River Medway Pilgrimage 2026

From Source to Estuary | 18–27 July 2026

For ten days in July, we will follow the River Medway from her beginnings in the High Weald to the Thames Estuary. Walking together through woodland, farmland, villages and towns, we will trace the river's course and gather at the places where waters meet. Along the way there will be ceremonies, storytelling, shared meals, conversations, practical acts of care, and moments of reflection beside the river itself.

This pilgrimage is an invitation to experience the Medway not simply as a feature of the landscape, but as a living presence that connects communities, ecologies, histories and futures.

The journey brings together people from many different backgrounds: walkers, local residents, artists, farmers, educators, faith communities, environmental practitioners, campaigners, policymakers and those who simply feel called to spend time with the river. Some will walk the full route from source to estuary. Others will join for a day, an event, or a single stretch of river.

All are welcome.

The Pilgrimage

The River Medway and her tributaries have shaped this landscape for thousands of years. They have sustained settlements, nourished ecosystems and carried stories across generations. Yet today these waters face unprecedented pressures. Across the country, rivers are asking us to imagine new ways of living with the natural world; ways rooted in relationship, responsibility and care.

This pilgrimage offers one response. Over ten days we will walk approximately 70 miles through the Medway catchment, pausing at river confluences and significant waterside places to acknowledge the many streams, people and more-than-human communities that contribute to the life of the river; while also walking in service ofthe waters. It is both a celebration of the river and an exploration of what it means to become her guardians.

Along the Way

The pilgrimage includes:

• Walking (sometimes in silence)

• Opportunities for practical river stewardship, including citizen science and litter picking

• Advocacy for the Rights of the River Medway, in theory and practice

• Water ceremonies rooted in ancient practices

• Storytelling, music, and cultural gatherings

Each day offers opportunities to connect more deeply with the landscape, with one another, and with the river itself.

Key engagement days include:

• 18 July: Opening Ceremony, Forest Row

• 23 July: Caring for the River, Maidstone

• 24 July: The Rights of Rivers Confluence at The Friars, Aylesford

• 26 July: Celebrating the River, Rochester

• 27 July: Sailing into the Estuary / Closing, Rochester

Join the Journey

You are welcome to join for:

• The full pilgrimage

• Individual walking days and/or engagement days

Accommodation options, daily routes, timings and practical information are provided in the full itinerary.

View the full itinerary here.

Register

To register your place, please fill out the form here.

A Shared Invitation

By walking the length of the Medway together, we hope to cultivate a deeper relationship with the river and strengthen the growing network of people committed to her flourishing.

Whether you come for a single afternoon or the entire journey, your presence becomes part of that story.

We look forward to welcoming you.