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Thames & Medway Canal

The Thames & Medway Canal. This is a picture of the remains of the Thames and Medway Canal. © Glyn Baker - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

'London's Second River', the Medway extends for 29 miles between Tonbridge and Rochester Bridge and is the demarcation between a 'Man of Kent' and a 'Kentish Man'. The non-tidal Medway is luxuriantly rural as it passes through verdant agricultural land. Built originally to provide a shorter and more militarily secure route between Chatham Dockyard and London, the Thames & Medway Canal was not a success.

It fell finally into disuse in 1934 though one of its tunnels, between Higham and Strood, is still used daily for commuter rail services. In 2004 a study was commissioned to assess the economic and employment benefits of restoring the canal between Gravesend and Higham.

With its historic Naval associations the area around the estuary is popular with small yachts and pleasure craft. Although possible with adequate preparations and safety gear the estuarial voyage to access the Medway is not suitable for the inexperienced.