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

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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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Опубликовано:

30 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 178

@ArcAudios77 Год назад

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

@shaunjeffries2628 Год назад

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.

@CthulhuInc Год назад

hi john, i know you tend to steer clear of politics, but, the raw sewage smell you commented upon makes me think - is that due to the deregulations following brexit? unchecked water companies freely dumping raw sewage into the waterways, with no fear of consequences? apart from that, i really enjoyed the walk - and cheers to the prof! 😊

@leeevenden6641 Год назад

Wouldn't surprise me if they were taking advantage of the reduced consequences although there has always been a stinky area around there! There’s quite a lot of big expensive houses near there if you can stand the stink!

@rdstedall Год назад

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

@lindasueanderson8024 Год назад

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

@michaeldillon3113 Год назад

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 Год назад

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

@BryanMartin-m4i Год назад

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

@JohnRogersWalks Год назад

Many thanks

@KateSpencer-el1jw Год назад

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

@maverick4177 Год назад

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 Год назад

Many thanks for the info

@KateSpencer-el1jw Год назад

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

@maverick4177 Год назад

@@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

@lefroy1 Год назад

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 RU-vid. Thanks John.

@susantaylor927 Год назад

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 Год назад

Was the quay at Bloors wharf for transporting the bricks?

@susantaylor927 Год назад

@@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.

@garphykeks Год назад

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

@martin4365 Год назад

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

@williamrobinson7435 Год назад

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 Год назад

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

@tinagardner3112 Год назад

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

@Steveoaudioandstuff Год назад

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 Год назад

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

@andyfredericks6205 Год назад

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 Год назад

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

@stephenknowles8580 Год назад

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.

@milobell5525 Год назад

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.

@siobhanmahon Год назад

Home town!! I love the Medway.

@gparry42 Год назад

Thoroughly enjoyed this walk John and Kate thankyou both !

@chrismccartney8668 Год назад

Like Essex marshes on other side of Thames Estuary..

@guitarbrad Год назад

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

@touriel8943 Год назад

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.

@daveconyard8946 Год назад

Thank's Both , Great walk . Stay safe

@JohnC2009Edin Год назад

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

@malcolmrichardson3881 Год назад

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

@ianmaddams9577 Год назад

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

@JohnRogersWalks Год назад

thanks Ian

@kimdeakin7678 Год назад

Thanks John and kate very interesting

@stephencopps1561 Год назад

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"!

@rayg4360 Год назад

Horrid hill = Cement works. Sewage everwhere. Saw in Roach recently

@trainrover Год назад

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...

@blossie33 Год назад

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 Год назад

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

@blossie33 Год назад

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

@darrenhawksley4459 Год назад

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 Год назад

Thanks Darren. My pleasure- I love making these videos

@darrenhawksley4459 Год назад

@@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. 🙏🙏✨✨

@luapnosboh7421 Год назад

Yes john eat this , thats the sewage works o there n this water has lots o Mercury contamination , mullet are famed for eating bobbar 😂 dont go there , great vid once more tho 👍

@Nick-mq9on Год назад

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

@keithprater310 Год назад

Wonderful, interesting and a visual delight.thank you.

@lesliegprice6652 Год назад

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 Год назад

all the best for your recovery Leslie

@MeYou-qh8gn Год назад

Sunday is complete thanks john

@JohnRogersWalks Год назад

Wonderful- thanks for watching

@neilanscombe7348 Год назад

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

@JohnRogersWalks Год назад

Many thanks Neil

@tinawetzel3912 Год назад

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 Год назад

Thanks so much Tina. Yes they were indeed stinging nettles

@Ange1166 Год назад

great duel video enjoyed didnt want it to end

@morriganwitch Год назад

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

@JTTW1455 6 месяцев назад

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.

@touriel8943 Год назад

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.

@rumdo5617 Год назад

Beautiful, inspiring and informative. Thanks to you both 🙏

@colinsaunderson6682 Год назад

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

@mungmungie Год назад

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 Год назад

Brought to Britain by the Romans to feed cattle.

@ashleysgaze Год назад

Fascinating John and Kate! What a landscape! ❤

@joedellamura9015 Год назад

John and Kate 🤝😊

@peterjol Год назад

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.

@nige_breaks_bikes9782 Год назад

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 Год назад

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

@nige_breaks_bikes9782 Год назад

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

@AdamDTaylor Год назад

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)

@ChristopherWhiteley-uv8zt Год назад

If you love muddy estuarine environments, you should come up here and explore the north bank of the Humber, east from Hull and out to Spurn Head. It's not the end of the world, but you can see it from there.

@BELLA_AND_RUBY Год назад

ahh you missed the roman villa on otterham creek on the bend by the fence it is just there. whats left of it also motney hill i was told motney is a roman word for sewage not sure if thats true tho

@KateSpencer-el1jw Год назад

Motney is such a weird word - I’m sure it’s got some historic meaning. Fascinating

@jennphillips7404 Год назад

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

@williammorrison5678 Год назад

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.

@brendancoburn427 Год назад

Samphire: Pan fried with butter or stir fried with a little Sesame oil.

@JimJim-j6y 7 месяцев назад

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

@davidallchin935 Год назад

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 Год назад

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 Год назад

Thank you!

@stephenoliver1437 Год назад

Well done John and kat I could not smell the smelly just as well

@thekentishpilgrim Год назад

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

@dirtywaterpj_dj Год назад

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 Год назад

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

@thfccfht Год назад

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

@TracyPicabia Год назад

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

@JohnRogersWalks Год назад

Thanks Tracy

@maryreichle7623 Год назад

More estuaries on bleak days please John.

@anniec6420 Год назад

great and informative walk...thank you

@sallykins3800 Год назад

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

@JohnRogersWalks Год назад

welcome to the channel Sally

@chrismccartney8668 Год назад

More Full Sensoris Experinces Please !!

@redfordgrange3507 Год назад

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

@patthewoodboy Год назад

the usual wonderful wandering 🙂

@JohnRogersWalks Год назад

Cheers Pat

@timballard27 20 дней назад

As a regular visitor to The Strand, Riverside Country Park and Bloors wharf on birdwatching trips I was aware of the area's beauty, but was very interested to learn of it's past history. Motney Hill is a regular hot spot for Turtle Doves each Spring. Thankyou.

@malcolmtaylor518 Месяц назад

You're starting your walk at a place called the Strand. Barges loaded bricks at Horrid Hill, for London, and returned with rubbish from Londons dumps. The detrius was offloaded to the causeway, hence all the pottery and broken pipes. The bricks were called London stocks.

@mostlyindica Год назад

Just perfect, thank you John and Kate.

@JulieDray-w2f Месяц назад

I have lived in Gillingham for 57 years and where you are walking was my play ground. I often walk there. I belonged to a local archaeological group and I did a study of the area. There is an old chalk quarry opposite the Riverside park entrance. There was a small train track leading out to horrid hill as boats pulled up. There's the old wharf at Bloor Lane end. Further along the road was an old brick work where they are building houses. Along the lower road was orchards

@meredythlou3337 Год назад

More Kate and Medway please.

@patthewoodboy Год назад

KIngsnorth Power station

@JohnRogersWalks Год назад

Cheers

@dirtywaterpj_dj Год назад

Is it still there? I moved when I was 18 and haven’t been back. I thought I read that it’s been demolished?

@paulroossien5322 Год назад

Your starting point was called the strand john both kingsnorth and isle of grain power stations have been demolished a few years ago

@patthewoodboy Год назад

@@paulroossien5322 the substation is still there with all the overhead cables coming in. But agree the generator hall and cooling towers are long gone. Dam Creek power station is behind it

@andyfredericks6205 Год назад

@@dirtywaterpj_djHi. Yes it's gone,and Grain at the other end.

@peterlaker2234 Год назад

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

@trainrover Год назад

I just chewed a channeler from the BI over there for vaunting digital mappings to which their QUEER nameplaces smacked of devilishly cleptoparasitic corporateers' schemes of real estate redevelopment; all of the map labels FUCKINGLY hark to *:brrrRrr:* godawful new towns...those fantastic Ordnance Survey maps VERY MUCH grew on this Islander of Montreal's own childhood...anyhow, 📯📯📯 along with much praise to the both of you 🍺🍺

@geoffreyjerrom7771 6 месяцев назад

😇

@john80c Год назад

Excellent video and fascinating information. The area called to mind smugglers tales, Viking raids and tales of witches and witch hunts,

@ChrisWoutdoors Год назад

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 Год назад

Thanks Chris

@ross.venner Год назад

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.

@madincraft4418 Год назад

There's a fellow named Geoffrey Drumm who wrote Land of Chem about the very early chemical processing plants and how some are confused with Tombs or Temples.

@duncr Год назад

Check out a classic post war film set on these marshes with John Mills called The Long Memory (1953). Some of the scenery is fantastic

@LordRaphaelBouchier 5 месяцев назад

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

@leeevenden6641 Год назад

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!).

@ianplatt1375 Год назад

Small world I lev in motney Hill Isle of grain had two of the tallest chimneys in the world blown down about 10 years ago because maintaining problems 😳

@AMcF54 Год назад

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 Год назад

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!

@stevedriver1376 Год назад

Dramatic? Dull, flat, grey, uninspiring.

@Seansaighdeoir Год назад

Haven't watched yet but done that walk many times. Its an interesting if rather bleak place like much of the North Kent marshes but seeded with bird and nature sanctuaries that offer relief. Although Dickens didn't site any of his works in this particular area you can still sense the inspiration for say Great Expectations which was sited on the north side of the Medway around the Cliffe area.

@barrycoppock Год назад

Yes, bleak looking, but at the same time very atmospheric.

@klienbike Год назад

You must visit Upper Upnor and Lower Upnor.

@simonparkinson7078 10 месяцев назад

The old wooden ship at 20:28 has been slow rotting away for some years now. Try as I might I can’t find any info / history regarding how it got there. All I know is it was named the Aberdeen.

@The3Kosmos3 Год назад

The river looks small... 3 or 4 years ago I looked at a flat for sale and it seemed huge... looking at it again as the new people are doing it up, it looks tiny!

@theagunton3811 9 месяцев назад

I love the Ord. Little flurry clouds.

@BELLA_AND_RUBY Год назад

horrid hill if you read the boards there. its where they used to hang the french that escaped the hulks they hanged them there so the other hulks could see them and the smell of rotton corpses give it its name