River Medway Pilgrimage 2026
18-27 July 2026
From Source to Estuary
After 2025’s journey along the River Medway, meandering from her source to the sea, we returned to walk with her once more.
And, to walk for her on a mission to plant the seeds for long-term change.
The intention
A pilgrimage reimagined
Long regarded as a path to spiritual renewal, Friends of the River Medway reimagine pilgrimage as both a journey of inner transformation and outward change - harnessing its transformative power to inspire healing for the very landscapes we wander through.
In 2026, we followed the River Medway once more. from Gravetye to where she meets the Thames, and flows onward to the sea. For 10 days.
270+
people joined us
Caring for the Medway with our hands
Practical stream
Testing the water
From the upper reaches near Forest Row down to Maidstone, our citizen scientists tested the River at ten sites, many at the confluences where her tributaries join her. Below Maidstone the banks became harder to reach safely, so we paused testing there.
Clearing litter
Every day, pilgrims picked litter as we walked. Together we cleared up to 40 bags of rubbish from the riverbanks.
Talking with farmers
In Aylesford, we gathered farmers and landowners to talk about river- friendly farming, and how we might work together towards nutrient buffers along the length of the Medway.
What the tests told us:
Phosphate was lowest in the upper reaches and rose steadily downstream, peaking at 3.4 mg/l at the Loose confluence in Maidstone, nearly seven times the level recorded at the Grom and Bourne confluences. Ammonia stayed mostly low but spiked sharply at Red Spring and the Loose confluence.
Both matter. Excess phosphate fuels algal growth that can strip the water of oxygen, and ammonia is directly toxic to fish.
These readings are only a snapshot, but they show how far from healthy the river was. For a lowland river like the Medway, ammonia should stay below 0.6 mg/l to be rated “good”, and levels above 2.5 mg/l count as “bad”. The phosphorus target is set site by site, but for “good” status it is usually below about 0.1 mg/l. Readings well above that encourage the algal blooms.
Standing up for the Medway’s rights
Legal stream
During the journey, we spoke for the Rights of the River Medway. The heart of this work was the Rights of Rivers Confluence, where every council along the River Medway was represented in one room - councillors from across the political spectrum, united by care for the same River.
Coming in 2028
A Charter for the River Medway
With pro bono support, a Charter is now in development. Every person, community, council, organisation can sign up for a shared vision on the River’s future.
In progress
We are working towards a Medway Legacy Pot: a pool of resources that councils can donate into to help support community initiatives restoring the River.
Medway Legacy Pot
Honouring the river
Sacred stream
Daily ceremonies
Each day we paused to honour the major confluences where tributaries flow into the Medway, reconnecting with the old ways of giving thanks to water. A local ceramist, Laurie Jeanne, co-created the ‘Medway Pebble’ with the river - a clay piece that we carried with us throughout the journey.
Poems and songs
Pilgrims wrote poetry and created songs inspired by the river, which we will be sharing soon via our online exhibition: Medway as Our Muse.
Pledges at Aylesford
Up to 50 people shared what they would like to do for the Medway, and how they wish to offer their gifts in her service, including: more magnet fishing (an amazing and fun way of getting rubbish out the River).
New this year
Young Friends of the River Medway
A place for children to share their concerns and dreams for the River, and to have their voices heard. Together we floated rafts carrying their hopes down the River, made banners for the Medway and held a Council of All Beings.
BBC Radio 4, Open Country: “River Pilgrimage”
Martha Kearney joined us on the walk to hear about the River's health, her cultural significance and why people are drawn to pilgrimage today. Broadcast 27 August 2026.