River Medway

[snowleopard]

Just been invited to spend a week on a narrow boat going from London down the Thames and up the Medway. I have sailed in and around the Medway estuary but not up the locked part of the river or indeed upstream of Chatham.

Anyone who's been there care to share their experiences?

 

[FullCircle]

Just been invited to spend a week on a narrow boat going from London down the Thames and up the Medway. I have sailed in and around the Medway estuary but not up the locked part of the river or indeed upstream of Chatham.

Anyone who's been there care to share their experiences?

This post is best moved to the gentle meander of the Thames and Inland Waterways forum, where you will be gently dealt with by the likes of Oldgit and Stoaty, leaders of the Medway massive.

Fred (oldgit) has some great photo shoots of his regular trips up the Medway, usually posted on Mobo I think.

 

[Bassplayer]

Just been invited to spend a week on a narrow boat going from London down the Thames and up the Medway. I have sailed in and around the Medway estuary but not up the locked part of the river or indeed upstream of Chatham.

Anyone who's been there care to share their experiences?

Vastly underrated river IMHO. Does get a bit boring above Yalding tho'. Otherwise lots to see, plus low bridges, locks etc.... Watch out for rubbish to foul the prop at Allington at HW. Good moorings at Maidstone, good pub and tea rooms at Wateringbury etc. We are in Gillingham Marina. Good bar/cafe there. Stop by and say hello.

 

[Gumpy]

Just been invited to spend a week on a narrow boat going from London down the Thames and up the Medway. I have sailed in and around the Medway estuary but not up the locked part of the river or indeed upstream of Chatham.

Anyone who's been there care to share their experiences?

Great river
Hope the chap that you are doing it with has been before, The trip from Bow to Queenborough can be "interesting" in a narrow boat.
Be prepared to abandon the trip if its over F2
This makes interesting reading for NB ( 1.3mb download)
http://www.stpancrascc.co.uk/media/system/downloads/guide.pdf
I assume you will start from Bow Locks as its a lot of pushing the tide if you dont!
Some photos of my last trip down there and across the other side
http://thames2007.fotopic.net/c1367471_1.html

 

[oldgit]

. Does get a bit boring above Yalding tho'
Oi.......
Some previous adventurous Tin Slug types.

"That" Bridge at East Farleigh

On the way up to Allington Lock

Wouldham church,where Hardy is buried.

Aylesford bridge on the tidal bit

Teston Bridge

Lock

A bit further up "The boring bit"

The abandoned lock

Free mooring at Golden Green(The Meadows)

Even more Boring bits

The end of the line(For some of us) Tonbridge Town Centre.Narrow boats can go beyond this point.

This website is very useful
http://www.allingtonlock.co.uk/
and you will no doubt need to go on some sort of elfnsafety course to learn how to use........one of these.

 

[Fascadale]

Beautiful photos of a place I am sadly unlikely to visit...........thanks

 

[oldgit]

Beautiful photos of a place I am sadly unlikely to visit...........thanks

There was a post recently of a chap who had his mast stepped in order to see just how far up he could get his yacht,almost made it to Yalding.Probably most travelled visitor was a lady who came up to the Maidstone River Festival around three years ago from Florida.Saw some pictures of previous festivals on the interweb and decided to sail boat across and have a look for herself as part of world cruise.

 

[dylanwinter]

The slug on the medway

I agree the Medway is one of the most underrated rivers I went on

I did dropped the mast on the slug and took it all the way to the top of the navigation

an absolutel brilliant four days

the lower reaches of the medway are wonderful too

ther are four films about the medway on the same youtube space that this one is on


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCRYxULXkEo

Dylan

 

[aquaholic]

Spent many years as a youngster on the upper reaches, fantastic places to moor up, couple of mooring pegs and a hammer and your away. Some really beautiful parts to experience, hope you enjoy it.

 

[Medway_Squirrel2]

Info for your trip

Fred has already included this link. The lower part of the river will remain open for the winter duration but there are some repairs/ refurbishment being undertaken on some locks upstream.

Keep an eye out on this

http://www.allingtonlock.co.uk/

Medway Squirrel

 

[snowleopard]

Thanks everyone. I'll pass this stuff on to the owner.

Experiences of doing the tidal part would be welcome. In particular any problems with wash from passing ships or mobos?

We did the bit down the Severn from the Gloucester canal to Bristol last year, stopping at Portishead marina to wait for the tide to turn. Unfortunately the wind got up while we were waiting so the HM told us to stay put. I had to go home and missed the leg up the Avon under the suspension bridge.

 

[Malish]

Passing ships rarely a problem but watch out for the tugs. Mobos can be an issue in the Medway estuary especially where the river turns a bend - everyone cuts the corner giving a pinch point. Worst place is between the two Victorian forts just up river from Kingsnorth power station where the speed limit goes from 6 knots (up river) to unrestricted (down river). If you avoid Saturday and Sunday afternoon then you shouldn't have any issues.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Really really lovely pics OldGit.

It looks absolutely beautiful.

 

[oldgit]

Experiences of doing the tidal part would be welcome. In particular any problems with wash from passing ships or mobos?

We normally get a number of narrow boats exiting the canal from Limehouse each year and doing the run round to Rochester.Best first stop is probably the pier outside Rochester Castle,easy access to shops etc,before using the tide to continue up to Allington following day.

Have passed a few on our passages to and from the the Thames each year,mostly mid summer,seen a few making the trip alone and meeting one off of Southend chugging along,always merits an enthusiastic wave and a big smile from us.
You will appreciate the need to pick you day for Sea Reach and to watch out for the RoRo/ Ballast dredgers/tugs and other big stuff whizzing up and down as the wash is likely to be fairly deep.

Any weekday the Medway will normally be deserted as far as fast Mobo traffic is concerned except on really fine bank holiday weekends,when the urge by every stinkpot to get several tons of white shiney glassfibre onto the plane ASAP after leaving the marina causes hell for us proper boaters trying to balance a glass of Pino on the coaming,plus everything and anything with a set of sails doth magically appear.