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VIII
ON THE MEDWAY FROM CHATHAM TO TONBRIDGE.
WITH an early Eastertide and having a spell of exceptional weather, we decided to spend our holiday afloat on the River Medway this time.
To avoid the Bank Holiday crowd, we varied our route to Chatham part of the way by coming down the Thames in the London and Edinburgh Shipping Co.'s fine passenger steamer " Fiona," bound for the Port of Leith, which dropped us with the pilot at Gravesend, some 25 miles below London Bridge. This made an enjoyable break in the journey, and to one who likes things nautical it is always full of interest. Aboard this good ship we were royally entertained by the genial captain. The engineer on board informed us that this steamer was then the fastest single-propellered boat of her size afloat - a proud boast to be sure.
After staying overnight at the Sun Hotel, we left Chatham under delightful weather conditions at low water, so as to get the benefit of the tidal way as far as Allington Lock, some two miles from Maidstone, our destination for the day's journey.
The Medway from the points mentioned cannot be described as beautiful, until you approach Aylesford Bridge, where the scenery becomes more pleasing. No doubt the lower reaches at one time were more attractive, before the days of the development of that huge industry all round about this neighbourhood, viz., the making of cement, but leaving aside the scenery, from a commercial point of view one must indeed be surprised at the vastness of the manufactories and the consequent traffic on the river with sailing and other barges conveying the cement to its respective destinations.
The traffic altogether is very heavy up to Maidstone, with its fine natural waterway, and we were informed that sometimes at Allington Lock (which is a large double one) over 1,000 tons of cargo are locked through at one tide.
Our crew, we should mention, consisted of the proverbial " three men in a boat," and a right good crew, too.
We landed several times on our run during the day at such villages or towns as Wouldham, Halling, and Aylesford, partially also to wait for the tide, as we got ahead of it and had to wait for water in places even in a shallow-draught boat like ours. Here at high water, however, there is up to 20ft., which enables barges of from 150 to 200 tons to come up so far, and fine, well-maintained craft they are.
At Wouldham, by the way, we came across, in the churchyard, a tombstone erected to a purser on board the " Victory," in whose arms Lord Nelson died at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
Maidstone we duly reached about 6 p.m., having done 14½ miles with one lock, as already described. Kent's county town has some 35,000 inhabitants, and is typically English, altogether an interesting place. Here we were well cared for and made comfortable at "Ye Anciente Bell Hotel," an old-world type of hostelry, in contradistinction to the modern up-to-date houses.
It is an interesting record that Samuel Pepys, of Diary fame, patronized " Ye Bell" in the year 1669, whilst on a visit to Maidstone, when he refers to the good fare and hospitality he then received. Pepys had journeyed from Chatham to Maidstone like our selves, but by the old-fashioned chaise and not by the water route of the present voyagers.
The River Medway is under the jurisdiction of several bodies, and extends 43 miles from Tonbridge, the navigable source, to Sheerness, where it joins the estuary of the River Thames.
Next day, in most perfect weather, we made a nine o'clock start from Maidstone for Tonbridge, 16 miles ahead and with 13 locks to negotiate.
After our previous day's experience amongst the cement works, with their formidable-looking canopies, we were surprised to find that with every mile we went ahead we ran into more and more agreeable scenery, which was really picturesqueness itself, with pleasant surroundings. To add to the charm we had practically all the river to ourselves - on a Bank Holiday too! A dozen boats or so were all we came across on these upper reaches.
The river all through from the start is very tortuous, and this adds appreciably to the glimpses of scenery. Along the latter portion of the route the hopflelds of the "Garden of England" are much in evidence. Ten miles on our journey we stopped at Branbridges for lunch, at the Rose and Crown Inn - an out-of-the-world place.
Proceeding on our way we found on approaching New Lock that the gates were damaged, so we had to lift our boat round by the lock, no easy job, even although we had procured plenty of assistance.
The locks, by the way, generally speaking, are rather hard to work, and are handled by a long iron crowbar; we borrowed one from a tugman at the first lock at Allington. As we found there was considerable delay in their opening we chartered a man to work these for us for the greater part of the way, and this very much facilitated our progress.
Now our cruise comes to an end, and with many regrets we reach our destination - the Castle Hotel at Tonbridge - late in the afternoon, after having had a "real good time," the holiday having been a success in every way.
For the motor boat on this river there is a future, as the conditions are good. The excellent depth and regularity of the width of the river is surprising, considering Tonbridge is some 40 miles from Sheerness. Taking into account the lovely scenery, being away from everybody, and with such surroundings, what could be more enjoyable? In fact one would think it had only to be better known to be taken more advantage of.
The skiff we sent back to Chatham by sailing barge, and we duly reached town, very tired but very contented. As for the Bank Holiday, we really were practically quite unaware of the holding of such a "festival," and so near to London. With such a waterway near at hand we can heartily recommend such a trip to the many motor boat owners on the Thames, even though their own river affords such splendid and varied scenery.
Pictures related to this cruise
On the Upper Medway, near Tonbridge
Approaching East Farleigh Lock, on the Medway
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