearby area Sharpes Green, presumably after the lane leading to Horrid Hill). I was always fascinated by the bits of white Dundee Marmalade jars that we would find scattered around the end of Horrid Hill and my older brother used to tease my with stories about huge sea monsters that had attacked the locals as they were eating their breakfast - mind you when the tide was in, the water was so thick and muddy you could certainly believe that a gigantic sea creature could be lurking there ready to grab the unwary. And it was only recently that I found out that those Marmalade jar pieces were part of the cargo of a barge that had foundered on Horrid Hill in 1913. The only rule was that we had to be home for tea and what with the river, the mud, numerous scrapes on our bikes - and the odd man in a funny raincoat - it's a wonder that we all lived to tell the tale. What innocent and happy times they were!

[@secondcity11]

Loved this. I remember as a kid about 1970 going on holiday to Sheppey and this environment has been forever implanted in my memory. Never returned but hope to one day...

[@Ian-gw2vx]

About time I got my hand in my pocket John . Been enjoying your wonderful escapades for some time now. Cheers. Ian

[@JohnRogersWalks]

thanks so much for your generosity Ian

[@redfordgrange3507]

Great. I really enjoyed that. Thanks to you both - and especially for putting up with the sun!

[@mostlyindica]

Just perfect, thank you John and Kate.

[@davidallchin935]

Faversham train station to Whitstable train station, primarily walking the Saxon Shoreway, is a lovely little walk. Historic buildings at the start and finish and plenty of bird life and salt marshes in between. Would be a great stroll for the channel. Loads of opportunities for a post-walk pint in Whitstable as well 😉. Thanks for a great video mate. The historic maps were a fantastic touch!

[@emilyphillips7425]

River Medway... more like River Mudway 🤣 Jokes aside, this was a really interesting video! So fascinating to see how nature can reclaim areas that we might have given up on, and completely change the landscape. Prof Kate was a wonderful guest as well. Thanks as always John x

[@KateSpencer-el1jw]

Thank you!

[@TXMEDRGR]

A wonderful walk with excellent guides, thank you.

[@minkwells8434]

Just gorgeous landscape. Inspires me for painting!

[@LordRaphaelBouchier]

Totally enjoyed this video. Brought back memories of a child visiting the Strand. Got stuck in the mud many times running after a ball. Used to walk all along the sea wall and even cycled all the way to Sheppy and did some scrumping on the way. Thank you so much for this brought back some childhood memories.

[@philmetcalfe1914]

Thank you John & Kate wonderful walk along part of the Saxon shoreway

[@milobell5525]

Mr Dickens used to walk from his gaff in Gadshill into London when the mood took him. Seems a fair hike though. Hope he didn't wear shorts.

[@mikenewey3949]

That was great. As well as being very specific to the Medway and its history, a lot can be read across to other coastal areas.

[@peterlaker2234]

Thanks John really enjoyed this, well I enjoy every film you make but this was very good .

[@anniec6420]

great and informative walk...thank you

[@chrisgreen6259]

Stunning photography, and a fascinating ramble. Thanks John!

[@JohnRogersWalks]

many thanks Chris

[@russyboy68]

It’s great to see you in my home town of Gillingham. I use to go walking there myself when I lived there. I now live in Australia but it’s always a joy to see home.

[@andrew-to4mj]

Superb video with oodles of knowledge - just great 👍

[@tinawetzel3912]

Very interesting video John & Kate. Thank u to Kate for lending her expertise on the esturary. Definitely made more sense when it’s explained so well, which ur both so good @ doing. Question: I live in the states & am not familiar w/ stinging grasses/vegetation. Were those what I’ve heard on British shows called “stinging nettles?” Thank u, John, for putting up w/ being stung every step to show us. Thanks again, take care.

[@JohnRogersWalks]

Thanks so much Tina. Yes they were indeed stinging nettles

[@h.bsfaithfulservant4136]

As a confirmed tree hugger, I'm constantly surprised at how much I love open moorland and estuaries and the like, with hardly a tree in sight! 🤔 Fascinating spot...thanks again 👌

[@maxinerobson5336]

John, I appreciate the work you put into these videos; they are always so enjoyable. And the music you choose, always spot on. 👌🏼 Thank you. 😊

[@JohnRogersWalks]

many thanks Maxine

[@martinjohnston6685]

excellent stuff john , this is one of your best videos to date ,thanks

[@JohnRogersWalks]

thanks Martin

[@sharrison3974]

Really enjoyed that one - thank you!

[@ChrisWoutdoors]

Excellent walk, love the bleakness of this area, done a few walks down that way and always enjoyed the openness of the estuary... Cheers John

[@JohnRogersWalks]

Thanks Chris

[@Tom_J23]

Thanks for video John!!

[@JohnRogersWalks]

cheers Tom

[@Slycockney]

Yet another amazing and thoroughly entertaining walk, thank you. I live on the North Norfolk coast with the salt marshes just across the road. Many locals harvest the samphire and sell it outside of their houses (mainly to the tourists) The best way to eat it is to boil it (don't add any salt, as it's already salty) and serve with a very generous knob of butter.

[@quickclipsbyjmj]

More history walks with Kate, please. If she doesn't have her own KZbin channel, Kate should. She's a natural on camera.

[@patthewoodboy]

the usual wonderful wandering 🙂

[@JohnRogersWalks]

Cheers Pat

[@marty9011]

Interesting walk. Hard to believe that there was so much industry in that area. Looks lovely & peaceful now.

[@dirtywaterpj_dj]

Interesting to see the area where me and my pals spent a lot of time as a child. I thought the power station, which I could see from my bedroom window had been demolished? There was no smell of sewage when I was a kid. But that was before full on privatisation.

[@leeevenden6641]

The old power station was demolished but there’s still a newer but much smaller incinerator type one there

[@MF-fg3cg]

Big skies amazing images thx

[@markames3688]

Great stuff!

[@markriley4665]

A delightful and informative walk John.

[@JohnRogersWalks]

Thanks Mark

[@taomahNEGEV]

A lovely walk indeed.

[@medwaypeninsulaMR]

Hi John Nice to see you down my way . I’m in Hoo so just down the road to where you started . I walked the Saxon Shore Way from its source in Gravesend in 10mile segments . I got to just past Whitstable before Covid hit . I must finish it off one day .. Cheers Kev

[@samirouazene4198]

such a brave walk !

[@meredythlou3337]

More Kate and Medway please.

[@thekentishpilgrim]

Nice walk! I enjoyed the learned insight from Kate. I am walking The Stour in Kent if you may be interested. Cheers John!

[@andrewarthurmatthews6685]

Yes a very enjoyable journey

[@touriel8943]

My dad's first job was on the Isle of Graine in the late 40's-50's. He said it was like a weird American colony left over from the war, with 'Yanks' smuggling cigars and wearing cowboy hats.

[@razvanburada1648]

I love you video!! 😊

[@leeevenden6641]

That was brilliant and you were right near where I live, although I’m far enough away from the sewage farm to be able to smell it! You were very close to Berengrave Nature Reserve which was a chalk pit. The fields at the bottom of Station Road and along to Otterham Key used to be the “brick fields” where there were turned and cured before firing (most of this I’ve read on the walls of the Wetherspoons behind you at the end!).

[@LordRaphaelBouchier]

I did the same walk up to The Mariners and had a pint then walked back to Gillingham train station back to London

[@maryreichle7623]

More estuaries on bleak days please John.

[@ross.venner]

Bloors Wharf - When I was a boy sailing at Fareham in the 50s and early 60s there was a "gravel grabber" called Bloors. I think she had been adapted from an old LST (Landing Ship Tank) hull, with an excavator bucket operated from the bow to dredge the shingle banks of the Solent. I wonder if this is the origin of the name.

[@nige_breaks_bikes9782]

Being an estuary dweller this was a really interesting walk … so much history lost to the mud … nice to have insights from the Prof. too. Will you return to the Medway and head out towards Sheerness or cover the North side ?

[@JohnRogersWalks]

I can see quite a few Medway walks over the next couple of years Nige

[@nige_breaks_bikes9782]

@@JohnRogersWalks good to hear that, should be very interesting 😊

[@chrismccartney8668]

Like Essex marshes on other side of Thames Estuary..