Lower Upnor Walks & Route Maps

This first route begins with the wooded slopes of Cockham Wood, where tall oaks and chestnut trees rise sharply from the river’s edge.

From here the trail links with the Saxon Shore Way, a historic long-distance path tracing the line of ancient Roman defences.

A pub stop and riverside café add a friendly pause before the walk reaches Port Werburgh, a modern marina alive with houseboats and yachts.

The route closes with wide views of the River Medway itself, a tidal stretch shaped by shipbuilding, naval history, and the shifting rhythms of migrating birds.

This longer walk also begins by taking you through Cockham Wood, where ancient oaks and chestnuts rise above traces of old chalk workings.

The route then meets the Saxon Shore Way, echoing the line of Roman coastal defences, before passing a welcoming pub if you fancy an early pitstop.

Further along the walk lies the expanse of Hoo Flats, a tidal landscape where shifting mud and saltmarsh provide vital feeding grounds for wading birds and wintering wildfowl.

On the way back, a café offers refreshments before the route moves on to Port Werburgh, a marina of yachts and boats contrasting with the wild edges of the estuary.

The walk closes with sweeping views of the River Medway, a tidal waterway rich in history and still alive with the rhythms of tide and migration.